Is your garage door ready for winter? With cold weather upon us homeowners are busy getting oil tanks filled and furnaces cleaned before the snow falls. We suggest adding the frequently overlooked garage door to your winter preparations. Being the largest opening in many homes, the garage door can be a leading source of heat loss.

Visually inspect your garage door for gaps around the sides, between sections, and at the bottom of the door when fully closed. An easy way to do this is to stand inside the garage with the lights off during the day. If any light is visible or if you feel drafts, you could be losing money as well as heat. This is especially important if your garage is insulated or attached to your home. You should also check any existing vinyl weather seal, located on the exterior of your door along the perimeter of the opening, for signs of wear. Sagging or cracked seals will not protect your home from the elements and should be replaced. We stock a variety of colors to compliment your home's exterior. Always make sure the door jambs and header are in good condition first as the vinyl seal will not be able to do it's job if attached to rotted wood.

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Here are the instructions for programming your Homelink system to the Legacy and Destiny garage door operators

 

Note:  Some vehicles may require the ignition be turned on or the vehicle actually running to program the Homelink Transciever.

 

To program a rolling code compatible Homelink system, please follow these steps.

1.  Press and hold the two outside buttons on the Homelink system until the LED starts to blink, release buttons.

2.  Press and hold the desired Homelink button and the transmit button on your rolling code transmitter at the same time until the Homelink LED changes from a slow blink to a rapid blink.  (Your Homelink system is now programmed).

3.  Locate the learn code button on your garage door operator.  (These are located under the light cover or on the rear panel depending on model).

4.  Press the learn code button on the garage door operator, a red LED will start to blink.  (You will have 30 seconds to complete programming).

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MYTH #1:  Anyone can install a garage door

  Keep in mind that just one 9' x 7' garage door can weigh up to 400 pounds or more depending on the size & construction.  The spring & cable system required to lift such a heavy object is under extremely high tension and can cause serious injury or death if handled by a novice without the proper tools.  Thousands of injuries happen every year caused by a variety of dangerous activities such as DIY projects, falling doors, and springs.  We strongly advise hiring a professional for the installation or repair of any garage door.

 

Certain abilities and special tools are vital to properly install a garage door - especially the springs.  Carpentry experience, mechanical aptitude, adhering to the instruction manual, and expert power tool skills are a must.  Our certified technicians go through constant training both on the job and at corporate seminars to learn product information as well as installation, repair & troubleshooting techniques.  Never work on garage doors without the proper tools.

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Did you know that thunder is produced by lightning?  Or that the brilliant 'bolts' we see in the sky are only about 1' in diameter and over tens of miles long?  And that trees such as pine, oak, and maple are natural lightning conductors due to their height & root systems which dissipate the charge?  Unpredictable and impressive, it is estimated that one out of every 200 homes will be struck by lightning each year.

 

Garage door openers along with many other electronics have a high risk of damage during a storm because the lightning can travel through phone jacks, ethernet cables, and electrical outlets.  Even the electromagnetic pulses generated by indirect lightning can short out appliances.  We strongly suggest purchasing a surge protector for your garage door openers.  Surge protectors plug directly into an outlet and limit the voltage supplied to electronic devices by blocking or shorting unwanted voltages above a safe threshold.  You may already be using power strips in your home or garage, but not all of them have built in surge protection.  Always verify that the device is marked as such by the manufacturer.

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Many of us keep the garage door remote on the car visor for easy access, but if your not locking up at night, it can also give would be criminals easy access.  Once they have your remote, they're in the garage and even your home if it's attached.  Be proactive.  Arm yourself with some pretty cool technology from the Overhead Door Company.

 

If your existing garage door opener was made before 1999, we highly recommend an upgrade to a newer model.  Older units have been discontinued by most manufacturers making parts expensive and difficult to find.  Today our motors come standard with safety features like rolling code technology.  With every press of the button on your remote control, a new code is selected from billions of combinations preventing others from copying and using your frequency.  New openers such as the Legacy, Odyssey, & Destiny also come with wall stations that have a Vacation Switch lock that disables all remote access when activated, protecting your home even when you're away.  We also offer the Door Report remote: created to answer the nagging question, "did I remember to close the garage door?" this unit beeps and lights up when the door is open for any reason.

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