Category: Garage Doors

Did you wake up to find your garage door frozen shut? Unfortunately, many Woodstock, GA, property owners don’t know how to deal with frozen garage doors, but there are a few steps you can take to unfreeze your garage door and move forward with your day.

Below, you’ll find easy ways to unfreeze your garage door, thanks to the team at Long View Lighting. You can get additional answers to your questions or more information on the company’s services by contacting the Long View Lighting experts at 770-790-3511.

4 Ways to Unfreeze Your Garage Door

You may feel thrown off your usual routine if your garage door is frozen shut. Not only is your garage door inoperable, but now you can’t leave your home, get your kids to school, or make it to work on time.

If you’ve found your garage door frozen shut and won’t open, the following tips can help melt the ice and unfreeze your doors.

1. Use Hot Water to Melt the Ice

Generally, garage doors freeze into place due to ice build-up along the bottom of the door. Melting the ice allows you to open your door and free your vehicle. To use this strategy, begin by boiling some water on your stove.

Once you have the water boiling, carry it outside your house and pour hot water along the bottom of your garage door. Wait a few moments and then attempt to raise the garage door again. If it opens, you’ve solved the problem.

However, experts recommend that you take a moment to clean up as much of the water as you can before you go. Leaving the water along the bottom of the door may cause it to refreeze. You can also leave your garage door slightly raised to prevent it from freezing again.

2. Use Salt to Free the Door

Many businesses in the Woodstock area sell special “ice melt” salt. Homeowners can use this product on walkways and driveways to keep ice from forming. You can also use salt if you have a garage door frozen shut.

Salt takes longer to melt ice than hot water. Apply the salt liberally and allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes to melt the ice completely. Keep in mind that salt corrodes metal, though, so salt exposure may damage your garage door. However, you don’t have to worry about the door refreezing if you use salt to melt the ice.

3. Apply Some Direct Force

In some cases, a small amount of force may break the ice enough to allow your garage door opener to raise the door. You can take action by gently kicking your foot along the bottom of the garage door. Try not to kick too hard, as you do not want to knock the garage door off the track or damage your door.

4. Get Your Hairdryer

Sometimes adding a little heat to the equation can free a frozen garage door. Do you have a hairdryer upstairs? Consider using it to blow hot air along the icy edge of the door. Depending on the amount of heat generated by the blow dryer, this method could take a while to work.

After melting the ice, ensure that you mop up any standing water to prevent your door from freezing again.

Things to Avoid With a Frozen Garage Door

If your garage door won’t open due to ice, taking the wrong actions can result in damage to your door – and an expensive repair bill.

• When faced with a frozen garage door, avoid:
• Using a torch to melt the ice
• Trying to pry the door open with a lever
• Knocking the door with your vehicle

Additionally, experts warn against trying to open your garage door repeatedly when it’s frozen shut. This action puts a lot of strain on the garage door motor, which may end up burning out. It may also strip the gears inside the lifting mechanism, leading to expensive repair costs.

Taking drastic steps to unfreeze your garage door may cause more trouble in the long run. If you can’t open your door on your own, contact garage door repair experts like the Long View Lighting team.

Ways to Prevent a Frozen Garage Door

Keeping your garage door from freezing shut allows you to avoid the hassle of melting the ice away. If you know there’s bad weather coming, consider leaving your garage door slightly open. This step keeps the door from touching melted snow or water and freezing into place.

Additionally, keeping water away from the bottom of the garage door prevents issues with freezing. If you notice that water tends to gather by your garage door, consider mopping it up on cold nights or checking for drainage issues.

Shovel away any snow before it has a chance to freeze into place as the temperatures drop overnight. Keeping the driveway around your garage door well-salted also helps prevent issues with freezing.

You may also consider cleaning your garage door seals. Broken seals absorb extra moisture, making them freeze faster than fully functioning seals. Garage door maintenance teams can assess the condition of your seals before winter and replace them if necessary.

Get Professional Help With a Frozen Garage Door

Is your garage door frozen shut? A Woodstock expert garage door repair team can quickly help you resolve this issue. If your garage door has frozen shut or sustained damage while trying to open, the crew at Long View Lighting can assess the problem and provide a quick solution.

The technicians will consider common causes of garage door damage and help you identify signs that garage door repair is required. For more information or to schedule a garage door service call with the Long View Lighting team, give them a call today at  770-790-3511.

Garage doors are convenient features of any home, but they will not last forever. The more the door opens and closes, the more likely it will need garage door repairs sooner rather than later. 

These doors have many moving parts and components, which can become damaged, resulting in a faulty garage door. Read on to find out about the average cost of garage door repair and replacement for common issues.

Garage Door Sensors

Garage door sensors are a vital safety feature of an automatic door system. They prevent accidents when the door is in motion. They sit on either side of the door about six inches from the ground to ensure that nothing is within the garage door’s path. A replacement sensor costs between $35 to $50 each and a professional replacement can cost up to $200 with parts included.

Garage Door Cables

Cables are responsible for lifting the garage door when you engage the door opener. If the cable snaps, the door will not move. With a frayed cable, the garage door will rise and fall unevenly or get stuck partway.  

The cost to replace garage door cables is about $30 for two, but installing them will raise the price to $90 to $200 or more. The cables require high tension to lift a garage door, so paying a service fee for professional installation is best.

Spring Replacements

Torsion springs are parts above the garage door that counterbalance the door’s weight as it rises. When a spring breaks, it usually produces a loud bang and prevents the door from opening correctly.

Replacing broken springs is a must to restore the door’s safe function. The cost of two springs can run about $50 to $100, not including other materials for installation. Labor, however, usually costs between $100 to $350.

Broken Glass

Glass panels or windows are common features on garage doors. Deep cuts and lacerations from broken glass are part of the 20,000 to 30,000 garage door-related injuries that occur each year. Purchasing replacement glass for a broken garage door window can be as low as $25, yet professionally fixing the glass panel averages about $75.

Factors Affecting the Average Cost of Garage Door Repair

If you need to repair or replace the actual garage door, prices will vary due to several factors. For instance, a simple garage door with minimal designs is less expensive to fix than stylish doors with complex designs. 

Also, the type of damage will affect the average cost of garage door repair. Minor damage like loud noises from a squeaky track is not as expensive to repair as more severe issues with hardware like springs or door panels.

Get Expert Garage Door Repair Today

Long View Lighting is the leading company for garage door repair in Woodstock, GA. Its team of experienced professionals also offers new garage door installations and maintenance services at competitive prices. Schedule your consultation today by calling 770-318-4143.

As with so many crucial components of our everyday lives, we tend not to think about our garage doors until something goes wrong. Your garage door is used thousands of times a year and performs many important functions, from keeping your car secure to protecting your home from the elements, to allowing easy access to a part of your home.

That’s why, when your garage door breaks down, you might be wondering why you didn’t spot it sooner. If you do need garage door repair, you should always call a qualified garage door repair company in your area immediately.

If you are not sure whether or not you need garage door replacement or repairs, we are here to help. Read on to find out the top telltale signs that your garage door is on the way out.

1. Noisy Door 

One of the top signs that you are in need of garage door spring repair is if the door is suddenly starting to make a lot of noise whenever it is in use. If the door is making squeaking noises, the problem might be of the minor sort that can be fixed with a drop of oil.

However, if the door excessive scraping noises, it may be under excess pressure and close to collapse. Consider using a quality garage door lubricant (never use WD-40) before busting out the garage door repair tools.

2. Slow Response Time 

This one is another common sign that the garage door is in need of repair. When you hit the open and close buttons and it takes longer than usual for the door to respond, it is likely that the garage door springs have worn out or become loose.

If this is the case, your best bet is to call the best garage door company in your area to come and fix it. Of course, you should first check that the batteries don’t just need replacing. 

3. Off the Rails 

If the garage door has come off the tracks without anything colliding with it or otherwise damaging it, then something is wrong. After all, garage doors do not tend to come loose of their own accord.

If a garage door has slipped off the tracks, there is likely some structural damage that needs to be professionally repaired. A loose garage door is very dangerous, so do not hesitate to call a qualified professional if you notice that your door is off the rails. 

4. The Door Won’t Stay Open or Closed

This one is a no-brainer. If you are getting annoying because you cannot fully open or close your garage door, then something is definitely wrong. It is possible that there is just a poor or disrupted connection between the garage door and your remote.

However, it is also possible that the garage door motors or springs have broken down, or that there is some kind of structural breakdown at play. Whatever the cause, you should call a professional repair service.

5. The Door is Starting to Sag 

A sagging garage door is more than just unsightly. It can compromise the integrity of your garage, allowing pests and criminals to gain easy access. It can also weaken the structural integrity of your entire garage, which is a level of problems that you definitely do not want.

If the garage door is sagging, then the cause could either be an issue with the tracks or an issue with the amount of pressure that the door is being subjected to. If the door is sagging, call a repair service immediately. 

Quality Garage Door Repair in Atlanta 

If you are in need of quality garage door repair in Atlanta, you have come to the right place. Click here to learn more about the garage door repair services we can offer you, as well as how to get a free quote from our friendly and professional team.