Congratulations Matt Ellsbury: Technician of the Year
Precision Overhead Door of Las Vegas Nevada Announces 2013 Technician of the Year- Matt Ellsbury: In addition, Matt also celebrates his 10 Year Anniversary as a PDS Certified Technician. Matt originally began his career with Precision Overhead Door of Las Vegas back in September of 2003, and recently celebrated over 10 years of experience as a PDS Certified Garage Door Technician. He is recognized as the 2013 Service Technician of the Year. Over the years Matt has continues to receive many hours of training, including several weeks of certification training back at the PDS Training Center in Florida, and embraces the new technology. He has not only made well over 8,000 customer service calls over the past 10 years himself, is always willing to help out others, but also put himself through college and in 2010 earned a Bachelor of Applied Sciences Degree. Matt stated recently, “I pride myself on being an expert in garage door repair, and I love to meet new people and see what a difference we make on their garage door.” Tim Veile, the owner of Precision says “It needs to be noted, that not only does Matt take a lot of pride in his work, but also takes a tremendous amount of pride in the company and our reputation. He is willing to set an example to others, but will always go the extra distance for the customer.”
Winterize your garage
Residents in Las Vegas are fortunate to enjoy a fairly temperate climate, however, temps can still get pretty low during the winter. Cold weather can have adverse effects on your garage door so winterizing your garage can help keep your door operating and running smoothly, as well as help keep your home warm. Most of us store items in our garage that can freeze so keeping the cold out is essential. One of the main features of your garage door that helps keep the cold out is the weather stripping. Over time, weather stripping has a tendency to wear out and tear or crack. Cold air can seep through the cracks so it’s important to replace worn out weather stripping. Another good idea is to insulate your garage. Garage insulation kits are readily available at most home improvement stores. The kits generally consist of soft material that attaches to the panels of your garage door. Note that most insulation kits come with rating depending on the climate that you live in. Insulation not only helps with keeping heat in but will also help keep your garage cooler in the summer. There are areas such as around pipes, electrical sockets, windows, vents and other openings that are often uninsulated. By sealing these areas up tight with caulking or expanding foam insulation you can help keep warm air in and cold air out. For those that live in extremely cold climates, you may just want to replace your door with a weather proof door. The doors are pre-insulated and come with between-section sealing to prevent cold air infiltration. These doors will also help keep your garage cool in the summer. If you have any questions about winterizing your garage, please call the experts at Precision Garage of Las Vegas.
Custom Garage Doors
As we’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, new garage doors can greatly improve the look of your home and add value to your home. But sometimes stock garage or prefabricated doors just don’t fit the bill, or you may just want to have a completely unique, creative look for your garage door. If this is the case, you may just want to have a custom garage door built. There are many things to consider when having a custom garage door built such as color, panel design, material to use, and architectural design. Most custom garage are built using top-quality wood or other material so expect a custom door to be more expensive than pre-fab doors. But the good news is that these doors usually come with longer guarantees and will typically last longer and be more durable than regular garage doors. When it comes to design, most companies can take your original ideas and turn them into reality. If you don’t have ideas for your garage, most custom makers can provide an idea portfolio to help you decide. There is probably more to designing a garage door than you would expect with custom features such as windows, panels, trim, wood type, paint, finish, brackets, etc. Specifications are key so make sure you hire a professional that has a lot of experience to build your custom door. Nothing could be worse than having a door built and then having it not fit properly. Installation is key as well so hire professionals, such as the techs at Precision Garage Door Las Vegas for the installation. If you have questions about custom garage doors and having them installed on your home, please do not hesitate to call Precision Garage Door of Las Vegas or visit our contact page.
Why you need a new garage door
We all like to do upgrades to improve the look and value of our homes but one part of your home you may overlook is the garage door. Garage doors can occupy up to %30 of the face of your home. Here are a few reasons you should consider a new garage door. Curb Appeal When you drive down your neighborhood street, take a look at what you consider the nicer homes on the block and pay particular attention to the garage doors. We are willing to bet that the homes you consider the nicest also have new or custom garage doors that match the look and feel of the home. Then ask yourself if your garage door adds to the look of your home. If not, it may be time to consider a new garage door. Safety Manufacturers must now provide are automatic door reverse (if the door makes contact with an object while closing, the door automatically reverses direction) and an electronic-eye system that sends the door upward if anything breaks the light beam across the door opening. But there are other features on newer doors as well, such as the joints between door sections now come with shaped edges that push fingers out of the cracks as they close. Maintenance New garage doors require far less maintenance than their predecessors. Garage doors have about 300 moving parts and the materials used for the parts have improved dramatically over the last 15 years. New garage door opener technology has also vastly improved. It is even possible to control and monitor your garage door with your smartphone or tablet on some models. If you are in the Las Vegas area and in the market for a new garage door, please contact the professionals at Precision Garage Door of Las Vegas. Over 90% of our garage doors are in-stock; allowing for same day installation. However, if you are looking for a custom wood door, or need an uncommon size, we will order it the same day and schedule an installation date that best fits into your busy schedule Door of Las Vegas
Garage Fire Prevention
Unfortunately, garage fires are an all too common occurrence. Garage fires can also be the most violent as most garages contain a host of flammable materials such as gasoline, paint thinner, greasy rags, wood, and sawdust. Garages are also where heating sources such as water heaters and furnaces are often located. A lot of us often use our garages as workshops as well, and participate in activity that create sparks such as using electric saws or welding. So it is important to take safety precautions to help prevent garage fires. Here are a few ideas to help make your garage a safer place: Storage Safety: When storing combustible liquids, try to keep them in small amounts and in a sealed, preferably fireproof, container. Keep all flammable materials away from heating sources. Make sure the floor is clear of clutter such as paper or oily rags if you are doing work that may create sparks. Store propane tanks outdoors. Safety Equipment: Place a fire extinguisher in your garage in an easy to access spot. Equip your garage with a smoke detector. A carbon monoxide detector is also a good idea for safety. Consider having a sprinkler system installed if you often use your garage as a workshop. Safe Routines: When cutting or sanding wood, sweep up any sawdust or wood chips immediately as these are often sources of garage fires. After using paint, oil, or solvents, make sure the lids are tightly sealed and store them in a safe place. Dispose of oily or gas soaked rags properly such as in a steel bucket with a tightly sealed lid and keep far from heat sources. Make sure you don’t have any exposed wires that could create a spark.
Common Garage Door Repairs
Your garage is more than likely the heaviest moving part of you home. Garage systems have a symphony of parts that all must work in harmony in order for your garage to work properly. Through the years, your garage will go through thousands of cycles of opening and closing. Over time, garage parts can wear out or break and need repair. Here are some of the more common reasons garage doors need repair. Broken Springs – The springs on a garage door contract and relax every time you open your garage door. Although springs are design for heavy duty workloads, eventually they can wear down and break often due to age or rust. Springs are under extreme tension and should only be replace by professionals. Rollers and Cables – Of the many moving parts of automatic garage doors, rollers and cables must work in sync to properly open and close your garage. If you hear a loud screeching noise, it could mean your rollers are malfunctioning and should be replaced. Nylon rollers are excellent for quiet garage operation and are long lasting. Also , if your garage is out of balance and seems to lean to one side, your cables could be the culprit. Garage Door Openers – Openers can stop operating and keep you from leaving or entering your garage. Many times an opener can be repaired, saving you money on a full replacement. However, newer openers can have a lot more functionality than older openers, so you may want to consider a full replacement. For example, there are new openers that you can control with you smart phone, computer, or tablet giving you piece of mind about whether or not you left your garage door open. These systems can also link up with the lights in your home so you never have to come home to a dark house again. We highly recommend contacting a garage door repair specialist at Precision Garage of Las Vegas if you experience any problems with your garage. Repairing a garage can be a dangerous proposition so it’s best to leave repairs to the professionals. If you have any questions please contact us today!
Liftmaster’s New MyQ Technology
While garage door opener apps for your smartphone have been around since 2011, Liftmaster has recently introduced their new MyQ Internet Gateway system for operating your garage door, gate opener, and lights in your home using your smartphone, tablet, or computer from anywhere. How many times have you left your house and had to turn around to make sure you closed your garage door. With this new technology, you can check the status of garage door whether it’s open or not and allows you to close the door if you left it open. It also sends you an alert each time the garage is open and an alert when the door has been left open for longer than expected. The new technology can also be convenient for when you have a package delivery scheduled when you are not there or you are on vacation and need to give someone access to your home while you are away. The technology works with any MyQ enabled device such as garage door opener, gate operators, and even the lights in your home so you will never have to come home to a dark house again. It also features a security device which essentially changes the code each time you open the door, making the codes virtually impossible to hack. Liftmaster is even having a contest during Sept, 2013 (https://www.facebook.com/LiftMaster) to give participants a chance to win daily prizes and a grand prize, all-expense paid VIP Race Trip Weekend to the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Currently Liftmasters internet gateway works with four garage door models and three gate operator models. The LiftMaster® Internet Gateway (model 828LM) works with garage door opener model 8550, 8360, 8500 and 8355 (these models have a yellow learn button), and gate operator models CSW24V, CSL24V and LA500. Here’s a video that explains the new system:
Clear the Clutter – Organize your Garage
For too many of us, the garage becomes sort of a dumping ground for items that we don’t want in our house. Before long, you may find that you have less and less room to park or get out of your car. When it gets to that point, it’s probably a good idea to take some time and organize your garage. Here are few suggestions to help you clear the clutter: Start with basic cleaning. Sweep or vacuum the floors to clean an area for organizing. Be careful not to step on any loose nails or screws that may be lying around. Also, steer clear of any oil stains that are in your garage. Kitty litter makes a good absorbent for heavy oil stains or spills. While you are cleaning, make note of any spiderwebs or evidence that any creatures, such as bats, have taken up residence in your garage. During the basic cleaning, you can begin the decluttering process by tossing anything you know you aren’t going to keep in the trash. This way you don’t have to deal with it during the decluttering/decision making phase of what to toss and keep. The decluttering process will allow you to assign a value to items in your garage. We suggest using the following values for items to help organize your garage: Toss Keep Donate Sell on Ebay / Garage Sale Trash If you have space, move all the items into your driveway. It’s a good idea to create zones to sort items. Use zone designations such as car supplies, sports equipment, tools, recycle center, Ebay, etc. to help organize. Some organizers like to divide their garages into department store zones (garden, automotive, paint, etc). Once you have your items sorted into the proper categories, it’s time to assess how much space you will need to store the items back into your garage. Be sure to utilize your vertical space in your garage by using pegboards and shelving for storage space. It’s a good idea to have a lockable cabinet if you are storing any potentially harmful chemicals, especially if children are present. Once you have everything stored in it’s proper place, be sure to take any items you plan on donating to a donation center right away. Return any items you may have borrowed from neighbors or family. Any left over items, consider a garage sale or even selling on Ebay. Do you have any ideas for organizing a garage? Please share you comments and photo’s with us!
Protect your home against damage from high winds.
While Las Vegas is protected from hurricanes and tornadoes are rare for the area, we do experience some extremely high winds from powerful thunderstorms from time to time. These winds can cause serious damage to your garage, home, and property as well as put you and your family at risk. Taking a few steps to wind-proof your home can reduce the chance for damage and help keep your family safe. During high wind conditions, wind can quickly change direction and wildly fluctuate in speed. This can cause stress on all parts of a building and test the strength of construction of your home. Having a well-sealed house can help prevent damage from wind inside your home and debris that is carried by the wind. Since our specialty is garage doors, let’s start there. Garage doors (particularly two-car) are vulnerable to damage from high winds. A partially open garage door during high winds is especially susceptible. If you suspect your door is not secure, it’s probably a good idea to have it inspected by a professional. For an existing door, there are fitted bracing kits available to provide additional support. There is also the option of having a new, stronger door installed which is not only more secure, but can add value to your home as well. Your roof is another part of your home that may be vunerable to high winds. It’s important that your roof is properly secured to the walls of your home. Winds hitting the walls of your home create an uplift effect that can be strong enough to tear the roof off your house. Have your home inspected by building professional to see if specially designed connectors should be installed. Also make sure the sheathing of your roof is secure. Enter the attic to check to make sure the nails penetrate the trusses and rafters. Additional nailing may be required. Windows are the next obvious areas that wind can penetrate. For anyone whose home is exposed to high winds consistently should consider having impact rated windows installed to protect against flying debris. In extreme conditions, temporary plywood covers could be used. Make sure the doors to your home are strong and hinged properly. Glass sliding doors, and French doors should be of concern during windy times and stayed clear of during high winds. Lastly, take note of the the trees or objects that may be dislodge or broken during high wind. Stow away any yard furniture, barbecue grills, tools, toys, and anything else that could become a flying missile. If you are planning to plant new trees in your yard, make sure they are tied down and try to choose varieties that can withstand high winds. Remember, if your garage door is damaged by wind or other elements, contact the experts at Precision Garage Door for garage door repairs or new door installations.
The Importance of Garage Door Safety
Each year, roughly 20,000 people are involved in garage door related injuries. Considering your garage door is the heaviest moving object in your home, safety should be paramount, especially around children. Additionally the springs, cables and attached hardware are under extreme tension and could cause serious injury or damage. Here are some ways you can help prevent garage door related injuries: Teach your children about garage door safety. Make sure they do not try to ‘ride’ the garage door as it is raising. Let them know that transmitters and remote controls are not toys. Mount your push button controls at least five feet from the ground so children can not reach them. Do not leave your garage door partially open. When it is reactivated, it first may travel downward before retracting back upward. Do not try to fix garage door problems on your own. Serious injuries can ensue when the torque on springs and other mechanisms are adjusted improperly on high-tension parts. Call the professionals at Precision Garage Door in Las Vegas and get the job done right. Have your garage door inspected and balanced regularly. Make sure your garage door is clear of obstructions inside and outside of your garage. Test your garage door reversing feature by placing a roll of paper towels under the center of the door. Make sure the garage door reverses upon striking the paper towels. If it does not, call a certified technician at Precision to help make the proper adjustments.