Happy New Year!

8 Tips for a Supremely Organized Winter Garage

8 Tips for a Supremely Organized Winter Garage

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Happy Holidays

$5,000,000 Underground Garage

So the next time you have $5,000,000 laying around you might create this garage.  This gentleman spent 5 million dollars, including the air craft carrier type elevator platform to create one of the most expensive and incredible garages ever built. 

Troubleshooting Photocell Problems

The key indicator that your photo cells are not functioning properly will be a door that reverses when you try to close it and the only way to get it down is by holding the wall button down the whole time while the door is closing.

Try these tips.  If you still cannot get your door to work please give us a call at 414-321-0500

All garage door openers manufactured after January 1, 1993 include the federally mandated Safety Sensor Reversing System®. These sensors are found four to six inches above the garage floor and protect the door opening with an invisible beam. If there is any problem with the safety sensors, the light bulb on the opener will flash 10 times and the garage door will not close unless constant pressure is applied to the wall button.

There are a few different things that can cause this type of problem, which are listed below with corresponding solutions (For LiftMaster Operators):

• Clear any obstruction from between the safety sensors. Loose leaves, trash, and dirt on the lens of the sensor itself are all examples of things that can obstruct the sensor's signal.
• Check each sensor for a steady glowing indicator light. If both indicator lights are on, or if one indicator light is flickering, the sensors may be slightly misaligned. To check for misalignment; obstruct the beam of the sensors so that they cannot see each other. When the beam is blocked, the indicator light on one of the two sensors will temporarily go out. This is the receiving sensor. Remove the obstruction and loosen the wing nut on the back of the receiving sensor. Adjust the receiving sensor until the green indicator light goes out, if not already out, then realign until the green light is bright and steady, then re-tighten the wing nut. This usually takes a couple of attempts before it is back in alignment.
• If an indicator light is out on one or both sensors, check for a possible loose or shorted wire. Sensor wires are attached to the white and black terminals on the back or side panel of the overhead motor unit. Check that they are securely connected to each terminal. Also check the wires for any breaks, especially anywhere they are spliced together.

After any adjustment to the sensors, the opener itself, or the garage door, both safety systems must be tested:

• Press the remote control push button to raise the garage door. Place a box or similar object in the path of the door. Press the remote control push button to close the door. The door will not move more than one inch, and the opener lights will flash.

The garage door opener will not close from a remote control if the indicator light in either one of the sensors is off (alerting you to the fact that the sensor is misaligned or obstructed).

• With the door fully open, place a 1-½ inch board (or 2x4 laid flat) on the floor, centered under the garage door. Operate the door in the down direction. The door must reverse upon striking an obstruction. If the door stops on the obstruction, it is not traveling far enough in the down direction. Refer to your owner's manual for instructions on increasing the down limit adjustment, along with more information concerning the safety reversal test.

WARNING: Without a properly installed safety reversal system, persons (particularly small children) can be seriously injured or killed by a closing garage door. If the opener closes the door when the safety-reversing sensor is obstructed (and the sensors are no more than 6 inches above the floor), call us and we can have it adjust by our trained door systems technician.

Genie openers work pretty much the same way, you will just have a red light that flashes when it is not receiving the signal. Check your owner manual for instructions.

If you have any additional questions, please feel contact us at 414-321-0500 or visit our website at www.AdvanceOverheadDoor.com

Batman Style Garage Door

Check out this video, this apartment building in San Francisco has been remodeled to include four car parking spaces while maintaining the historical Victorian facade. 

See Beausoleil Architect's website www.beausoleil-architects.com for more information

Our first company video

We have finished our first video, it will be added to our new webpage.

Check it out and let us know what you think of it.

Garages are getting bigger

While the average lot size for new homes has decreased from 10,000 sq. ft. in 1990 to 8,500 sq. ft., garages are increasing in size to accommodate SUV's and recreational vehicles.

Angie's List tips on garage door maintenance

I saw this video and article about garage doors maintenance tips on Angie's List Facebook Page and thought I would pass it along: 

http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/money/angies_list/angies-list-tips-on-garage-door-maintenance-and-when-to-call-in-a-pro

For more information on  becoming an Angie's List member, visit http://www.angieslist.com
Advance Overhead Door has been Angie's List Contractor since 2006. 

LiftMaster introduces 2 new garage door openers with MyQ Technology which allows you to control your garage door from your smartphone or computer

Interested in a LiftMaster Opener with MyQ Technology? Ask about our new LiftMaster® Elite Series® 8550 and Premium Series 8360 garage door openers.

These new garage door openers can do much more than just open and close the garage door
The new LiftMaster® 8550 and 8360 garage door openers have built-in MyQ™ technology that enables you to operate the garage door and even turn house lights on or off from anywhere in the world using a smartphone or computer.

Timer-to-Close feature ensures the garage door is never left open by accident
Now you can have the garage door automatically close after a pre-programmed number of minutes – ideal if your hands are full or you are unloading the car. This gives you added peace-of-mind for you and your family, ensuring the largest door to your home closes behind you.

Reliable Battery Backup System is now available in a chain drive
You might be a chain drive loyalist or have heavy carriage-house or solid wood doors that may need steady performance and lifting power to open.  The new Battery Backup System now comes in Premium Series model 8360.

Security+2.0™ technology eliminates radio interference and guards against code theft
This enhanced radio performance has twice the radio range and communicates with the garage door opener in different frequencies, virtually eliminating interference. It also uses a different code every time the remote control is used, protecting against code theft, ensuring your home, family and belongings are safe and secure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dcA1yyfJig&feature=youtu.be

If you have any additional questions, please feel contact us at 414-321-0500 or visit our website at www.AdvanceOverheadDoor.com

Photo Covers for your Garage Door

These garage door covers were featured on the DIY Network show
"I Want That". They are made by a German company called Style-your-Garage.com, that is trying to put an end to ugly and boring garage doors one door at a time. 

The covers attach very easily using Velcro strips to your garage panels and can be removed at any time without leaving a trace.

These are a few of the 350 different covers they offer for your garage door.

Transportation
Blackbird


Double Decker

Jumbo Jet

Boat

Truck

Road King

Red Sportscar

Steam Locomotive

US Army Panzer

Jumbo Kid's Car

Places
NY Subway

New York View

Beach House

Beach

Bella Italia

Wine Cellar

Animals

Alligator

Elephant

Horses

Others

USA Flag

American Eagle

Gold Bars

Underground car parking 

Safe

Holidays

Merry Christmas

Santas Workshop

Graveyard in the Dark

Garages Doors

Barn gate

Urban Garage Door 

Wooden Pattern

Country Style

What a fun way to put a smile on someone's face every time they drive past your house. 

They have over 350 different prints, ranging from family oriented to not so family oriented, check out their website for more fun prints at Style-your-Garage.com.

Garage Door Security Tips

Don’t leave the garage door remote in your vehicle – If a thief breaks in to your car and steals the remote, they have a way into your home. Invest in a keychain remote opener that you can leave on your keys.
If you own a GPS never store your home address in it. Put the address for something in the area of your home.  Also, if possible never leave any paperwork in your car which contains your address.
Keep the door between your house and your garage locked – Treat it the same as you would the front entrance to your home.
Install a wide-angle peephole in the door between your house and your garage – You’ll at least be able to see what’s going on if you hear a strange noise, rather than opening the door to find out.
Frost or cover your garage windows – Don’t do thieves any favors by enabling them to see when your vehicle is gone or what is in your garage. 
Secure your things in the garage - Don’t just rely upon your garage door to provide security, lock your car when it is in your garage. Also, be sure all other valuables are locked up too.
Don’t leave your garage door open – An open garage door is inviting someone to pop their heads in and grab something. 
Upgrade to motion detector Lights - Replacing light fixtures with ones that have a built-in motion detector is an easy way to make your garage and house more secure.
Reinforce your service door -  install a good-quality dead bolt and reinforce the doorjamb and hinges to resist a brute-force attack. 
If you are going away for a period of time, here are a few more ways to protect your property - Use the lock bottom on your wall control panel, if you have one, and/or after you have closed your garage door unplug your operator for the wall outlet. If you don't have an opener, padlock the latch or disable the door by putting a bolt though one of the holes in the garage door track. This will prevent someone from coming in through the overhead door while you're away.

If you have any additional questions, please feel contact us at 414-321-0500 or visit our website at www.AdvanceOverheadDoor.com

Some of this information came from the following site: http://www.itstactical.com

How to Lubricate Your Garage Door and Opener

A great rule to remember when lubricating your garage door is......"If it moves lubricate it!" Both the door and opener should be lubricated at least once a year. 

FIRST, for your safety, unplug the garage door opener power cord from the outlet to prevent accidental operation while you are working on the door and opener.

The best product to use for this is a spray can of white lithium grease. It stays where you spray it and you can use it on all of the moving parts. We use Fehr Lube, which you can purchase directly though us or you can get it at your favorite home center store. We DO NOT recommend WD-40, it has little to no long term lubrication qualities.  

Apply the lubricant to all the moving parts of the garage door, the rollers, the hinges on the door panels and the springs. 

DO NOT put any anything on the garage door track. It serves no purpose in making your garage door run smoothly.

While lubricating the door, you should also check the door for any loose screws, nuts, or bolts and tighten them so they won't fall out and create bigger problems in the future.

If you have either the chain or belt type openers, the rail that the chain/belt travels on is the only part of the garage door opener that needs to be lubricated. You should use the same lubricant you used on your door. If you have a screw drive opener, check the owner's manual for information as they vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

After you are finished, plug the opener power cord into the outlet. Open and close the door a few times to distribute the lubrication. NOTE: Make sure the garage door is clear of people or pets before closing it.

By lubricating both your garage door and opener, it will help to extend its life and, over time, will save you money. 

If you have any additional questions, please feel contact us at 414-321-0500 or visit our website at www.advohd.com

Let me introduce myself

This is my very first blog post, so I want to start by introducing myself and tell you a little about our company. My name is Mary Swessel and our family owns Advance Overhead Door, Inc., in Milwaukee WI.  Advance was started in 1986 by my husband, Jeff and I came on board, learning the ropes, shortly after we were married in 1993.

We are a family-owned company, literally a “Mom and Pop shop” and our son Jim also works with us. Advance is a small company and prefers to stay that way; our philosophy is “Bigger is not always better!” As such, the most important aspect of our business is the quality of the work we offer.

Our company provides garage door and opener repairs and new installations always with exceptional service to our customers in the Milwaukee Metro Area. More importantly, we are proud to offer our customers the best possible service at an affordable price! 

Many years ago, a customer called me “The garage door lady,” which is how my blog name came about. After working with our customers and helping them with their garage door or opener problems, I have accumulated a vast knowledge of this industry and I am excited to share this knowledge with you.

In future blogs, I look forward to providing you with information and useful tips for your garage door and opener needs. If you have any ideas or suggestions on a topic, please feel free to send them to me.

Please feel free to visit our website at www.AdvanceOverheadDoor.com