 Ordering a new garage door for your home or commercial building can be exciting. Not only will you have a new door style that complements your property, but you will also have a door that runs more efficiently, is modern and secure. Most brand new homes come with standard garage door openings. However, older homes may come with garage door openings that are not quite square or standard. If you are looking for a new garage door, it is important to measure all garage door openings before ordering a new door. How do you measure the garage door opening? You can use this 5-step process to get all the measurements you need for selecting and ordering your garage door.
If you have the measurements, the next step is to select your garage door style and order it. You will find there are hundreds of styles available on the market today in both residential and commercial overhead doors. With the measurements in hand, you should contact a licensed, insured, and bonded garage door company and get your new door on order. When you are ready to get a new garage door, contact Willow Creek Overhead Door in Amarillo, Texas. Willow Creek Overhead Door works with two of the leading garage door manufacturers in the business: Raynor and Midland Garage Door. They offer strong and dependable doors for all sorts of installations. If you do not want to take the measurements yourself, not problem. Owner Tony Hall can come out the same day you call and measure your garage door himself. Get in touch with these Amarillo garage door specialists today for a free installation estimate.
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 Garage door options have evolved greatly over the years. While there are still simple, basic doors out there, there are now doors that boast an array of high-tech features. Mobile phone operated garage doors are just one example, such as LiftMaster’s new Quiet Belt Drive Garage Door Opener with MyQ capabilities. Who is LiftMaster? LiftMaster is an industry leader in the manufacturing of access control product. LiftMaster has turned around the sector of garage door openers. A garage door is the primary entrance in most homes. It should therefore be as secure as possible and operate smoothly. What is MyQ technology? MyQ technology is the brainchild of LiftMaster. This technology that makes it possible for you to remotely secure and monitor your garage door and the lights in your house via a computer, smartphone app or tablet. You can also receive alerts through pop-up notifications on your cell phone. This way, you can always be sure that your garage door is secure wherever you are. You will immediately be notified of attempted break-ins and you can take action to deter burglars. You may imagine that such high-tech features come with a hefty price tag but that it is not the case. The doors are very affordable and MyQ mobile app can be downloaded at no cost. No annual activation fee is charged. This garage door opener is also very energy efficient and because it has a belt drive, it is very quiet. What comes with the LiftMaster Quiet Belt Drive Garage Door Opener? This Premium Series 1/2 HP AC garage door opener that uses a belt drive comes with accessories. One is the 882LM multi-functional control panel. It is used to operate the opener and it lights up the garage from inside. This panel also makes programming quick and easy, thanks to a new learn button. Another accessory is the 893LM remote control with three buttons. This multi-door accessory is powerful enough to operate three garage doors, gates or MyQ technology lighting accessories. It also has multi-frequency security with 2.0 technology that eliminates all interference. Which security features do MyQ openers have? There is the 2.0 technology that sends a new code to your phone on request so that only you can open your garage door. There is also PosiLock that electronically locks your garage door so that forceful opening is not possible. There's also Alert-2-Close that gives audible warnings when the door is about to close. There is the Protector System that will not let the door close when there is something in its way. Whether you are 10 feet away from your garage or a 1,000 miles, the LiftMaster MyQ 8355 app allows you open and close your garage door. The app will also keep a log of your garage door's activity. Another perk of LiftMaster's MyQ technology is the sheer convenience. If you are at work or out of town and need a service professional, such as the cable company or plumber to get in your home, you can open and close the garage door without being there. Where can you get LiftMaster’s MyQ garage door opener? Willow Creek Overhead Door in Amarillo, Texas is an appointed dealer of LiftMaster products. Call owner Tony Hall today for a free consultation about the options of garage doors with the cutting-edge MyQ technology. Watch owner Tony Hall's instructional video below to see LiftMaster's MyQ app in action!  When many people think of a garage door, they often think of the multiple panel doors, often made of aluminum, wood or steel, that adorn so many homes in America. Well, if you had lived 100 years ago, that style would have been foreign. The style back then was the carriage house style door. While this door style may have been popular back in the day, it has made a huge comeback. How is a Carriage House door different? Instead of having multi-stall garages a hundred years ago, many homes had carriage houses on the property. These were stand-alone buildings where the family could keep their carriage when not in use. These old carriage houses usually had two doors which swung out when someone needed to exit or enter the building. Many of these doors included windows and paneling for a bit of style. Today's version of the Carriage House door does not have the two swinging doors. They move up and over the car like a standard modern styled garage door. These doors do have the look and feel of a door found a hundred years ago. You can get iron strapping on the sides to hint at hinges and handles on the door to look like you pull it open. Why is the Carriage House door style becoming popular? Think about how much space the typical garage door takes up on a home's front elevation. On average, a garage door is about 1/3 of the front elevation. For homeowners who want a stylish home exterior, the garage door is becoming more important. Homeowners, builders, and remodeling professionals are looking for styles which enhance the home's look instead of just serving a function.The carriage house door style works well for traditional home design. What options can you get in Carriage House garage doors? You can order carriage house style garage doors in steel, wood, and wood composite. Raynor and Midland garage door companies offer the following:
If you want a quality garage door in the carriage house style, contact Amarillo garage door company Willow Creek Overhead Door. We carry this style door from some of the top manufacturers in the country, including Raynor and Midland. Call us today for a free estimate on a carriage house garage door.  If you need to install a new garage door or opener system, springs are a major component. Your garage door needs springs that will last for many years. This is one area where you do not want to skimp when it comes to money or garage door installation. There are two main types of springs: a torsion spring and an extension spring Why are springs so important for garage doors? You may think the opener is what does the work when you hit the clicker to open and close the garage door. However, it just provides the horsepower, like you do when you manually open or close it. The springs and cables are what actually bring the door up and down smoothly. The springs also keep the door from slamming down too quickly and becoming a safety hazard. What kinds of springs are available for modern garage doors? Today, there are two types of springs used on garage doors: torsion and expansion.
Which kind of springs do most garage door installers recommend? If you were to take a quick survey of existing homes in your area, you will likely find that expansion springs are the more popular option. However, that is changing. These days most installers recommend torsion springs. They balance the weight of the door better and offer smoother operation and safety. The torsion spring is more expensive than the expansion springs. However, they are much stronger and have a longer useful life. Depending on the quality of the spring, the useful life can go for up to 20,000 lifts, or 20 to 25 years. What else do you need to know about garage door springs? No matter what kind of spring you decide to use, be sure to have a professional garage door company handle the installation. Springs, especially torsion ones, are dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. The springs can recoil and push someone off a ladder and on to the garage floor. A professional has the equipment and experience to handle the springs safely. If you need someone to look at your garage door springs, or install new ones, contact Willow Creek Overhead Door in Amarillo, Texas. We have served our Texas Panhandle neighbors since 2000. Call us today for a free estimate.  Have you accidently run into your garage door? Or is one of your teenagers not owning up to it? Sometimes accidents happen. Backing into your garage door and leaving a dent is one of them.
Also, some of the games that children play outside can strike the door and leave a dent. If you have a dent in your garage door, you have two options: repair it or replace it. We’ll tell you which option applies to your situation. What can be done about a dented garage door? If the damage is not too bad and the dent is minor, you can do the necessary repair yourself. Also consider the material the garage door is made of. Steel and aluminum are popular choices for homeowners because they are durable and non-demanding when it comes to maintenance. However, they may dent easily. Do you know how to fix a dented metallic door? Mix mild liquid detergent with water in a bucket and clean the dented area well. You then need to allow it to dry completely. Cover the spot with heavy duty foil extending it a bit to the surrounding area. Take a lighter like the one used to light candles or a grill and move it over the dented area in a consistent motion for at least a minute. Be sure to heat the entire area. Remove the foil and spray the area with an air can while holding it upside down so that carbon dioxide is released. This is the agent that will remove the dent. The temperature change from the heated foil to the cold air from the air can will remove the dent completely in a few minutes. A large dent may require that this process is carried out more than once. Is there another way to do it? You can also fix a dent with a patching compound or auto body filler. Clean the dented area and leave it to dry completely. Sand down the spot with 80-grit sandpaper. This will help the patching compound to bond. Wipe clean. Apply patching compound using a putty knife, smoothing and feathering it to the surrounding area. When the filler dries, sand the area again with 120-grit sandpaper. Finish by sanding with a 150-grit sandpaper to smooth out the edges of the patch. Paint over the covered dent with matching paint. When should I call in the experts? It is advisable to do so if the damage is on more than one panel of the garage door. This is because a dent that runs from one panel to another is very likely to interfere with the opening and closing of the garage door. It may necessary to replace the door. Willow Creek Overhead Door in Amarillo, Texas can advise you accordingly. Call owner Tony Hall today for a free repair estimate. Leaving a damaged garage door unattended to can be dangerous for your family. You want it fixed and safe for everyone as soon as possible. Tony Hall can come to your home the same day you call, so don’t put off fixing the garage door. Contact Willow Creek Overhead Door today.  Homes built before 1978, with a painted garage door that dates from that era, can have lead paint somewhere in the built-up layers. Before removing or renovating a garage door, it is smart to have the door tested for lead paint. If found, you need to think before doing any more work on it. If you have a door with lead paint, do you need to replace it? The answer is no. You can have the garage door stripped of the lead paint by a lead removal certified contractor and then repainted with modern paints that contain no lead. This can cost quite a bit though because the lead removal process requires special equipment and trained professionals. What if I want to replace my garage door? Many homeowners who find lead paint on an existing garage door opt to go with a complete replacement. It allows them to be rid of the problem and gives them the bonus of having a modern, efficient garage door. If you choose to replace the garage door, you need a contractor that has the training and certification on handling lead paint. Why does the contractor need training and certification? This requirement went into place on April 2, 2010 by order of the EPA. Known as the Lead Paint Rule, this requirement is designed to protect the homeowner, neighbors, and the contractor's workers from loose lead paint particulates. The rule applies to garage door installation and removal when the square footage exceeds the definition of minor repair or maintenance. For an exterior space, that threshold is 20 square feet. The EPA recommends contractors have at least one trained and certified renovator on staff to handle these garage door removals. What is so bad about lead paint? Lead is a heavy metal that can build up in the human body. When it reaches certain levels, it can begin interfering with the body's natural processes. It is toxic to various tissues in the body including the heart, kidneys, nervous system, and reproductive organs among others. In children, this disruption can cause permanent damage to learning and behavioral capabilities. Small children are known to eat random non-food items. In homes with lead paint, the non-food ingestion can include lead paint chips or other items coated in lead paint dust. With each ingestion, lead levels can start to build in the body. With enough exposure, it can start causing damage. Where can I get a new garage door? If you suspect your garage door has lead paint and want to talk about your replacement options, call Willow Creek Overhead Door (806.731.2999) in Amarillo, Texas. Owner Tony Hall can tell you all you need to know about your options. Offering a range of garage door styles at many price points, you are bound to find a garage door that works for you at Willow Creek Overhead Door.  Like other mechanical items, garage doors can break. They may need to be repaired or replaced entirely. Some garage door issues you can take care of yourself, such as cleaning and simple adjustments. However, it is sometimes best to leave repairs to a professional garage door installer. How can I fix my garage door? A garage door that is not opening and closing smoothly may be the result of neglecting simple maintenance tasks. A good place to start would be to brush the tracks to remove anything that would stop the door from moving smoothly. On extension-spring openers, the pulley needs to be oiled and on torsion-spring doors, the spring should be oiled. Before oiling, use a penetrating solvent or one that is citrus solvent to clean these parts as well as the rollers and hinges. A noisy garage door is another problem you may be able to take care of yourself. Try tightening the nuts with an adjustable or socket wrench. It may also be the rollers that need to be changed. Nylon rollers make less noise than metal ones so choose them when choosing a door. It may also be the hole in the hinge that need replacing. It is looks oblong rather than round, it needs to be replaced. A frozen garage door or one that sticks is a common winter irritation. De-icing products are effective. You can also chip away at the ice if you are careful not to damage the rubber or weather-proofing. When the door opens, clear the ice from where the garage door touches the floor. Broken glass is another problem you can probably take care of yourself. Broken glass can cause an injury and a broken window also gives burglars a way into your home. Dents on both metallic and wooden doors are another problem you can fix. For wooden doors, filler and paint should disguise a dent while auto filler works for metallic doors. When should an expert be called in? There are some problems that are best left to the experts. One is a dent that is on more than one panel. Such a garage or overhead door may need to be replaced because the panels may no longer be held together cohesively enough for the door to still open and close smoothly. Also, a garage door that opens or closes partially, that is jerky and that is still noisy after brushing and lubricating should be looked at by an expert. The problem may be a more serious one, and may require more than a simple repair. The friendly staff at Willow Creek Overhead Door in Amarillo, Texas are always happy to serve you. Check out this Maintenance Checklist, which will help keep your door running efficiently. Safety is very important to Willow Creek Overhead Door, so rather you need a repair, replacement or just have a question, give them a call today.  Replacing your garage door will make a distinct design statement for your home. It will also give you a modern, efficient door that can last for years. If you are looking to replace your garage door, consider style and function, in addition to your budget, before making a final buying decision.
What questions should you ask before buying a new garage door for your home? When looking at all the option available in garage doors, it is important to ask a few questions before making the purchase. Here is a brief list of questions to ask:
If you are thinking about purchasing a new garage door, work with a contractor who carries a number of styles and designs at several price points. When you are ready to talk about a new garage door, contact Willow Creek Overhead Door. We offer a variety of Raynor and Midland garage door styles and designs to complement your home or commercial property. We offer service throughout the Texas Panhandle, including Amarillo. When you call, owner Tony Hall can come out the same day and show you what they have to offer. Contact Willow Creek Overhead Door today for a free installation estimate.  One common winter challenge is your garage door getting stuck. The door may stick because snow or rain that was at the bottom of the door has frozen.
How do I prevent my garage door from sticking in the winter? One way to prevent a stuck door is by coating the bottom of the door using a water displacing spray. Before you do this, lift the door up and clean out the bottom ridge. Get off all the dirt and clean the concrete floor as well. Then, sprinkle table salt over the area where the door rests on the concrete floor. If the door is starting to stick already, apply the spray again and pour on more salt so that the door doesn't completely freeze over the floor. What about rubber stripping for garage doors? Ice can collect on the weather stripping or rubber under on the garage door or along its tracks and stop it from opening and closing smoothly. To prevent this, coat the rubber using the water displacing spray or floor wax. The coating of wax prevents the door from getting stuck and the door will slide and open without any problems. Avoid petroleum-based products for coating the rubber as it can degrade it. What about latex paint? Is your garage door or its frame is painted with latex-based paint, the door might get stuck because of chemicals in the paint. The same chemicals that make the paint adhere so well can also get the door to get stuck which is known as blocking. Blocking can be particularly bad just after the door has been painted. Freezing temperatures also don't help the paint dry completely. If the problem keeps recurring, it may come down to removing the latex paint and repainting the door with another kind of paint. Acrylic and alkyd paint are made to stop blocking. What about automatic openers? An automatic opener should do that just that — it should open automatically. However, even your automatic garage door may seem like it is getting stuck when the temperatures are really low. What might be happening is that the opener may be reacting to changes in temperature. Modern openers have adjustment buttons at the back or under the lens of a light. If you do make adjustments, do it gradually. Big adjustments can put undue pressure on the door and damage it. Who offers garage door repairs in Amarillo? If these steps don't work, call in the experts. Amarillo garage door company Willow Creek Overhead Door will be glad to take a look and advise you accordingly. They are very familiar with dealing with garage and overhead door problems resulting from cold, icy Amarillo winters. If you need weather stripping or a repair for hail or snow damage, call Willow Creek Overhead Door today for a free estimate. |
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