Testing the Force Setting on Your Garage Door

Testing the Reverse Mechanism of Your Garage Door

Testing the sensor are responding correctly near the bottom of your automatic garage door is very important to garage door safety.

Hanson Overhead Garage Door Tips for Garage Door Safety Month

It’s Garage Door Safety Month!!  

Did you know that June is Garage Door Safety Month?  It’s that time of year when we are getting outside a bit more and doing things around the house.  Maybe you’re using your garage door a bit more – getting out the lawn equipment or getting the bikes out for a nice ride?  It’s a great reminder to make sure your garage door is maintained and working safely.   

Here are just a few things you can do to make sure things are safe and running smooth: 

• Avoid keeping clutter around the sides of your garage door.  For example, golf clubs, lawn equipment, brooms and rakes, or anything that could possibly fall over and create an obstruction while the door is in motion.  This will help prevent accidents that could result in your garage door coming off track.   
• Make sure your garage door opener’s safety eye sensors are clean of debris and are aligned properly.  These sensors trigger the garage door to reverse direction when closing, should there be something that crosses the threshold of the door.   
• Do a safety reversal test.  There are two safety reversal tests that you can perform to ensure the garage door opener’s safety functions are working properly.   

• Safety Eye Sensor Test.  While the door is moving towards the closed position, break the invisible beam going across the garage door opening.  You can do this by waving your hand in front of one of the sensors.  (Please be sure to keep hands and feet clear of all moving parts and hardware).  The door should reverse once the beam is broken.  If it does not reverse, please call a professional to troubleshoot. 
• Contact Reversal Test.  Place a 2x4 board flat on the ground, in the middle of the garage door threshold.  Push the button to close.  The door should reverse upon contact with the 2x4.  If it does not reverse, please call a professional to troubleshoot. 

• Preventative Inspection   

• Check the cables on either side of the garage door.  Make sure they are not fraying.   (Please remember keep hands away from moving hardware of the garage door) 
• Check for cracks in the sections of the garage door.  Whether you have a steel or wood door, cracks and tears are bad news for your garage door.  Not only is this a safety issue, but sagging sections can also cause unnecessary wear and tear on the garage door opener. 
• Inspect the garage door for cracked, worn, or broken hardware.  Call a professional to replace any worn or broken hardware.  

Hanson Overhead Garage Door Service is committed to your safety for 2017!  We’ll handle all the safety inspections and preventative maintenance for you.   Call today for our 44 Point Signature Garage Door Tune up!  For the month of June only, we are offering a $50 discount!  Just mention this article! 

707-526-7800

Garage Door Repair for a North Bay Area Winter

Living north of San Francisco, in California wine country, we don't often think about freezing temperatures.  We live in a fairly stable weather environment where the coldest winter Mark Twain ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.  This year Mother Nature has decided to help break the drought and lower our temperatures.

The change in normal winter weather conditions may have a significant impact on how your garage door operates.  Colder temperatures can affect springs and the other mechanisms that ensure smooth garage door operations.

Hanson-North Bay provides garage door service calls starting at $59.95 in most Sonoma and Marin County areas. From replacing broken springs and repairing damaged door panels, to replacing broken garage door openers and repairing off-track doors, your professional Hanson technician is trained to do it all. We use only the best replacement parts available and back our work with a 5 year warranty.

We are offering a Garage Door Weather Sealing Special for the Holidays and into the New Year.  Give us call to provide an extra layer of weather resistance against the elements.  A well sealed garage door can help improve your household heating costs.

 

Fall Garage Door Maintenance Tips from Hanson Overhead

Summer is rapidly fading with only 3-weeks remaining until Fall days beckon.  Apples are getting ready to pick.  The Sonoma County vineyards are preparing to harvest grapes for 2016 wines.  Soon the North Bay Area weather will turn cooler and the rainy season will begin.

This is the perfect time to plan and schedule your annual garage door maintenance.  Here are a few items to take a look at or listen to as you get ready to call Hanson-North Bay:

1. Take a look at the weather stripping on the bottom of your garage door.  Does it look dry and cracking?  Has it already disintegrated and little critters have taken residence in your garage?
2. Do you have weather stripping around the exterior of your garage door?  This simple addition to your home will help reduce rain and wind entering your garage.
3. Is your garage door resting flush to the garage door frame?  Excess wind and rain may be entering your garage through an ill fitting door.
4. Are garage door panels damaged? Individual panels may be able to be replaced for the fraction of the cost of a new door.
5. How does your door sound as it opens and closes?  Could it be used for Halloween sound effects?  Rollers, springs and cables should be maintained at least once a year.
6. Is your garage door smoothly opening and closing?  It may be time to have your garage door opener serviced or replaced.

Your garage door is the largest moving object in your home.  Regular maintenance ensures optimal performance, which reduces the risk of malfunctions that could harm you or your family.  

Ask about our 44-point Signature Garage Door and Opener Tune-up. Call 707-526-7800 to schedule your appointment today!

June Is National Garage Door Safety Month

A garage door is the largest moving object in your house.  Many households will use their garage door more frequently than their front door.  Usage increases during the summer months as outdoor activities increases.  Bicycles are taken out from winter storage.  The lawnmower and gardening equipment see the light of day.  More frequent trips to and from the home are taken with the longer days.

  
There are a list of things that can fail on your garage door if not maintained properly.  The list includes: springs, rollers, pulleys, panels, sensors, cables, chains, and garage door openers.  Your front door has hinges, handle, lock and the door itself.  Annual maintenance is necessary for your garage door and garage door opener.  There is nothing worse than having the garage door malfunction as you are on your way to a sporting event or a road trip.

Hanson Overhead, serving Sonoma and Marin counties, offers a 44-point tune-up that includes your garage door and garage door opener.  Our trained and certified technicians will re-align, lubricate, calibrate and tighten your garage door and opener to ensure they are in proper working order.  We recommend a yearly tune-up.

A New Year and A New Business Address!

2015 is off to a great start! Not only did we get to start a new year, but we are happy to announce our new Hanson Overhead Garage Door location.  

466 Primero Court, Suite A

Cotati, CA 94931

Our new location offers an opportunity for our clients to stop by for new garage door opener remotes or see new garage door samples.

We have called Sonoma County home for over 5-years and look forward to expanding into Marin County during 2015.

Thank you for your business during our first 5-years!  Stop by and say hello at our new location.

Happy 2015!

Adam Carver

Fall Garage Door Overhaul Special for Hanson Overhead Clients

Fall is the perfect time to overhaul your Garage Door with Hanson Overhead, serving the North Bay communities. As Benjamin Franklin said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."  By taking care of minor issues now your garage door is ensured to work properly through a rainy winter season.  We can hope for a wet winter this year!

Schedule your appointment today and feel assured you will receive the quality and honest service provided by Hanson Overhead Garage Door Service!

Sonoma and Napa County Garage Door Safety After an Earthquake

On Sunday (August 24, 2014) our garage door service area was impacted by a 6.0-magnitude earthquake.  Our thoughts extend to those in our community whose homes and businesses are affected the most by this natural disaster.

Garage Door Safety is an important consideration following a strong seismic event. In 2010 the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety compiled a list of the Top 10 Structural Retrofits to reduce earthquake structural damage.  Bracing garage door openings was number 10 on the list. 

"Garages are particularly vulnerable to earthquake damage, and especially if there is living space above the garage. The narrow walls on either side of the garage opening must be able to support the seismic load that is transferred from the roof and additional living space above the garage (if one exists) into the foundation below. In order for these narrow walls to support this load, they must be properly braced. Bracing these walls is usually done by using steel bracing or specially detailed plywood panels as recommended by a registered professional engineer."

The complete article can be read at: https://www.disastersafety.org/blog/top-10-ways-to-reduce-the-risk-of-earthquake-damage/.  Although Hanson Overhead Garage Door Service of Santa Rosa does not perform structural retrofits, we can inspect the moving parts of your garage door system.

Garage Door Components that should be inspected following an earthquake:

• Garage Door rollers and tracks
• Garage Door Panels for structural damage
• Garage Door opener - electrical connections, chain or rails
• Garage Door opener sensors

Your garage door is the largest moving object attached to your home.  A 44-point garage door inspection can ensure the integrity of your garage door safety.

Again, we send the best regards to our Sonoma and Napa County communities!

Hanson Overhead of Sonoma County July Garage Door Repair Specials

During your busy summer schedule having a broken garage door spring can shut the door to Summer fun.  The Hanson Overhead of Santa Rosa solution is to repair questionable garage door and garage door openers before the problem becomes critical.

This month we are offering a $20 off Special on Broken Spring Replacement OR any Garage Door Opener Repair.

Give us a call at 707-526-7800 for your Sonoma County garage door repair needs.

June is Garage Door Safety Month

June is Garage Door Safety Month

Did you know your Garage Door is the largest moving object in your home? In honor of making your home safer this summer, Hanson Overhead of Santa Rosa is offering a 44-point Safety Tune-up Special.  Print the attached special and present it at the time of service.

Vaulted Garage Safety - Hanson Overhead Garage Door Service of Sonoma County

Is your Garage considered a Vault?

A Vault? You may ask… A vault is considered a closed space with only one entrance and exit. Obviously, for a garage, this would be the garage door.

Why is knowing about a Garage Vault Lock important?

If you happen to have a garage that is detached from your home, it will be very difficult for you to use your remote transmitter to open the garage door in the event there is a power outage. That’s right… Your car is trapped, and you need to get to work or take the kids to school.

What do you do with a Garage Vault Release Lock?

Aside from waiting for the power to come back on, there are two solutions to prevent this problem. The first is to have what called a ‘Vault Release Lock’ installed on your garage door. This is a cylinder lock that gets mounted to the center of the door. On the inside, there is a cable that attaches to your emergency release pull cord on your garage door opener. In the event of a power outage, or your automatic garage door opener fails, you can insert a key into the Vault Lock and pull the cord, thus disengaging the garage door from the garage door opener. Now you should be able to open the door manually.

Another option would be to have a garage door opener installed that has a Battery Backup System. Modern technology has provided us with garage door openers that use DC Motors. This not only provides a quiet, smooth operation of your garage door, but it also is what makes Battery Backup Systems possible. A typical Battery Backup will operate your door up to 10 times or hold a charge for up to 24 hours. This feature could be invaluable for those that aren't able to manually lift their garage door, or simply don’t want to bother with the inconvenience.

It is still recommended to have a Vault Release Lock installed regardless of if you have a Battery Backup Garage Door Opener. In the event, your opener should fail; you still have a means of opening your garage door.

Hanson Overhead Garage Door Service is fully equipped to handle either one of these projects for you! Ask about our Vault Release Locks and the Garage Door Openers we have to offer!

Garage Door Safety Sensor Issues | Hanson Overhead Garage Door Service-Santa Rosa

Have you ever had trouble closing your garage door?  This can be somewhat of a nuisance, yet in most cases, an easy problem to fix yourself.

 

Inevitably, the sides of our garage is where we like to store items like our golf clubs and garbage cans.  This is also where our garage door openers’ safety sensors are located.  It’s not uncommon for us to bump into them with the weekly garbage run to the street.  Once these sensors are bumped out of alignment, it sends a signal to the motor that there is an obstruction blocking the door from closing safely and will not put the door down.  Those who are persistent find out that if they hold down the button on the wall, the door will close.  (This bypasses the safety sensors)  

An easy fix is to walk over to the sensors and visually make sure they are pointed straight and directly facing each other.  Usually there are light indicators on the sensors themselves which may blink, flicker or not be lit at all until the invisible beam between the two sensors is connected.   Once the indicator light is lit solid, then your garage door is considered safe to close without obstruction.

Should this attempt to align the sensors yourself not solve the problem, please call a professional to look into this further, as there may be other issues with either the opener or the garage door itself.   Sometimes, when the garage door opener says the door is not safe to close… It’s not safe to close!

Call Hanson Overhead Garage Door Service

707-526-7800

www.HansonOverhead.com/SantaRosa

SantaRosa@HansonOverhead.com

Garage Door Weather Seal Repair | Hanson Overhead - Santa Rosa

It’s that time of year again…  Although, for as dry as it’s been, and as much as we welcome the rain, we don’t necessarily welcome it into our garage!

Here are some ways you can prevent wind and rain from invading your home through your garage.

  

Bottom Garage Door Weather Seal:

Most of the time if there is water entering your garage, it’s due to a worn Bottom Seal or an uneven slab.  The garage door may seal tightly on one side and not so well on the other.  An old, worn bottom seal on your door may need to be replaced to ensure a tight seal all the way across the opening.

 

You can also try some other alternatives to seal larger gaps under your door.  For example, a larger Bulb Bottom Seal can be installed.  Or a Garage Door Threshold can also be an option when you want to block water from entering.  The rubber Threshold is glued down to the cement and the garage door sits on top of it.  You can even use the larger seal and threshold together if needed.

Vinyl Climate Seal:

For applications where you are trying to prevent driving wind and rain from entering your garage from the side of the garage door, you’ll want to seal the perimeter of your garage door opening with Climate Seal.  This vinyl trim can be found in a number of different colors. However, White or Almond are most readily available.  This simple addition to your garage door can not only seal the opening extremely well, but it also offers a nice finished wood textured look.

All of these weather sealing options are available through Hanson Overhead Garage Door Service.  Please call and schedule you free consultation today!

707-526-7800

www.HansonOverhead.com/SantaRosa

SantaRosa@HansonOverhead.com