Raleigh Garage Door Archives | Page 9 of 11 | Garage Door Repair | Garage Doors and Openers | Raleigh, NC

Apr 20 2014

History of the Garage

Raleigh Garage Door: A History!

The history of a Raleigh garage door, and the garage, in general, is something many people never even think about. When were they invented? Where did the idea for garages come from? Why are they even called garages?
The term garage comes from French word, “garer”, that means to shelter. Seems fitting for something that houses vehicles, workshops, tools, and more, right?!
According to precision.com, “The first garages were converted carriage houses, originally used to house the family carriage or buggy, horse, and related tack. As the automobile replaced the horse as the primary means of transportation, the former carriage house was granted a new lease on life as a place to shelter the newfangled “horseless carriage.” For those folks without a carriage house, pioneer retailer Sears Roebuck & Company introduced a portable garage in 1908. A novelty at first, the automobile grew to widespread acceptance after the passage of the Federal Road Act of 1916 and the Federal Highway Act of 1921. Together these two pieces of legislation, along with Henry Ford’s revolutionary production process, truly put the world on wheels. The next logical step was to find a more convenient place to house this new necessity of life.
Not surprisingly, the earliest garages built specifically to shelter the family car closely resembled the old carriage house down to the traditional gabled roof. Refinements such as the introduction of the overhead garage door in 1921, and the automatic garage door opener in 1926 quickly grew from novelty to necessity and helped fuel the public’s demand for a better garage. As early as 1925, real estate agents were reporting that one of the first questions asked by prospective buyers was whether the home included a garage.”
Turns out, garages are a vital part of our lives that we take for granted! Imagine if no one thought to invent them?! If you’re interested in learning a bit more about the history of the garage, be sure to check back with us for our next post!
Also, if you’ve been neglecting the maintenance of your Raleigh garage door for some time now, and feel like you need to get started on giving them some TLC, be sure to contact our Raleigh garage door repair specialists at Hanson Overhead! We are available, 24/7, to help you with all your garage door needs!

Apr 10 2014

Simple Garage Door Maintenance Tips!

Garage Doors Raleigh: Simple Maintenance Tips!

Believe it or not, there are a few simple things you can do to ensure that your garage doors in Raleigh stay well-maintained throughout the year, without having to have a professional come out. Though these things are fairly easy and very handy, they won’t keep professionals completely away, as it’s always a good idea to have our garage door repair experts out at least once a year to make sure all components are working properly and safely.
These simple tips will help make a major impact on the life of your garage doors in Raleigh and will keep it running smoothly until time for your next scheduled maintenance check!
If your garage doors are wooden, be sure to take care of the paint or stain on the inside and out. Wooden doors tend to gap and crack, so caulking those imperfections can help keep your door in great shape for years to come. Also, keeping your wooden door freshly painted or stained will do wonders for the life of your doors.
Make sure the sealant on the door is always intact and applied properly. If it isn’t you should replace it ASAP. A broken seal could cause the inside components of the door to rust and become worn much quicker.
Keep a check on all the moving parts of your garage doors in Raleigh. If something seems like it’s moving differently, contact Hanson Overhead of Raleigh. Staying on top of small issues can help keep your garage door alive for as long as possible. Leaving small issues alone could result in a much larger issue down the road. It may even cause you to have to get new garage doors sooner than planned.
Lubricate all rails properly to ensure that your doors will open easily and smoothly. You can also lubricate the hinges and springs, as well. For those components, be sure to use household oil.
Clean your garage doors in Raleigh as many as times as 4 times a year. Cleaning the doors with each new season is a great idea. Use warm water, degreaser or other household cleaners to get the door clean and free from debris. Keeping your garage doors clean can help them stay in shape for years to come.
If you haven’t had your garage doors in Raleigh checked for repair issues yet, now’s a great time to do so! Contact our Raleigh garage door repair specialists to set up an appointment, soon!

Apr 03 2014

Give Your Garage Doors a Fresh Coat of Paint For Summer!

Enhance Your Curb Appeal and Beautiful Landscaping With a Fresh Coat of Paint on Your Raleigh Garage Doors!

It’s been a tough winter, but spring weather seems to finally be upon us. With the recent extreme cold, snow, and rain it’s been hard to get any home maintenance done for spring. One of the spring projects that concerns your Raleigh garage doors is wear and tear from the extreme weather. The good news is that one of the best spring garage door projects you can do yourself is giving the doors a nice new paint job!
It might seem like a complicated job better left to Raleigh garage door repair professionals, but it’s actually fairly simple. Of course, the prep work is a bit time consuming and requires hard work, but if you’re up for the challenge of having a freshly painted garage door to enhance your beautifully landscaped yard this summer, keep reading!
The most important step in painting your Raleigh garage doors is, as we said, the prep work. Sand the entire door to remove any imperfections or peeling paint. It’s also a good idea to get rid of rust that might be on metal doors. The snow and rain from this past winter could have caused a great deal of rust on your metal doors, if that is the case it’s best to purchase a primer paint to help seal the rust spots and smooth the surface of your doors.
Once you’ve rid the door of all imperfections, peeling paint and rust, clean the door well with warm water and soap. It’s important to make sure all the grime is removed from your Raleigh garage doors and they’ve dried completely before you start with any primer or paint.
Things You’ll Need:

Outdoor Latex Paint or Stain
Outdoor Primer Paint
Drop Cloths or Plastic
Cardboard to Catch Spills
Paint Tape
Paint Roller
Large Paint Brush
Small Paint Brush
Painting Your Garage Door

In our next post, our Raleigh garage door repair experts will have some great tips on how to start painting your garage doors with ease! In the meantime, if you’d like to go ahead and schedule a repair check with Hanson Overhead Garage Door Service, be sure to contact us, anytime! We will come out and make sure your Raleigh garage doors are safe and ready for summer!
Don’t forget to check back with us soon, for more tips on how to paint your Raleigh garage doors this spring!

Mar 15 2014

Extreme Weather Changes can Affect Your Garage Doors

Extreme Weather Can Affect Your Garage Doors in Raleigh

It’s that time of year, temperatures are all over the place. The morning can start off below freezing, it can be almost 70 degrees during the day and then it can drop back down at night. Though we can’t control it, these temps really affect our garage doors in Raleigh and the metal components they’re made up of. The drastic change in temps causes them to become fatigued, and in turn can cause the mechanics to fail.
Unfortunately, as we just said, we have no control over this issue. Early spring is the worst time, aside from fall, for garage doors components, especially the springs to really take a beating. Garage door springs are the counterbalance of the weight of garage doors in Raleigh. They allow the door to open easily, either with a remote or by hand. Considering that the springs are pulling and twisting a large amount of weight 4 to 6 times a day, the chances of the springs breaking is likely during the weather changes.
When springs break, there is a violent release of tension that often causes any other weak spots in the garage door system to slam shut leaving no way to open it, or it can become stuck while it’s open with no hope of closing it safely.
When these unfortunate issues happen, the only thing you can do is call a garage door repair company. It’s important to use a well-qualified Raleigh garage door repair specialist to help correct the situation and replace the springs. Springs are difficult and dangerous to switch out. It’s important that you contact a professional for help.
To learn more about what to do when your garage door is subjected to changing temps throughout the day, be sure to check back with our garage door repair specialists. Our next post will talk about which components need to be checked or replaced, as well as why.
If your garage doors in Raleigh haven’t had a maintenance check in a while, it’s a good idea to go ahead and schedule one soon. The wear and tear that your doors go through should be monitored and repaired as soon as there is any sign of trouble at all. Otherwise, the damage done might be beyond repair.

Mar 10 2014

Tips For a Frozen Garage Door

Garage Doors Raleigh: Winter Weather Can Freeze Your Doors!

This winter has proved to be an interesting mix of freezing weather and below freezing weather, with an occasional mix of mild temperatures. Though we are moving towards spring, it’s doubtful that we will steer clear of the freezing temps at night until at least the end of the month. With all of this cold weather, it’s important to make sure that your garage doors in Raleigh are able to handle the elements. Snow, freezing rain, and even regular rain can really affect your doors.
Believe it or not, your garage doors in Raleigh can actually freeze over. What actually happens? When moisture gets trapped inside the garage door panels or at the base of the garage door, it can cause frost to form. Trying to use the opener when your garage door is frozen shut can result in serious damage. The door cable can snap or the garage door springs can break. In addition, the actual door can freeze to the concrete while it stays shut overnight.
Below, are a few tips that will help you ensure that your garage doors will function properly during freezing temperatures:
When you know that temperatures dropped to freezing or below the night before, check your garage door before opening it. Does it feel frozen at the bottom, toward the ground? Is there any visible ice or frost on any of the panels or other components?
Checking the outside of the door is also a good idea. If your garage door is properly insulated inside, it might be possible that only the outside will freeze. If ice is attached to the door on the exterior, make up a mixture of water and vinegar to melt it away. You can also use a de-icing product, found in most hardware stores. Only open the door once you’re certain that all ice or frost has been melted away.
Dealing with a frozen garage door is a serious matter that should be taken care of with great precaution. In addition to taking these steps to unfreezing the doors, it’s also a great idea to get the garage doors checked for repairs, before the beginning of freezing weather season.
Our Raleigh garage door repair techs can come out and do a quick check to make sure all components are in great shape, so that if the doors do freeze, there won’t be any extra issues to deal with! Garage Doors in Raleigh are best when installed and maintained by Hanson Overhead of Raleigh! Our 24/7 service is second to none!