Tips for Keeping Your Garage Organized and Clean Year-Round

Despite most homes having a garage, many of these spaces don’t actually serve as useable spaces for storing vehicles. Instead of car parking, most homeowners find their garage is a mass of unorganized storage for old boxes, seasonal decor, home improvement tools and lawn and garden equipment. While cleaning out your garage may seem insurmountable, you can easily reorganize the space back into a garage in only a day or weekend.

To begin, sort through all of the items currently stored in your garage and begin placing them into three categories: keep, donate and throw out. Regardless of sentimentality, toss anything that the kids have outgrown or no longer play with along with broken items, expired chemicals and anything you haven’t used in the last two years.

Once you’ve donated and tossed the items you no longer use, you can begin organizing and cleaning.

Garage Organization

To begin finally organizing your garage, measure the dimensions of the space — including the size and location of windows, switches and doors — to help determine what type and size of storage you need. Also, take down the amount of space your car needs. To properly organize your garage, keep these garage organization tips in mind:

• Categorize similar items: For items you might use regularly that are similar, like yard tools and gardening chemicals, keep these close together.
• Use corners: The corners of your garage can become dead space, but they’re great for tucking large, bulky items like lawn mowers. In the corners, they can stay out of the way and avoid being knocked by the car.
• Frequently-used items: For items you use every day or very frequently, like recycling bins or bicycles, keep these near the door for easy access.

Tips for the Best Garage Storage Options

It’s beneficial to keep some garage organization ideas in mind. Once you’ve cleaned the space and determined which items are must-haves, decide on the best place to store everything:

• After categorizing similar garage storage items like yard tools, sports and recreational equipment, camping gear and seasonal decor, determine where each category should be stored. Think about how often you use those items and the space available.
• Use built-in cabinets and clear, modular storage instead of cabinets with doors. With open shelving and clear storage, you can quickly scan the items housed in each space. Plus, you’ll be discouraged from being disorganized by just hiding mess and clutter behind closed doors.
• For vertical storage, use a wall-mounted pegboard or wire grid, ideal for organizing tools, sports equipment and gardening tools.
• Don’t just let your overhead space go to waste. Instead, install overhead garage storage shelves that are mounted to the ceiling. This underused space on the ceiling is perfect for keeping infrequently-used items like camping equipment or seasonal outdoor decorations.
• Keep any items or storage containers off of the floor. This way, you can free up foot room and car space and avoid sloppy piles. If you purchase short shelves, make sure they’re on raised legs so you can easily keep the floor free.

After organizing your garage and properly storing all of your items, create a quarterly or biannual schedule to maintain your organization efforts. Also, after using items, make sure to quickly put them back in their storage location.

Benefits of Keeping Your Garage Organized 

Even before you start your residential garage organization project, it can help to look at all the advantages so you can have some motivation going forward. You’re not just organizing your garage for the fun of it, after all — you’ll also be improving the safety of your garage, eliminating areas for pests to live and improving your garage’s overall appearance. 

Know Where Everything Is 

Organizing your garage will create an area that you’re familiar with. You’ll be able to find those old items you’ve been searching for and put them in a specific spot. Once you have everything in its rightful place, you can save a lot of time and energy that you otherwise would have spent searching for these hidden items. 

Improve Safety 

Garages can be home to tools like shears, saws and other sharp, potentially dangerous objects. By emphasizing garage door organization safety and moving those tools to one area, you can improve the safety of your home. 

Enhance Your Garage’s Appearance 

Once you’re done organizing, you can sit back and admire the clean, inviting atmosphere you’ve created in your garage. You’ll be proud of the job you did and will be happy to show it off to guests and neighbors.  

Items to Avoid Storing In Your Garage

It’s easy for your garage to become a storage area for all kinds of different objects and materials. Try to resist the urge to throw anything in your garage — some of those objects could bring potential issues. Here are some items to avoid storing in your garage: 

• Fridge: The large, roomy space of a garage might seem like the perfect spot for a fridge. Since the temperature is always changing in garages, however, you might be spending a lot of energy running that fridge to keep what’s inside cold. 
• Paper and cardboard: Items made from paper or cardboard will easily break down in the climate of a garage. The remnants of these objects, aside from being a fire hazard, could also provide the perfect materials for rodents to start building a home. 
• Food: Moisture is present in garages, making them poor places to store canned goods. Extreme temperatures will freeze and refreeze these products, forcing them to become inedible after a time. These wavering temperatures and humidity are also reasons why other goods like wine should not be stored in your garage. 
• Hazardous chemicals: Be careful keeping hazardous materials in your garage. If they’re unneeded, it’s best to dispose of them promptly at your local hazmat disposal facility. 

For All Your Garage Door Needs, Call Best Overhead Door Today

For nearly 30 years, Best Overhead Door, LLC has been helping residents of the Portland Metro area and Vancouver, WA, with all of their garage door sales, design and remodeling, repair and maintenance needs. We offer the finest and largest selection of Clopay® residential garage doors in the area and we welcome you to visit our storeroom to view our entire catalog. Schedule your garage door services today by filling out our online form or call (503) 620-1205 to speak to one of our specialists.

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How to Maintain a Wooden Garage Door

Your wooden garage door adds warmth and style to your home’s facade. It accentuates your home’s originality and charm, elevating any architectural choices. If you want your garage door to look and function like it’s brand-new, you’ll need to keep up with regular maintenance. Some tasks you can take a few moments to do on your own — others may require professional service. Either way, simple preventive maintenance can save you a great deal of time and money in the long-run. Learn how to properly maintain your wooden garage door.

Why Should You Maintain Your Wooden Garage Door?

Maintaining your wooden garage door has both visual and practical benefits. It can improve the appearance and function of your door. When you keep up with regular maintenance, you’ll likely notice the following results:

• Keeps its nice appearance: Proper maintenance will keep your door beautiful, preserving its original look. Remember that your garage door makes up a large portion of your home’s facade. A clean, well-kept door will boost your home’s curb appeal and resale value.
• Increases the lifespan: Your door will have a longer lifespan with regular care and maintenance. You’ll be able to postpone repair and replacement much longer. Simple preventive care will save you time, energy and money in the long-run.
• Improves overall performance: Maintenance also ensures your door can operate as it should. When you take appropriate measures, your door will be able to withstand heavy use and exposure to the elements.

Difference Between Steel and Wooden Garage Door Maintenance

Steel and wooden garage doors require different maintenance. Both materials are sturdy and robust, but each has unique qualities. For instance, steel is prone to dents and corrosion, while wood is prone to cracking or warping under harsh weather conditions. To maintain your wooden garage door, you’ll need to sand and stain once every couple of years. You might also choose to reapply paint to perk up the appearance. In addition, you’ll need to replace any damaged parts, including panels or hardware.

How to Maintain Wooden Garage Doors

Keeping a wooden garage door like-new in appearance and function requires some maintenance. Follow all of these steps to keep your door in top shape. Some steps you can tackle yourself, while others are best left to the professionals. Before making any major alterations, like repainting or refinishing, contact your Authorized Dealer to ensure your warranty will stay valid. Here are some things you can do to maintain your wooden garage door.

1. Sand and Smooth the Wood

First, make sure to remove any peeling or chipping wood. Clear away any splintered wood pieces and paint chips. Use a paint scraper to remove loose or peeling paint. Rub sandpaper on the exposed surface. As you sand, try to apply even pressure. Otherwise, you may end up with gauges or dips, producing an uneven surface.

A smooth base will ensure an even coat of finish or paint. Resand the door at least once every few years or after an especially harsh season. Extreme heat, cold or humidity can degrade wood’s quality, which makes sanding necessary.

2. Keep the Door Clean

Built-up moisture, dust or dirt can cause warping or bending. Cleaning your door will make it look nicer, reduce damage risks and decrease how often you need to re-stain. A quick wipe-down is all it takes. When you clean the door, use regular dish soap and warm water, along with a cloth or soft sponge. Wipe down all components to remove dirt, dust and grime. If you notice mildew, use a special mildew-removing solution. You may want to wear gloves and a mask for your health and safety.

When you clean, avoid abrasive scrubbers, which may remove the wood’s finish. You should also refrain from power washing, though using a regular garden hose is usually fine. Use this method to clean your garage door at least once a year or so. If you live in a harsher climate, you might want to clean your door more often.

3. Add a Coat of Finish or Paint

You’ll want to reapply a durable, weather-resistant stain every few years. This refreshes your door’s appearance and helps protect it from the elements. A garage door faces exposure to every outdoor element — wind, rain, humidity, beating sun, snow, ice, as well as extreme hot and cold. It needs proper protection to withstand those conditions. Consult with the manufacturer to make sure you’re using a safe stain for your door’s wood. To refinish your door, follow these simple steps:

• Clean the door with soap and water to clear away any grime or debris.
• Let the door dry — you might need to give the door a day or two to dry off.
• Use a brush or roller to apply the stain onto the wooden surface.
• Let the stain coat dry.
• Go over the wood with a dry brush. This will remove any excess stain.

If you want to renew the look of your garage door, you may choose to repaint. You can choose a color that better suits your taste or fits modern trends. Like a coat of finish, a new coat of paint will offer added protection to the wood surface. If you lack the time or materials to repaint your door, you might consider hiring a professional service. To repaint your garage door, be sure to clean and sand the surface first. Use masking tape to cover any non-wood elements, and let the door dry between coats.

4. Lubricate Metal Elements

It’s important to apply a lubricant to all metal parts and hardware elements. This allows for smoother operation. If you notice any unusual noises or sticking as your garage door opens and closes, the metal elements may need lubrication. These effects can be annoying, but they also signify serious issues. Ignoring strange sounds or uneven movement can shorten your door’s lifespan.

Applying lubricant when needed allows for convenient, quiet operation and lengthens your door’s lifespan. The harsher an environment you live in, the more often you should take this precaution. You may want to ask the manufacturer what type of lubricant to use. Avoid thick grease, which can clog the tracks and result in built-up dirt. When you’ve chosen the right lubricant and you’re ready to apply it, follow these steps:

• Make sure all nuts and bolts are tightened. Replace any worn or broken metal components.
• Check your rollers to ensure they’re sturdy and aligned, not wobbly.
• Wipe the track clean using a damp rag.
• With the door open, lubricate the hinges, rollers and ball bearings.
• Lubricate the metal springs and plates, as well as the top of the rail.
• Avoid any nylon or plastic elements and wipe away excess lubricant as you go.

While many homeowners apply lubricant as a do-it-yourself task, you may opt to hire a professional service. This will ensure the use of the proper lubricant and minimize any risks. A professional tune-up will include reapplication of lubricant.

5. Inspect for Signs of Pests

A wooden garage door can be a target for wood-consuming pests. Termites, snails, slugs and beetles can wreak havoc on your door. Check for tunnels and holes in your garage door’s surface. If you notice signs of pests, you might use an insect repellent spray or poison trap. Be sure to keep these chemicals away from children and pets. You may need a garage door repair service to fix pest damage. It’s best to catch these issues as soon as possible before large sections of your door become compromised.

6. Inspect Working Parts

Check all of your door’s working elements, including hardware, sensors, openers and tracks. Open and close your door, watching for any snags and listening for unusual sounds. Whether or not you notice anything out of the ordinary, it’s a good idea to hire a professional service to examine the technical elements of your door. A preventive tune-up can save you from expensive repairs later down the road. A professional service will:

• Examine elements to ensure proper function.
• Re-tension springs.
• Tighten nuts and lags.
• Re-align the track if needed.
• Lubricate moving elements.
• Perform a safety inspection to make sure the door’s sensors are working.

Does Your Wooden Garage Door Need Repairs or Replacement?

While some conditions require nothing more than a little elbow-grease, others may necessitate professional repair or replacement. If you notice any of the following conditions, contact an expert garage door repair or replacement service:

• Warping
• Extreme cracking
• Aging materials
• Operational issues

In any of these cases, a professional may replace single elements or the entire door. Sometimes, you can resolve an issue by replacing just one panel or technical part. If the damage is too severe, however, you may need to replace the entire door.

Protect Your Wooden Garage Door With Proper Maintenance

Your wooden garage door adds to your home’s beauty and value. You want to keep it looking good and operating well for as long as possible. With regular maintenance, you can preserve the appearance of your door and extend its lifespan. Simple maintenance tasks yield long-term results. For all your garage door service needs, contact Best Overhead Door today.

High Cycle Garage Door Springs

The answer to the question, “How long does a garage door spring last”, depends on a number of things. The majority of modern overhead garage doors use a torsion spring, which has a standard rating of approximately 10,000 cycles. Each time you open and close your garage door, you complete one of these cycles. If you typically complete around 3 to 7 cycles each day, your garage door spring’s life cycle would be around 3 to 10 years. 

However, other factors — such as increased cycles, temperature changes, and lack of regular maintenance — can negatively impact how long your garage door springs last. Once you reach the end of your garage door spring’s life, you need to replace it. Depending on how often you use your door, you may want to consider high cycle springs. These springs, also known as long life garage door springs, are ideal if you complete over three cycles in a day. 

What Are High Cycle Garage Door Springs?

Springs are made up of different wire sizes. The typical ranges are .192 to .273 for residential doors. The size of the wire, the length of the coils (how long the spring ends up being), and the number of turns needed for the door height help calculate the number of cycles the spring will last. For example: If you have .225 (wire size) x 1.75 (inside diameter) x 27” (inches long) this is a 10,000 cycle spring. To high cycle it, you need to go with larger wire and longer spring. So a .234 x 1.75 x 56.5″ will have the same lifting capacity but will last approximately 17,500 cycles while a .243 x 1.75 x 63″ will last about 30,000 cycles. This example is based on a 7′ high door, so to get those cycles, it needs eight turns on the spring. When you add additional turns to it, it shortens the life cycle. A typical garage door drum (what the cable wraps around) is between 4″ and 12.56″ in diameter, so with each turn of the spring, it lifts the door about 1 foot. If a garage door is 7′ tall, you’ll need seven turns to get it all the way up plus an additional ½ to full turn to keep it up.

How a High Cycle Garage Door Spring Will Benefit You

When a garage door spring breaks, it can trap your car in the garage: causing you to miss work, a doctor’s appointment, or even lock you out of the house. By switching over to a high cycle garage door spring, you can double or even quadruple the lifetime of your garage door springs. This will also help you avoid more garage door repairs and replacements in the future. 

They specifically benefit homeowners who use their garage doors frequently, have had to replace springs often, or are planning on staying in their current home for many years.

How Garage Door Professionals Can Help With Spring Repairs and Replacement

Torsion springs have a significant amount of force on them. Having the right tools to install and wind the spring is necessary. If you have not been properly trained, replacing or repairing garage door springs yourself could lead to severe and even deadly injuries.

Having the correct spring will also increase the garage door spring life cycle. Professional garage doors installers carry an assortment of springs on their trucks; this way they can put the correct spring on your door without the risk of shortening a spring’s life cycle. Spring issues can easily lead to the garage door suddenly crashing, which can cause significant injuries. Having a professional handle spring repairs and replacement ensures they last as long as possible while keeping your family safe.

Contact Best Overhead Door for All of Your Garage Door Spring Needs

For over 30 years, Best Overhead Door has been providing the Portland Metro and Vancouver, Washington, areas with garage door repairs and replacement services. Whether you need your long life garage door springs repaired or replaced, our team of specialists looks forward to serving you. 

Experience quality, choice, and value at Best Overhead Door. Contact us today to learn more.

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Tips for Maintaining Your Garage Door’s Warranty

Your home’s garage door is most likely the primary entry to your home, the first line of home security and an improvement to your daily functions and energy efficiency. Having a garage door warranty is essential and can protect homeowners from installation defects that could later cause property damage or personal injury.

Clopay® offers a one-year installation warranty, covering garage door replacement from one of their Authorized Dealers or Master Authorized Dealers. With an Authorized Dealer, Clopay is guaranteeing work completed by skilled, knowledgeable, honest and capable technicians. This warranty begins the day the installation was completed and is not applicable to new construction.

Having a garage door warranty is great assurance for homeowners to know they always have dependable repair or replacement services for the first year. However, voiding your warranty could mean paying out of pocket for replacement expenses that would normally be covered.

So the question is, how can you maintain your garage door warranty? Here are some good places to start:

• Your Clopay warranty will not cover damage related to or resulting from alterations or attachments to the automatic opener or photo eye sensor. They also won’t cover damage resulting from improper garage door use, like operations beyond the rated capacity or other abuses by anyone other than the Authorized Dealer.
• The warranty will be void if you decide to have your garage door installed by anyone but an Authorized Clopay Dealer.
• Your warranty will also be void if the installation is performed without using the supplied installation hardware or failure to properly install the opener reinforcement.

If you’re ever unsure about what is covered under your warranty or want additional information, reach out to your Authorized Clopay Dealers at Best Overhead Door, LLC. Also, to ensure you’re guaranteed warranty coverage, don’t forget to register your door through Clopay.

Additional Clopay Garage Door Warranties

With Clopay garage doors, you not only have the benefit of having a defective door replaced within one year of installation but with normal operation and good care and maintenance, Clopay also offers warranties for:

• Paint
• Hardware
• Springs
• Sections and Delaminations
• Windows

Depending on the style and design you choose, these warranties can range anywhere from three years to a lifetime. To guarantee you always receive guarantees, consult your Authorized Dealer anytime you wish to make any alterations to ensure it won’t violate the warranty. Then, have your technician perform annual maintenance to keep all parts and hardware in good working condition.

Have Questions? Contact Best Overhead Door Today

Maintaining your garage door’s warranty can be tricky, but with proper installation and care, you can be assured of coverage for the lifetime of your garage door. If you’re considering installing a new garage door, we offer a wide selection of durable and custom Clopay doors, all backed by their one-year installation warranty. Our reliable services are available for all residents throughout the Portland, OR, and Vancouver, WA, areas.

Reach out to us today to learn more about our offerings and warranties by completing our online contact form or calling our office at (503) 620-1205.

Home Security Tips: How to Protect Your Home From Thieves

Before we start looking at ways you can protect your home from burglars, it’s important to understand one thing — if a thief wants to get into your home, not a whole lot will stop them. There’s a residential burglary happening somewhere in the United States about every 20 seconds. Only about 13% of residential burglars are caught. The deck would seem stacked against you. The idea behind home security tips is to find ways that you can prevent yourself from being one of those homes. Certain steps will greatly reduce the chances of your home being robbed, yet they’re steps many people never take. In fact, people often set up expensive security systems or elaborate ways to prevent people from entering their homes and yet forget to use these systems. For instance, the most common means of entry for burglars is, believe it or not, the front door — in about 32% of all residential robberies, thieves enter this way. Some burglars will just kick the doors in, and others will remove the hinges. In one-third of front door robberies, they entered the home through an unlocked front door. Think about that. Almost one-third of these kinds of break-and-enter situations happen because people don’t lock the front door. One of the best ways you can protect your home from a robbery is by being aware of all the different ways a thief can enter your home and thinking about how you can prevent them from doing so.

Table of Contents

• What Makes a Home an Easy Target for Break-In or Theft?
• Home Safety Tips
• Products That Can Help Homeowners Keep Their Homes Safe

Clear Nee is a researcher at the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom. She has been studying burglars and burglary for more than 20 years, and she has some interesting observations about what makes a home an easy target and what thieves are looking for when they enter.

1. Burglars Will Return Repeatedly to a Vulnerable Street or Neighborhood

If a burglar thinks there are easy targets in a particular neighborhood, they’ll return to that neighborhood repeatedly. Burglars think differently than a normal person. They’re basically “working” even if they’re doing noncriminal jobs or just walking the dog. Throughout the day, they’re constantly observing comings and goings, making mental notes about homes that look vulnerable, thinking about when those homes will be empty and considering the potential payoff. In fact, most burglars live near the neighborhoods they rob, so it’s easy for them to complete scouting missions without appearing out of place.

2. Thieves Will Pass out Fake Junk Mail to Look for Absent Homeowners

Burglars will place menus on a variety of homes in a neighborhood to see if someone is on vacation, learn the times of the day when they’re not home or see if people pay attention to small inconsistencies.

3. Most Experienced Burglars Are Not Interested in Large TVs or Heavy Items

Most thieves go to the master bedroom first when they enter a home. They’re looking for jewelry and other easy-to-carry items like credit cards, passports or cash. Another popular item is a weapon, particularly if the car out front sports an NRA sticker. One of the first places the individual will look is under the mattress. Then, they’ll head to the bathroom to look for prescription drugs they can sell. When they go downstairs, they’ll go to the living room to look under cushions and in vases for car keys, personal information or keys to a safe if the home has one. Then to the kitchen, where they’ll often check the freezer, a popular hiding place for people to put their valuables when they’re away.

4. Burglars Love a Secluded Backyard

Burglars don’t like to be seen. That’s why a secluded backyard is their dream come true. It’s easy for them to kick in a backdoor or even break a window because they know they won’t be seen and most likely won’t be heard. People often forget to lock their back doors as well, so sometimes thieves don’t even have to try hard.

5. Thieves Know They Can Break Into Most Garages With a Piece of Wire or a Coat Hanger

About 10% of all break-ins occur through people’s garages. In many cases, the garages are left unlocked, which makes it easy to enter them. In other cases, thieves will thread a piece of wire or coat hanger from the top of the garage door to pull the emergency open latch. Once inside, they’ll only need to close the door before having unlimited access to your home.

6. Summer Is the High Season for Break-Ins

Thieves know that summertime is the time when most families go on vacation, so the highest number of burglaries occur during the summer. The rest of the year, they’re aware that most people leave home around 8 a.m. and don’t get home till 5 or 6 p.m., so most break-ins happen between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when thieves can be relatively certain that homes are empty. These criminals will often watch a neighborhood or a home for weeks to learn people’s regular routines before the attempted break-in.

Home Safety Tips

So now that we’ve looked at a few ways thieves determine which homes to rob, here are some ideas about how you can prevent the situation.

1. Lock All Doors and Windows

As noted above, many thieves enter a home through unlocked doors, garage doors and windows. Before you leave to go to your job during the day or take the family on vacation, make sure every door and window is locked.

2. Make Sure Those Locks Are Secure

If your home doesn’t have them already, install mortise locks so that the bolt slides into the doorjamb. These locks normally require a key to enter, so it doesn’t do a thief any good to break a panel on the door and search for a knob or a handle.

3. Put Away Anything That Could Be Used to Help a Thief Break Into Your Home

Don’t leave ladders, metal bars or garden tools lying around your home — such implements can be used by a thief to help them get into your home.

4. Hide Valuables From View

Never leave money, laptops, smartphones or jewelry lying near a window that can easily be seen into. In addition, never keep large sums of money in your home.

5. Get to Know Your Neighbors

This step is particularly important if your neighborhood has been the subject of a series of break-ins. Take the time to go up and down your street, say hi your neighbors and introduce yourself. Encourage them to keep an eye out for any strange activity taking place around your home when you’re not there. And don’t forget to do the same for them!

6. Landscape to Prevent Burglaries

Hedges planted near a home are amazingly effective at preventing burglaries. It’s also a good idea to look into shrubs or trees, like holly, gorse or Berberis, which all have particularly nasty thorns. Plant them near windows. These kinds of bushes and hedges are difficult to cut down and very painful to try to walk through or climb over. In a word, they’re a great way to deter thieves.

7. Get a Dog

A dog doesn’t need to attack someone — they just need to make a lot of noise when someone comes near the home. True, this behavior may be annoying at other times, like when friends come over — but it can also be highly useful in alerting you. If you’re not into the dog idea, you may want to purchase an electronic simulator that can make dog-like noises activated by motion sensors.

8. Trick the Thieves

Burglars often listen for the sound of voices coming from within a home, so a TV or a radio left on during the day can be a great deterrent. Make sure you leave the radio or the television on a talk channel so that the burglar only hears the sound of voices. Do not, however, leave a radio or TV on nonstop if you go on vacation. Doing so will become a sign for thieves that no one is home. If you put the radio or the television on a timer, make sure the timer allows you to set different times for different days. Most people don’t turn the radio or TV on and then off at the exact same time every day. The same is true of lights: If you have a timer to work with your lights when you’re away, don’t have the lights come on and then turn off at the same time every day. That’s a sure sign to burglars.

9. Avoid Leaving Your Garage Opener in Your Car

Don’t leave your garage door opener in your car attached to the windshield visor or sitting on the front seat if you park your car outside your garage. If you don’t lock your car, a thief can easily snatch the opener and then use it to get into the home when you drive off later. Get used to taking your garage door remote control into your home every time you get out of the car. Since 2017, you can now operate your garage door from your smartphone using LiftMaster myQ (see details below).

10. Disconnect the Garage Door Motor From the Electrical Outlet

If you’re going away for a long period of time, disconnect your door’s motor. That way, it’s impossible to use a remote cord or tamper with any kind of exterior keypad to lift the garage door.

11. Block the Cord

If you want to prevent thieves from using that wire or coat hanger to pull the cord that operates the emergency door opener on your garage, block it. You can do so by using a small steel plate that serves to block the opening through which thieves stick the wire. There are various types of plates that you can buy at your home hardware store. Remember, you may need to remove some models before you open your door.

12. If Your Garage Door Has Windows, Cover Them With Frosted Coatings

You don’t want people peering inside your garage. Buy some frosted plastic coating that you can apply to the windows. This coating will let light in but also keep unwanted eyes from peering in.

13. Avoid Talking About Your Workday or Vacation Plans on Social Media

Thieves are constantly trolling social media sites, especially neighborhood ones, where some homeowners may post their working hours or their upcoming vacation plans. Never talk about your workday hours online, and only post vacation photos when you return. Don’t post pictures from your vacation location — that’s a sure notification to thieves that you’re away from home.

Numerous products on the market — such as security alarm systems or the myQ garage door opener from LiftMaster — offer extra protection to your home.

1. Security Alarms Are a Good Idea, But Will Not Always Deter Thieves

When neighbors hear an alarm, they assume it’s a false alarm because about 95% of all alarms are false ones. The noise might spook an inexperienced burglar, but experienced thieves know most people don’t pay attention to alarms. Think of a car alarm — most people don’t do anything when they hear a car alarm because they believe it’s been triggered by mistake. It only takes a thief about 10 minutes to burgle your house. They know it takes a security company about seven minutes to verify that the alarm is real and then maybe another 10 minutes for the police to come. That’s more than enough time for thieves to go to those few places where they know most people hide their goods, then make their escape. Many thieves will be deterred if they know ahead of time that a home has a security system. Make sure that if you do get a home security system, you put up lots of signs in your yard and stickers on your windows. It’s not that it will always prevent thieves from breaking to your home, but in many cases, they’ll just decide to move on and pick an easier target. You can help make your security system work better by letting your neighbors or the police know when you won’t be home so that if they do hear an alarm go off, they’ll know it’s not a false one. Always be proactive about your home security.

2. The myQ Garage Door Opener From LiftMaster

The myQ garage door opener is a great example of how smart technology can make your home safer. myQ will work with your smartphone so that you’ll always know what’s going on when you’re away. You’ll never need to wonder if your garage door was left open again, and you can get notified when your door opens and closes. That way, you can let loved ones in as well as allowing delivery people to leave packages inside your garage or repair technicians to complete repairs inside. Best of all, you can do all this from anywhere. You could literally be in another country and allow someone to have access to your garage as long as you have internet access. You can also check the status of your garage door from any location to see if it’s open or closed. You can invite three friends, family members or guests to have access to your myQ garage door opener from their own myQ app. For even more security, you can get the LiftMaster 841LM. It’s an automatic garage door lock that features a deadbolt that reinforces the garage door automatically when the door is closed. It works in tandem with an opener, which means it will always lock and unlock when needed.

3. Security Cameras

Security cameras can warn you when someone approaches your home. Many security cameras will work with your smartphone so that you receive a warning anytime this happens. That way, you can determine if the visitor is welcome or not. LiftMaster offers motion detector garage door cameras that work with the myQ app and will let you see who is in your garage from anywhere.

When You Want Security for Your Garage Door, Contact Best Overhead Door

Serving the entire Portland Metro area and Vancouver, WA, area, we provide the very best garage door services. Whether you’re repainting, retrofitting, remodeling or even building a new home, when you want quality value and choice, contact Best Overhead Door for all your garage door needs.  We offer estimates via phone, email and video conferencing or we can bring our showroom to you with hand samples and brochures. You can call us at 503-620-1205 or if it’s an emergency, call 503-707-0848. You can also contact us online to schedule service or request an estimate and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

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How Do Garage Doors Improve Home Safety?

Garage doors, from the outside, look like an impenetrable force to prevent home burglaries. And as long as only family members have remotes or keypad codes, intruders can’t enter your home, right? Garage doors can provide excellent security for your home as long as they’re not accidentally left open and are properly maintained. Many intruders can take advantage of your home’s lack of security by either copying your garage door opener’s frequency to their own remotes or even being able to lift roll-up garage doors.

Tips for improving your home’s garage door security include:

• Closing Your Garage Door: A simple solution, by keeping your garage door closed, you reduce the chance of inviting unwanted visitors into your home.

• Adding Surveillance: Home security cameras are now fairly inexpensive, and installing these cameras and motion sensor lights can deter breaking and entering.

• Upgrading Your Garage Door Opener: With today’s technology, many garage door opener models can control the garage’s lights, have rolling opener codes, vacation modes for when you’re out of town. They also have a “timer to close” settings that can automatically close itself without having to push a remote button. They also can be integrated with home security systems. LiftMaster has an Amazon Key where packages are delivered inside your garage and you are notified when this happens.

• Perform Regular Maintenance: It’s recommended that a professional look at your garage door system at least once annually. Proper maintenance ensures your door and opener are all functioning properly.

• Replace Garage Door Opener If Damaged: While not the most enjoyable purchase, if your garage door opener is damaged or broken, then replace it. An improperly functioning garage door can be an easy opportunity for thieves.

Garage Door Technology to Improve Home Security

At Best Overhead Door, we offer a wide variety of garage door openers, many utilizing the latest technologies to improve your home’s security, including rolling garage codes and light control. Most of our LiftMaster garage door openers are enabled with MyQ technology. MyQ is a free smartphone app that gives users total control over your garage from anywhere. With this technology, you can receive real-time alerts to your phone letting you know whenever your garage door is opened or closed. You can also open or close your door remotely and link your MyQ opener to a Nest Cam or achieve XFINITY Home Integration.

Other technologies you can incorporate into your garage door setup include:

• LiftMaster 821LM: This device is compatible with virtually all garage door openers manufactured after 1993 and can control two garage doors. Like later technology with MyQ installed in the machine, this separate device can open and close remotely, control lights and be incorporated with Nest Cams.

• Magic Closer Automatic Garage Door Closer: This device is easy to install and works with all opener brands and models made after 1993. With this device, you can program your door to close after five or 15 minutes, or six hours.

• LiftMaster Mini Remote Control: Compatible with LiftMaster and Chamberlain models, this small remote allows you to keep your opener remote with you at all times, connected to your keychain, preventing theft.

• Add Lock: While not the most convenient during busy days, a lock can be installed to the inside of your garage while you’re away to prevent entry.

• Shield Emergency Release: By prying the top of your garage open, thieves can insert a coat hanger through the gap and trigger your garage door’s emergency release, allowing them to open the door from the outside. This shield attaches to the emergency release bar, blocking the handle from being tampered with.

Call Best Overhead Door Today!

To improve your home’s garage door safety, call the experts at Best Overhead Door today. We have a wide variety of security solutions for your home, including the latest garage door opener models from LiftMaster and Chamberlain, featuring MyQ technology.  We offer estimates via phone, email and video conferencing or we can bring our showroom to you with hand samples and brochures. Our technicians are here to answer any questions and make recommendations for your home. To learn more, call us today at (503) 620-1205 or schedule an appointment with our online form.

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How to Choose a Garage Door Opener

If you don’t have an automatic garage door opener for your garage, or your existing garage door opener is worn out or you just need an upgrade, it will be important for you to know how to choose a garage door opener to replace it. You can choose from many different types of garage door openers, and knowing which one is right for you will depend on a variety of factors.

Here are four of the main factors to consider when you’re wondering how to choose a garage door opener.

Type of Drive

Your automatic garage door opener can be belt drive, screw drive or chain drive. This refers to the mechanism the opener uses to pull the garage door along the track.

If you choose a garage door opener with a chain drive, you will find this to be an economical option but Chain drives tend to be the loudest garage door openers. So if garage door noise is an issue for you, you may not want to go with the chain drive.

A screw drive garage door opener is a little quieter than a chain drive, but usually a little more expensive and are becoming much less popular.

If you really need quiet when it comes to your garage door, get a belt drive garage door opener. These are easily the quietest, and they are also very reliable.  

AC motor VS DC Motor: The DC motor has a slow start and slow stop which is easier and less wear and tear on the door helps it to be the very quietest of all garage door openers.

The door is a big part of a noisy garage door opener. If the garage door is tuned up properly then the opener will sound quieter and have to work less. Another way is to replace your bearings and your steel rollers with nylon ones.

Size (Horsepower)

The next consideration is what horsepower you need for your garage door opener. Garage door openers come in ¼, 1/3, 1/2, ¾HP and 1-1/4 HPC (a DC Motor).

A ½ HP motor is by far, the most common and is generally sufficient for a standard residential garage door. 1/4Hp and 1/3HP are getting harder to find as the ½ HP have taken over the market.

If you have a Wood carriage house door or a Full View door, you may want to go up to the ¾ size. These Openers are designed to carry the heavier loads, not only by having a larger motor but also a stronger rail.

The DC (Direct Currant) motors are HPC (Horse Power Comparison) are the quietest openers on the market. They are variable speed motors so they are also a lot easier on the door.Type of

Operation

Most residential garage door openers use standard trolley operation, but if you have a high lift door or a roof pitch door, a jackshaft opener works through side operation. It also works if someone wants to put a car lift in the garage or has overhead storage. This type of opener is the cleanest look.

Brand

You may wish to choose your garage door opener by brand. At Best Overhead Door, we have all the top brands, including LiftMaster, Chamberlain and Genie.

For an estimate on a new garage door opener for your home or business in the Portland Metro or Vancouver, WA, areas, contact Best Overhead Door now.

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Can Your Garage Door Be Hacked?

Your garage door is a major entry point into your home, so it is only natural to wonder — can garage doors be hacked? Are garage door openers secure? You may have heard stories about criminals using loose garage door opener remotes to get into unsuspecting people’s homes. If this is true, what can you do to stop your garage door from being hacked?

Can Garage Door Openers Be Hacked?

The truth is that if you have an older garage door, it can indeed be hacked. The original mechanism for garage door openers was a series of dipswitches set in random directions. This created a unique code that the garage door opener would respond to when a remote with the corresponding code was activated. The problem was that this type of system was child’s play for a criminal to hack. They could do this in many ways. Another common way is for a thief to break into your car and to use the remote on your visor. If you park outside, either lock your remote in the glove box or buy a mini remote that you can leave on your keychain.

They could use a brute force approach, or simply driving through a neighborhood with a remote set to a particular code and firing it at every door until they found one that opened. Or, they could use a “code grabber,” a small electronic device that would allow them to intercept a remote’s signal and steal the code for their own use to open the garage door at a more convenient time — for them, not for you. So how can this type of garage door hacking be prevented?

Modern Garage Door Openers and the Rolling Code

Fortunately, if you have a new garage door opener, you don’t have to worry about it. Eventually, garage door opener manufacturers caught on to the fact that criminals were having a very easy time bypassing their system and getting into people’s homes through their garage doors, so they invented what is called a rolling code system.

The rolling code system or LiftMaster’s® Security+ 2.0®, safeguards garage access with every click, a new code is sent to the Garage Door Opener, ensuring the door does not inadvertently open. Along with the built-in PosiLock® that electronically protects against forced openings and they Alert-2-Close, signals when a door is being closed by MyQ®, will assure you the safest garage door opener on the market.  If you have a keycode, that stays the same unless you change it. This renders the code grabbers and loose remote brute force approach useless because even if a criminal got the correct code, it would be different the next time they tried to use it.

Upgrade to a Security+ 2.0 Garage Door Opener Today

If you have an older garage door opener without a rolling code system, you are vulnerable. Fortunately, if you are in the Portland, Oregon, metro area or the Vancouver, WA, area, Best Overhead Door can help. We have a wide range of high-quality garage door openers with reliable security systems based on rolling codes. We also offer smart garage door opener technology, like LiftMaster’s MyQ® system, which allows you to control your garage door from anywhere you can get a wireless signal. It also alerts you whenever anyone opens or closes your garage door at any time for added safety and security.

For an estimate on a modern, safer, rolling code garage door opener, contact Best Overhead Door now.

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