Is a Carriage House Garage Door Right for My Home?
Garage doors have evolved throughout the centuries, with the earliest garage doors dating back thousands of years. Carriage house garage doors are considered the original garage door, which featured two separate doors that swing outward from the middle. Because the original carriage-style garage doors had difficulty opening due to being blocked by ice and snow, in 1921 the first overhead garage door was invented. With new garage door innovations in place, the carriage garage doors of today continue to hold on to their old-world charm without the hassles of their dated design. Let’s take a moment to pay homage to carriage doors and help you figure out if this style of garage door can complement your home in both form and function. What is a Carriage House Garage Door? Carriage house garage doors are exactly as the name sounds. Even before the creation of the automobile, carriage house doors were originally created to safely house a horse and buggy on large estates. Much like a barn or guest cottage, these small houses featured wide, large swinging wooden doors for carriages to easily enter and were mostly for the elite. Thankfully, the days of horse and carriage transportation are well behind us. But the style, look, and feel of carriage garage doors has been re-imagined to outfit the newer homes of today. Different Carriage Garage Door Materials The garage doors of today come in a wide range of materials, configurations, and finishes. The same goes for the modern version of carriage-style garage doors. You’ll want to consider what material will best compliment the look and style of your property. Cloplay, one of the leading garage door manufacturers, make carriage house garage doors to suit a variety of tastes. Wood Carriage Garage Doors – Authentic handcrafted wood carriage house garage doors are insulated to provide beauty, energy efficiency, and strength. Custom designs and a variety of wood choices are available. Steel Carriage Garage Doors – Authentic carriage house style garage doors constructed with durable insulated steel and composite overlays provide a popular style at a great value. Faux Wood – Faux wood carriage house garage doors combine the beauty and texture of natural wood with the energy efficiency of an insulated steel door. What Style of Home Looks Best With a Carriage Style Garage Door? Top garage door manufacturers have spent countless hours of time and energy in crafting carriage garage doors to suit a variety of exteriors and design aesthetics. Is the design of your home an ideal match for a new carriage garage door installation? Tudor – Outfit your Tudor style home with a carriage style garage door to accentuate the pitched roofs and uniquely shaped windows. You can even work with your garage door company to get a custom design so that it fits in effortlessly with the rest of the exterior. Craftsman & Bungalows – Installing a typical garage door on the timeless and hip architectural features of a Craftsman or Bungalow would completely take away from the overall look and style of the exterior. Opting to install a carriage house style garage door would add curb appeal and increase the value of your home. Spanish Colonial & Mediterranean Homes – The heavy irons and woods that detail Spanish Colonial and Mediterranean homes are an ideal accompaniment to a carriage style garage door. Victorian – Victorian homes are arguably the perfect fit for a carriage house garage door. These homes were built when horse and buggies were still being used. The detailed woodwork and design will create the perfect frame for this style of garage door. Carriage House Garage Doors Should Be Installed by a Professional Precision Garage Door Las Vegas is taking steps to follow CDC guidelines to the exact letter in regards to COVID-19. We are enacting added safety precautions to ensure our customers and their home environments are left undisturbed. This includes outfitting our garage door technicians in safety masks, gloves, and sterilization products. If you need garage door replacement or installation, you can rest easy knowing that Precision Door Las Vegas can get the job done efficiently, professionally, and safely. Precision Garage Door Las Vegas has experienced technicians that can be at your home in under two hours to install, replace and repair your garage door and all of its components. This includes doing a full garage door tune-up on springs, rollers, and garage door opener motors and parts. Our garage door experts have all of the equipment right in their Precision service truck so there is a quick turnaround time from the moment we arrive. We are here to serve you! For assistance installing a new carriage house garage door or if you’re looking to replace your old garage door, use our interactive Garage Door Designer or contact us directly at 702.637.2700. Our garage door installation experts can answer your questions or schedule a free in-home estimate.
Choosing Whether to Repair or Replace a Garage Door
Garage door repair is inevitable. Eventually, homeowners must decide between repair and new garage door replacement. The longer your garage door lasts, the greater the return on investment, or ROI, you get from it. Maintaining it improves reliability and longevity, and can improve home resale value, but how do you decide when the most cost-effective approach is to replace your damaged garage door rather than fix it? How to Handle a Damaged Garage Door If your garage door has been damaged, it is never a good idea to let the problem linger. It may provide both animals and people the ability to get into your home. Let’s look at when you can get away with repairing the door and when it is best to replace it entirely. What Type of Damage Did the Door Sustain? The first question a homeowner needs to ask is what type of damage the door sustained. If the damage is limited to a certain spot on the door or is merely cosmetic in nature, it may be possible to fix it. A contractor may be able to sand and paint a door or replace springs that may be worn or that weren’t installed correctly. However, if the entire door is dented or has a hole in it, it may be best to simply replace it as it may not be able to guard against people or the elements anymore. How Old Is the Garage Door? If the garage door was put into place in the past couple of years, it may be best to try and repair the door if at all possible. This is because it may still have plenty of useful life left assuming that the door itself wasn’t completely destroyed. Newer doors may also have a warranty that covers some or all of the cost of repairing the door. A homeowner’s insurance policy may also help to pay for the cost of a product with useful life left. Types of Garage Door Damage Garage door damage may fit into one of three categories: Cosmetic: A cracked panel or chipped or faded paint can be fixed. Weather conditions and minor impacts can affect a garage door’s appearance. Unless there are other underlying issues, fix cosmetic damage before it affects curb appeal. Structural: Broken panels, warping, and other structural problems can prevent the garage door opening system from working properly. In extreme temperatures and severe weather, this can be hard to avoid, but updating to a stronger steel door is known to boost home values. Function: A garage door may open or close slowly, loudly, or intermittently or get stuck. Functional issues can occur for many reasons. If a spring is damaged, it’s best to repair it, but if there are more serious issues, replacing the system may save you time, energy, and money. Common Garage Door Problems That Can Be Repaired Sometimes, you may wonder whether you need a new garage door, but here are issues that can often be fixed: Leaks: If rainwater is getting in from the bottom of your garage door, oftentimes replacing the bottom seal helps. Unbalanced Door: A technician can realign the door if it is uneven while operating or if it goes slightly off the track, before excess wear and tear damage the motor and lifting system. Noise: Loud grinding, clicking, or squeaking aren’t uncommon, but can signal different types of issues only a repair professional can properly diagnose. The Door Stops Working: Sudden breakdowns are often due to single issues; which may be as simple as a dead remote control battery. The Door Has More Weight: Most likely, there’s a lack of support due to worn springs; if the door is heavy when you test it manually, spring replacement is quick and affordable. Damage to a Single Panel: Any physical damage should be repaired quickly. If the problem is limited to one panel, you can usually replace it rather than the entire door. Why Is Repairing a Garage Door Yourself Dangerous? Homeowners often panic when their garage door is damaged. However, it’s best to assess the situation and consider your options, because fixing the door yourself can be dangerous. For example, if you hit the garage door with your car, you don’t know the extent of the damage. There are plates, hinges, and other parts you can’t see; attempting a DIY repair risks having the door collapsing on you. The track system that keeps your garage door in line is complex. If it is damaged, the door can break loose if you open, close, or try to fix it. A repair professional has the experience, knowledge, and training to repair the tracks safely. Why Replace Your Garage Door? Garage door owners who leave issues unaddressed for months or years are more likely to require a replacement, because over time, even small issues can cause serious damage to the lifting mechanism. Severe damage also warrants replacement. Repairing portions of a garage door can cost more than a new system. Age is a factor as well. Plus, advances in garage door design, efficiency, and security mean a replacement can improve not only the value of your home, but your safety. If a burglar has broken in through the garage, you can eliminate weaknesses and vulnerabilities with a new garage door. If the door lacks child safety features such as sensor, replace it. Newer doors are better insulated anyway. A new one can provide energy savings by adding protection aside from the insulation separating your garage and the rest of your home. Our Certified Technicians Are Ready to Help At Precision Door Service of Las Vegas, we can repair your garage door, which is routine service. When you have a more extensive problem, face high repair costs, or your door is old/outdated, we can replace it with a high-quality, leading-brand custom new garage door. We are the Las Vegas garage door repair company you can trust, so call 702-637-2700 today!
The Ultimate Garage Storage & Organization Guide
If you’ve allowed belongings like tools, toys, old furniture, and workout equipment to slowly edge your car out of its intended parking space, it is probably time to get a fresh start. And don’t beat yourself up about the clutter. You are not alone. We all are in the habit of casting out items and leaving them to languish in the garage. In fact, 57% of homeowners with two-car garages don’t have room to park their cars inside them – let alone cram anything else in. Most of us simply use the garage as a glorified shed. Where everything from knickknacks and seasonal decorations to sports gear and lawn equipment is stored. Our endless piles of belongings often render the space impossible to utilize for its intended purpose – protecting the vehicle we drive. Suzanne O’Donnell, a professional organizer, shares her philosophy on creating a space that is functional and stress-free. “My philosophy: If you want to get organized and stay organized you must create a home for everything. If you are not able to create a home for all that you have, then it’s time to edit. Your garage is a great place to store archival or long-term storage. Creating space in the garage for this category will allow more space in your home for all of those things you use on a regular basis. When choosing what you’ll store for an extended period of time, be ruthless, think about what you really wish to hang on to. And be sure to leave room to grow.” Cleaning out and organizing your garage is not for the faint of heart. It can be downright overwhelming and intimidating to stare down a room full of boxes, odds and ends. But worry not, we are here to help you declutter like a pro. No need to keep shutting the door on your dreams of having a well-organized garage. Clutter-Busting Guide for Your Garage You’ll be shocked to find out that only 30% of Americans park their car in the garage. Why might you ask? Because of clutter. An overwhelming number of homeowners have pushed themselves out of their own garages because they have too much ‘stuff’. Do you have crates of miscellaneous ‘junk’ or unmarked boxes piled high against the walls? Worry not, this is a common problem, and we’re here to help. But before we dish all of our garage organization tips, let’s prep your garage for its transformation. Step 1: Start Throwing Things Out! It may seem easy, but for some people, it is the hardest part of organizing the garage. A good rule of thumb is to start separating things into 3 piles. Keep – Donate – Sell. If you haven’t worn or used something in years, are you actually going to start now? You can have a yard sale for items that still have value, but no longer serve a purpose in your life. Outgrown toys are a great item to purge because they can be recycled and given to a family with young children or donated. Expired paints, chemicals, and other household products that have been sitting collecting dust, it’s time to give them the old heave-ho. Step 2: Remove Items That Should Not Be Stored in the Garage. There are certain things that you should probably not store in the garage to begin with. So if you see them, either toss it or find another home for them. Things like paint and propane tanks could emit fumes, explode or catch fire depending on the temperature. It’s best to store propane tanks outside and paint should be stored in a part of the home that is more temperate. Paper products and dog food attract insects and rodents. Both should be stored in sealed containers inside the pantry, mudroom or hall closet space. Step 3: Sorting. It’s helpful to start out by making three piles that you’ll find useful during this step: store, get rid of, and trash. For the items you wish to get rid of, consider having a yard sale or donating to charity. The latter is tax-deductible. Once you’ve sorted out all of your items, we find it particularly beneficial, to sort “like with like.” We suggest sorting the items you wish to keep in the following categories: Tools Seasonal Keepsake Frequently-used Sports gear and camping Lawn equipment and gardening Step 4: Take Everything Out. Now that you have things sorted into categories, it’s time to remove the piles of stuff from your garage. Take out everything, right down to the last loose screw. An empty garage is the only way you’ll be able to rediscover all of the long lost treasures you may have missed when you were sorting through larger items. This makes cleaning, purging, sorting, and organizing more efficient; thus saving you time. Just make sure that if you’re going to make this a weekend project, that the valuables go back in each night. Step 5: Deep Clean the Garage. Typically, the only room of the house exempt from routine, let alone deep cleaning is that of the garage. Because of this, the garage is often full of dust, and cobwebs. Gross! Now that you’ve removed all of the contents of your garage, it’s time to break out the dry vacuum, and pressure washer. After you’ve thoroughly vacuumed up all the dust bunnies and cobwebs, turn the pressure washer on full blast, and really let loose. Step 6: Create a Floorplan & Layout. You don’t have to be a sketch artist or draftsman to draw a floorplan. Getting a rough idea of your new garage layout will help when it’s time to buy garage storage products, which is the next thing you’ll be doing. Helpful tip: You will find that most garage organizing systems and products will come with a free space planning template or an online system that you can use to draft a loose layout. Remember to notate the dimensions of your garage and the space your car would take
How to Keep Your Home Safe After Your Garage Remote Is Stolen
This blog post will teach homeowners how to best protect their homes if they find that a burglar stole their garage door opener. The tips in this blog post range from disabling your garage door remote to using your control panel to secure your home after a burglary. The FBI estimated there were 1,230,149 burglaries in the United States in 2018, causing an estimated $3.4 billion in property losses. On average, the loss per burglary cost around $2,799.1 Although the number of burglaries trended downward compared to the previous year, data from the bureau’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program show home security is of utmost importance. Burglars tend to choose one of a few common points of entry. The most common is the front door, but first-floor windows, back doors, and garage doors are sometimes chosen. And, to gain entrance to your garage, home, and belongings, all a thief needs is your garage door remote. What to Do After Your Garage Door Remote Is Stolen Garage security has become increasingly important as burglars have discovered that stealing someone’s garage door opener is a great way to gain access to a home. Unfortunately, criminals have many opportunities to steal garage remotes and breakthrough a secure garage door. Some burglars will enter parking lots and look for unlocked cars. Unfortunately, many people clip their garage door openers on a visor or near their rearview mirror. Once a criminal finds your remote, all that’s left is to locate your car registration to get your address. Most drivers store their registration in their glove compartments or in their center console. Once a criminal has your garage opener and address, they can easily get into your home. Your glove compartment or sun visor seemed like a convenient place to keep the clicker. But when you notice it’s gone, and your car had been broken into, you realize this wasn’t such a good idea after all. This blog post will tell you what you can do if you ever find that someone stole your garage door remote. Urgent: Call the Police When you contact your local police department, make a note of anything else in your car or home that may have been stolen. The police will likely ask you how the remote was stolen and the day and time you think it happened. Also, try to remember when you saw it last because the precinct will need as much information as possible. If expensive items are missing, contact your insurance company next to see if your car or homeowner’s insurance policy covers them. First Step: Disable Your Garage Door Remote Your garage remote works by emitting a signal that a receiver housed in the garage door opener’s motor captures. Since 1993, most door openers use what is known as rolling codes. This means that when you use your garage door opener, its transmission code is changed. You can disable your door opener by pressing a Smart button on the housing of the opener’s motor. Doing this will deprogram your remotes and keypads; a blinking light will indicate whether the deprogramming was successful. Once you do this, no one will be able to open your garage, even if they have your remote. You will now need to reprogram the keypads and remotes by following the manufacturer’s instructions or the owner’s manual from the dealer. All garage door opener models follow the same principle, but the programming code and frequency used differ as does the color of the Smart button. It may be green red, yellow, orange, or purple depending on the brand. It is extremely important to disconnect all programmed devices. A severed connection between the remote and the garage door means a burglar cannot get inside even if they have your clicker. If you have a second remote, use it to verify the system has been deprogrammed. Don’t just unplug the opener; the codes may be stored using a battery, so they’re not lost during a power outage. However, this is a vulnerability in case of a theft. If the process sounds too difficult for you, call us. We can put in a new garage door in Las Vegas. We’ll come to your home right away and start securing a garage door in your home. An Alternative to Deprogramming Your Garage Door Opener Some door opener models have your control panel placed near the door that accesses your home. In this instance, you can simply press the LOCK button. When you do this, you disable the keypad and remote signals. But you can still open and close your garage door by pressing the open/close button on the control panel. If you have a doorbell wall control, unplug the opener from the outlet. To open and close your garage door, pull on the red cord that releases the overhead trolley. You will then open and close your door manually. Relock the door by putting a lock on the side of the door. The option to open and close the door manually is convenient in some cases. However, it does mean the garage door is unsecured because anyone can gain entry from outside. Reprogramming your spare remote is the best option for protecting your home against intruders. For guidance on how to do this, follow the instructions in the manual, look up the model number of the motor online, or contact the manufacturer or your local garage door company. MyQ System How To Nowadays, every garage door opener is connected to a wireless system. This means you can operate it using your smartphone. With MyQ technology from LiftMaster, you can manage garage door openers from LiftMaster, Chamberlain, Craftsman, Genie, Stanley, Wayne-Dalton, or Linear using an app. Not only can you see if you left your garage door open. You can erase a program but still access the system because your smartphone doesn’t have to be reprogrammed. To erase a remote control and keypad on the MyQ Control Panel, press and hold the LEARN button until the