How Do You Manually Open A Garage Door?

This article How Do You Manually Open A Garage Door? was at first submitted on: ajsgaragedoorservice.com

Knowing how to manually open your garage door is vitally important, yet it’s surprising how many homeowners are not aware of how to do it.  That’s OK… the good news is that it’s really not complicated! It’s kind of like a riddle where once you know the answer, you look back and think, “Wow! That’s really simple!” Why is it so vitally important to know this basic information?  Well, what happens if you have a power outage and you need to leave the house but your car is in the garage?  With no electricity, and without knowing how to manually open the garage, you’re stuck and you won’t be going anywhere until the power comes back on.  Not a good situation! Another reason is that you want to know how to do this is so that, in the even your garage won’t open but you do have power, you can get a sense of whether you are having a problem with the garage door opener or with the door itself (most likely a broken garage door spring). A basic understanding of the difference between these two critical components of a properly operating garage door is important. You see, many people imagine that the electric motor - your ‘garage door opener’ - is responsible for ‘muscling’ the garage door open.  This is actually not the case. It is the springs on the door that act as the muscle to pull the door open and control it when it goes down (a garage door can weigh several hundred pounds, so you can imagine it takes a fair amount of ‘muscle’ to accomplish this day in and day out). On a door that has the proper springs on it, the motor barely has to put out any effort at all.  But if a spring is broken, the motor will try to open it, and it might be successful if your door was set up with 2 springs and only one is broken, but this puts a tremendous strain on the opener and eventually it will wear out and break completely.  Your second spring will also eventually break. So, why are we sharing all this info?  Because it’s important to know if your door has the proper springs on it if you want to get the most life out of your opener.  And to check if you have the proper springs - or to determine if one is broken (especially in a ‘hidden spring’ torsion tube system where you can’t see the springs) - you’ll need to manually open your door to see if it balances in the half-way open, half-way closed position.  If it does not, you need to call a garage door repair company to have your springs repaired. So - whatever your reason is to manually open your garage door, all you need to do is pull the release cord to disengage the door from the trolley on the opener track. Something like this is easier seen than read, so have a look at the following video.  If you have further questions, or something just isn’t working right, just remember that AJ’s is always ready and willing to have a look at what’s going on for you. Just give us a call!

Video Transcript ▼

Hi this is Scot with everyday home repairs and if you're watching this video something tells me you're in a little bit of a hurry or maybe in a pinch so we'll get right to it maybe your power's out or something's wrong with your garage door opener and you need to get the car out of the garage you need to get to work get the kids to school it's not that big of a deal we'll show you how to to disengage the door and re-engage the door and it'll all start with this little red handle behind me let's jump in so do two things we're gonna want to check here before we can lift up the door one you're gonna want to check these two springs here they're called torsion springs that actually when your door closes those coil up and they they store potential energy so they store all the energy then when you lift the door up that is actually what's doing most of the work your garage door opener is just doing a small amount of work to lift it out if there is a break in one and especially both of these your garage door opener is going to be a beast to lift up and unless you've been doing a heck of a lot of working out that might not you might not be able to lift it up if those are intact all you need to do is to pull down and disengage this pin here to the carriage now your door can be manually opened and I'll show you how to do that all right now it's disengaged you can take the handle either in the middle on the side and just easily lift the door open and take the car out then once everything's out come back and manually lower back down take your time to not slam the door against ground one safety tip I would use the safety lock and make sure it goes through the track now when the powers back on use your remote or the wall controller and start to open the door and the trolley there will start to retract come over and then you're going to re-engage now you can go back to your controller or the wall button and press it and you'll see it grabs ahold of it now you're you're back in business and good to go

  If it turns out you do need some kind of repair to your door (garage door springs or a new opener), you may want to read our article on How Much Should It Cost To Repair A Garage Door? More information about what AJ’s offers as far as garage door repair services can be found here.  And don’t forget, we offer service to the entire greater Tucson area including Oro Valley and Vail, AZ.

Can You Replace One Garage Door Panel?

The first publication of Can You Replace One Garage Door Panel? was done on: www.ajsgaragedoorservice.com

If you or someone in your household accidentally bumped your garage door with your car and damaged one of the door panels to the point where your door isn’t working properly any more, you might be concerned that you’re about to be hit with a huge expense of needing to replace your entire garage door.  While that might be true, it isn’t necessarily true all the time.   When you have experts in garage door repair, like AJ’s Garage Door Service, there is always the possibility that we can get things working again for you for a whole lot less than the cost of a new door.   [caption id="attachment_1524" align="alignright" width="300"] not worth repairing[/caption] With that being said, there are a lot of variables that must be taken into account and it can be difficult to know for sure without having a good look at the door.  The beauty of the technology age we live in today is that with a quick smart phone photo being texted to our highly skilled technician, we can oftentimes give you a good idea of whether it’s worth trying to fix or if it’s a lost cause and time for a new garage door. One thing to mention here is that if AJ’s tells you that you need a new garage door, it’s because you need a new garage door.  We don’t sell, install, or in any other way deal with new garage doors. We only repair them. If we see a door that we can’t properly and safely repair for you, we’ll tell you that.  Knowing this, you can rest assured that we’re not trying to sell you a door that you don’t really need.  So going back to the scenario where one of your garage door panels is slightly tweaked, but not destroyed… it may be possible to do some work to it, such as adding a supporting steel strut to it and giving it just the right ‘umph’ to get it back straight enough to function properly.   When AJ’s technicians do this kind of work, we always inform you that there is no guarantee that the door will look perfect from the outside.  Once there’s a bit of a wrinkle or crease in the metal panel, there’s no ironing it out.  However, when your primary concern is just getting the door to safely work again, there’s a good chance we can accomplish that for you at a cost that is a lot less than replacing the whole door.   As for replacing a single panel… that is not something we do, and unless you have a very new door, it is unlikely that you’ll be able to get anyone to do it for you.  The reason may be frustrating to hear, but it’s the truth.   [caption id="attachment_1525" align="alignleft" width="500"] garage door panel that causes problems but can be fixed rather than replaced[/caption] Garage door manufacturers make changes to their doors every few years.  In doing so, it becomes increasingly difficult to find a perfectly matching panel for an older door.  What’s more, is that over time the color on the door will fade, so when you replace just a single, older panel with a brand new one, it usually stands out and doesn’t look to great.   If you can find a panel that matches your door and if you don’t mind it looking obvious that you have mis-matched panels, a single garage door panel is something that can be done by a garage door repair technician.  But because of all the variable factors mentioned above, it’s not something that AJ’s offers.   If you do find yourself in a situation where you’re sure you need just a single replacement panel and you’re not sure who to call, go ahead and call us and we’ll share a few names of local companies that we feel do good quality, honest work at a fair price.   More useful information you might not know about regarding your garage door: How Do You Manually Open A Garage Door? More information about what AJ’s offers as far as garage door repair services can be found here.  And don’t forget, we offer service to the entire greater Tucson area including Oro Valley and Vail, AZ.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Garage Door Repairs?

You will find the initial release of this content Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Garage Door Repairs? right here: www.ajsgaragedoorservice.com

No one likes to be hit by big, unexpected expenses. That’s why people buy insurance, right?   While this is true, unfortunately for homeowners who are facing a broken garage door, homeowners insurance doesn’t (usually) cover you.  We say “usually” because we are talking about the typical kind of repairs that are done to garage doors, such as replacing broken springs and/or cables, straightening out a door that has gone crooked in the hole, or replacing a dead or dying garage door opener.   There may well be certain instances when insurance can come into play, such as when someone drives through a garage door, but at that point you’re talking about a garage door replacement rather than a repair (and perhaps even some more structural repairs to the actual home or building itself).   Typical garage door repairs are more like ongoing maintenance than an insurance claim, and the reason why they are not covered.  Kind of like changing the oil in your car isn’t covered by your auto insurance.  The thing is, garage doors are big, heavy, mechanical doors with lots and lots of moving metal parts.  Over time, metal will wear out and break. The good news is that garage door parts typically last a very long time.  The bad news is that nothing lasts forever, so eventually something will break and will need to be repaired and replaced.   The most common repair on a garage door is the spring.  The garage door spring acts as the muscle that actually lifts and lowers the door under control.  When you consider a door can easily weigh a couple hundred pounds or more, and it gets opened and closed multiple times every day (in most households who use the garage as the main access to the home), you start to understand why these parts will eventually break. In the unlikely and unfortunate situation when there is actual damage to the door, such as someone hitting it with a car, then most of the time you’re better off replacing the entire door rather than trying to fix it.  While AJ’s Garage Door Service are experts at repairs and will do our best to fix whatever you have going on with your door, there are certain times when we will say that your money is better spent on a new door rather than continually trying to patch an old, broken down one.  And because we don’t sell, install or in any other way deal with brand new doors, if AJ’s says it’s time for a new door, you can rest assured it’s not because you’re being sold a bill of goods! There are times when there is damage to a single garage door panel that is enough to cause problems, but not enough to destroy the door.  In such cases, a common question is, “Can you replace one garage door panel?”   That is an excellent question, and one that deserves a bit more explanation.  We’ll do that in our next article. Can You Replace One Garage Door Panel? Overview of Garage Door Repairs by AJ’s here.  And don’t forget, we offer service to the entire greater Tucson area including Oro Valley and Vail, AZ.

How Much Should It Cost To Repair A Garage Door?

You can view the initial release of this article How Much Should It Cost To Repair A Garage Door? here: AJ's Garage Door Service website

Because a garage door is a mechanical device with many moving parts, and because over time mechanical parts will fail, every garage door will eventually need some kind of repair.  However, because they are infrequent, homeowners aren’t very familiar with them, and so a very frequently asked question for garage door repair companies is, “How much should it cost to repair a garage door?” Unfortunately, such a generalized question is similar to, “How long is a piece of string?” or, “How much will it cost to fix my car?”  There are just so many variables that until an expert is able to know what they are going to need to do, it’s nearly impossible to give an honest answer. It may be frustrating to hear that, but we share it with you here so that you can be prepared to hear it if you’re calling any repair company.  At the same time, if you do your best to gather a little bit of information to share over the phone, you may be able to give enough information that you will be able to get a decent estimate on what it will take.   One of the most common issues requiring a repair on a garage door is a broken spring.  Many people aren’t even aware of the fact that the garage door operates using springs, so they’re not able to answer basic questions such as whether the door has a single or double spring, torsion springs or extension springs or a torsion ‘tube’ (which is essentially ‘hidden’ springs in the shaft that is mounted over your door).   Each of these spring set ups requires a different approach, different kinds and quantities of parts and a different amount of effort and labor time.  Is it any wonder that the prices vary?  And springs aren’t the only issue that can cause a garage door problem.  There are also rollers that can go bad, cables that can slip off the drum or even break, drums and bearings that can wear out, spring mounts that can detach from the header, sensors that can go bad… and this list isn’t even including issues that can arise from a garage door opener (i.e. the electric motor or operator).   With all that being said, hopefully you’ll understand why you won’t find a simple answer to “How much should it cost to repair a garage door?”  However, we can share some very ‘rough estimate’ numbers so that you can have a ballpark idea. The numbers listed below are based on talking to and researching various company prices, and  will be ‘all in’ numbers - meaning your final-final bill, after taxes, parts, labors. In other words, the amount you’ll be writing a check for.  Some companies will tack on additional fees such as a service call, fuel surcharge, disposal fee and other ‘creative’ ways to give a different ‘total’ from what was quoted over the phone.  If you’re getting estimates, make sure you ask for the final price, all fees included.

• A single spring replacement on a standard garage door should probably cost under $200 ‘all in’.
• Replacing 2 springs on a standard door, in the $300 range
• Replacing cables - it’s rare that you would simply need to replace a cable.  If it broke or came off the drum, there’s a good chance that something else is going on with your door.  For just a cable replacement, probably about $100
• Replacing bad sensors (‘electric eyes’ that prevent the garage door from accidentally closing on a child or pet) - probably around $200
• Garage Door Opener Replacement - this will depend on the quality of the unit you purchase and whether it’s a chain drive or a belt drive.  Belt drive units are much quieter, but will cost more. Prices for a new unit, installed and removal of the old unit from the property can range from around $450 for a chain drive to $750 or more for a belt drive with a battery back up power supply.

Now you have a bit of information on costs for the more common repairs needed on garage doors.  You also know that you might not be able to get an accurate estimate over the phone if it’s not entirely clear what your door will need to return it to a good and safe operating standard.   With all that in mind, we welcome you to call us and we’ll be happy to answer whatever questions we can over the phone, or to schedule a time for us to come and do whatever repairs are necessary on your garage door. AJ’s Garage Door Service is proud to offer same day service in many cases (whenever possible), and we never charge extra for that convenience.  Learn more about garage door repair costs and a common question we hear: Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Garage Door Repairs? Back to AJ’s main page on garage door repair.  And don’t forget, we offer service to the entire greater Tucson area including Oro Valley and Vail, AZ.

AJ’s Garage Door Repair in Tucson Shares Another Favorable Review

You can see an original version of this particular blog post AJ’s Garage Door Repair in Tucson Shares Another Favorable Review on this site: https://www.ajsgaragedoorservice.com

AJ's Garage Door Service of Tucson has just received yet another 5 out of 5-star review that they wanted to share. This garage door services provider is a locally owned company that has been servicing Tucson and the surrounding areas for many years now. Here is what customer Barb Jones had to say in that recent glowing review, “I want to thank Will for doing a great job repairing my garage door, it was not working at all and he came right out the same day and fixed it for a very reasonable price. Also, the customer service I received was very nice. I recommend this company to anyone that needs Garage Door Service.” This review was taken from the company’s Google Maps business page. Company manager Andrew Johns had this to say about this recent 5-star and the many others that they have received, “As a business owner I always appreciate it when a customer such as Ms. Jones takes the time to let us know how they feel about the work we did. Businesses like mine use reviews to affirm what we are doing right and as a measuring stick on how to do things even better in the future. Fortunately, we have not gotten many reviews that were not 5 out of 5 stars but even a negative review would be taken in stride because it helps any business make their services even better. As a sign of appreciation, I always try to personally respond to every review that is written on the company.” Johns also said that the service techs at his company always do the skilled work that is necessary to get very positive reviews like this one. He says all his service techs are well-trained and experienced. They are among the best that anyone will find working in the Tucson area according to Johns. Johns added that everyone at the company knows the importance of good customer service too. He also says he and the service techs always talk about ways to improve upon their service every time they get together for meetings. He also stressed that his company is not only committed to doing good garage door service work and treating their customers the right way, but he also pledges to keep their prices fair and competitive. They can keep their prices reasonable because they are a small operation and that helps keep their overhead low according to the owner. Despite being small, AJ's Garage Door Service of Tucson offers a large variety of garage door repair and installation services. Johns says that they can do everything from simple garage door track realignments to remote switch repairs. The company also does spring repair work in a very safe manner. Johns advises that no customer should attempt to repair their garage door spring themselves unless they have the knowledge and the right equipment to do it; otherwise, serious injury could result. The company also does complete garage door opener replacements. The owner says that if anyone’s garage door is operating very slow when opening or closing or is noisy, it may be time to consider purchasing a new garage door opener. Johns says that newer style garage door openers are quieter than ever before and many can also be operated from a mobile phone or other smart device. They also do garage door maintenance such as changing rollers and lubing the door to make a big difference in how loud the door is as well as how well it operates. The company also provides quality garage door services in Vail and Oro Valley. Johns encourages anyone that wants to know more about their specialty Tucson area garage door services to call or check out the company website. He says there is also a quick callback form on the ‘contact us page’ of the website. If someone takes the time to fill that out and send it in, the owner will get back to them just as soon as possible.

Tucson Garage Door Repair Pros Explain the Dangers Of Attempting DIY on Your Garage Door

The original publication of Tucson Garage Door Repair Pros Explain the Dangers Of Attempting DIY on Your Garage Door was done on: https://www.ajsgaragedoorservice.com

AJ's Garage Door Service of Tucson recently published a new video highlighting the dangers of homeowners trying to perform garage door repair in Tucson on their own. Andrew Johns, General Manager and spokesman for AJ's Garage Door Service of Tucson, says, “Usually, the largest mechanical device in your house is the overhead garage door. While the mechanism is complex and poses a threat to anyone without the know-how to take it apart safely, the most dangerous component of the overhead garage door is the spring (or springs, depending on your model). These springs are constantly under immense pressure, which means that it’s very easy for things to go wrong if you don’t know how to handle them properly. If the situation does take a turn for the worse, they can seriously injure or even kill you.” “The figure might actually be a bit unbelievable, but according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, garage door related accidents are numbered in the thousands,” says Johns. “These accidents vary in their severity but they can lead to fractures, crushing, and even amputation. Considering that not all accident numbers are reported inside the US, the actual number of garage door related accidents is likely to be even higher than that. So believe us when we say that garage door repair and maintenance is not a do-it-yourself project. If you need anything done and done right, you need professionals. Feel free to contact us.” AJ’s Garage Door Service of Tucson provide a variety of services related to garage doors, including full service garage door repairs, garage door opener installation and repairs, repair of broken overhead garage door springs or ​broken garage door cables and realignment of off-track doors, and more. If a client has need of it, AJ’s is also able to provide complete garage door rebuilds. Johns says, “Our first priority is to provide a professional and affordable service to the residents of Tucson and surrounding communities. Garage doors are a part of your home and it can be stressful if they are broken or are simply not working. This is why we have a policy of doing our absolute best to serve you the same day you call. Whatever problem you are having with your garage door, we’ll be at your doorstep as promptly as possible. From there, we can diagnose the issue at hand and then provide you with the options you have. It is up to you to decide exactly what you want to do, if there is more than one way to fix the problem.” AJ's Garage Door Service of Tucson’s dedication to their service is evident in their customer reviews. On Google, the company boasts a perfect five star rating. In one such five star review, Reyna Villagran, a Google Local Guide for Tucson, says “I'm impressed. My garage door stopped working on Sunday night. I called and left a message with AJ's Garage Door Repair explaining the situation. I got a call back first thing on Monday morning and they were out within an hour to get things fixed. The price was a lot lower than what my neighbor told me to expect to pay, so I was very happy. Thanks, guys!” The company also maintains a perfect rating on Yelp, where Tina E. says in her review, “I called up AJ’s garage and Josh answered the phone promptly and professionally. My door would only go up a few inches and right away he knew what the problem was, he even explained the issue over the phone. Turns out it was a broken spring. Josh was over within the hour to fix the problem; he was very quick and knowledgeable. He even went a step above and did a full service of the door for no extra cost. I would definitely recommend him for any garage door needs.” Those interested in learning more about AJ's Garage Door Service of Tucson and the services they provide can find more information on the company’s website. Interested parties are also encouraged to get in touch with Andrew Johns directly. In addition to the website, AJ's Garage Door Service of Tucson also maintains a presence on Facebook, where they post regular updates and communicate with their customers.

Tucson Garage Door Customers Provide More Great Feedback

The following blog post: Tucson Garage Door Customers Provide More Great Feedback was initially found on the AJ's Garage Door Service blog

AJ's Garage Door Service of Tucson, an independently owned garage door repair company based out of Tucson, Arizona, is pleased to announce that they have received a new 5-Star review from a Google Local Guide in Tucson highlighting their excellent service. The 5 star review by Reyna Villagran, a user who retains the “Google Local Guide” status, reads, “I'm impressed. My garage door stopped working on Sunday night. I called and left a message with AJ's Garage Door Repair explaining the situation. I got a call back first thing on Monday morning, and they were out within an hour to get things fixed. The price was a lot lower than what my neighbor told me to expect to pay, so I was very happy. Thanks guys!” Google Local Guides are considered an informal authority on the area that they live in, as Google only bestows the status upon power users of Google Reviews who sign up and contribute meaningfully to the program. Such guides are meant to enhance the local experience for other online searchers in the area by adding and improving listings on Google Maps. As Google’s Local Guide status is awarded based on certain requirements, receiving a stamp of approval from such a guide is a good sign for any local businesses. Andrew Johns, owner and representative of AJ's Garage Door Service of Tucson, says, “AJ’s is a small company that is looking to serve all the residents of Tucson, and it really means a lot to us when a customer takes the time to write a review after we’ve completed a job for them. We appreciate that Reyna took the time to let others know about her experience. We work hard to provide a fast, affordable garage door service but there are a lot of choices in Tucson when it comes to garage door repairs. We need to stand out—and there is no better way to prove our commitment to helping the community than to have a valued customer leave an honest, positive review.” AJ’s provides a wide variety of garage door-related services, including but not limited to full service garage door repairs, garage door opener installation and repairs, repair of broken overhead garage door springs or ​broken garage door cables, and realignment of off-track doors. The company also provides complete door rebuilds, if the situation calls for it. Johns says, “At AJ’s, our foremost priority is to provide a professional, personal, and affordable garage door service. We understand how stressful it can be when your garage door stops working properly, which is why we strive to help you the same day you call, if that is possible. Our services are thorough. We take the time to listen to the problems you're having with your garage door and run a full diagnosis of its mechanical aspects. Before we do anything else, however, we make sure you understand what the problems are and explain the situation to you in simple English, along with our recommended steps to fix it. However, it is up to you to decide what you want to do. We aren’t looking to exclusively push our most expensive services. We diagnose, educate, and give you options so that you can make an informed choice regarding your property.” AJ's Garage Door Service of Tucson’s commitment to their customers and dedication to their craft is evident in their reviews. Another 5-Star Google review by Bill Posch reads, “Very professional, very friendly, and very affordable. What more could you ask for in a garage door repair service company? They not only answered their phone (which doesn't seem like a big deal, but I had to try a few companies before I got a live answer), they were informative on the phone, and managed to schedule me the same day—on a Saturday—and the bill was still less than I anticipated. Would definitely recommend AJ's.” Those interested in learning more about AJ's Garage Door Service of Tucson and the services they provide can find more information on the company’s website. In addition to the website, AJ's Garage Door Service of Tucson also maintains a presence on Facebook, where they post regular updates and interact with their customers. This article first appeared on AJ's Garage Door Service of Tucson News Room page of the PressAdvantage website: