Is the garage door opener on your Antioch garage past its prime?

Garage door openers are a wonderful technological advancement. Imagine arriving at your Antioch home one night in the middle of winter. To get the car in the garage, you have no choice; you have to get out of the car and manually open the garage door.

That Antioch wind is howling as it drives the cold into your face and across your hands. It’s as if the bitter cold finds gaps in the stitches of your pants. The snow is biting at your skin. If only someone had invented the garage door opener.

Then there’s that cold and slushy day when you have to step out of the car and into the frigid puddles that haven’t quite frozen yet. The water seeps down inside your shoes and it’s as if you’ve jumped barefoot into an ice-cold puddle. Once again – a mechanism to automatically open the garage door would be great about now.

Fortunately, the wireless garage door opener has been around for quite a while. In 1926, C.G. Johnson of Hartford City, IN, invented an electric overhead garage door opener. But they were not widely used until after the Second World War with the Era Meter Company of Chicago. This garage door opener required the use of a key pad located on a post at the end of the driveway – you had to roll down the window to get at it.

The remote control system brought the garage door opener into the modern age. By the mid-80s, remote garage door openers were common. Today, hardly a garage door lacks a motorized remote garage door opener. They’re standard equipment the way seatbelts come with cars today.

Garage door openers have powerful motors that smoothly, and quietly raise and lower your garage door on command. No matter the weather, you can sit snug in your car and the garage door will open when you want it to open. And it will close when you’ve entered or left the garage.

Even though garage door openers have made incredible strides over the years, they can still wear out. With repeated use, one of the first signs of wear is a requirement for adjustments and maintenance. But, eventually, that may not be enough.

The garage door opener may run slower, louder and not so smoothly as it used to run. There comes a time where it may stop running altogether. 

If the garage door on your Antioch garage has slowed down, you may want to call in a pro to see if adjustments and service can get it working properly again. And if it’s past its prime, if it’s time to replace your garage door opener, a trusted garage door technician can explain why and help you choose a new garage door opener.

Looking for late-Christmas present ideas for dad? Don’t forget that Grayslake garage

What to buy dad? Don’t we all struggle with that question. And, now that Christmas has just passed, hopefully, you got dad a gift that he really loves. But, if you don’t feel that the gift measured up, even though he put on a good show of appreciation, as he always does, there’s always the after-Christmas shopping season where you can pick up some bargains. And as you look for those bargains, don’t forget his Grayslake garage as a potential generator of gift ideas.

How much time does he spend in the garage. Is he known in that Grayslake neighborhood as a woodworker? Does he tinker on an old car in the garage? Is he an avid gardener and does his magic in the yard working out of the garage?

If he’s a woodworker, there are tools you can buy. Hmmm? He already has all the tools he could possibly need? How ‘bout a book with woodworking ideas? 

Is he into classic cars and the garage is his shop where he tunes and/or rebuilds a classic hotrod? If that’s the case, the options are almost limitless. Tools. Car Dealer/Hotrod Parts Signs. Books of Classic Cars. Be sure to get something that fits with his chosen brand (if he’s a diehard Ford man, a Corvette sign may not be the best choice).

If he’s a gardener, you’ll also find an almost limitless supply of options. There are gardening tools, books, supplies, seeds, statues, etc. Is he ready for a new pair of gloves? 

What about the garage itself. Is that garage door opener a little long in the tooth? Or is the garage door itself falling apart? If he has an older garage door opener, he may not be able to control it as easily as some of the new models allow, new models that are controlled by smartphones and/or with Wi-Fi, Siri or Alexa.

Could he use some new coach lights outside the garage door? Would new LED strip lights prove useful inside the garage? How ‘bout a camera and/or alarm system to secure the garage and keep that hotrod, woodworking equipment or landscaping tools safe, along with everything else he keeps in there?

How ‘bout a paint job for the floor of the garage? If it’s a hotrod garage, you could have a professional apply a checkered-flag paint job on the floor.

Hopefully, you and your entire family had a very Merry Christmas. And, with 2023 just a few days away, hopefully you have a Happy New Year, too.

Compared to the Pilgrims, we have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving

This replica of the Mayflower in Plymouth, MA,

helps us to appreciate our blessings as we

celebrate another Thanksgiving.

Last year was the 400th Anniversary of the first Thanksgiving. Not the first day it was officially celebrated in the United States but the day when Pilgrims and Indians first sat down and celebrated the fall harvest together.

The Pilgrims, after an arduous journey on the Mayflower, had arrived in the New World in December of 1620. It was only a year later, in November of 1621, that the celebratory meal was shared.

For those who arrived in present-day Plymouth, MA, had great cause for thanks. The passage across the North Atlantic was storm filled and five of the 102 passengers failed to survive. But surviving the trip didn’t guarantee survival overall; another 45 of the 102 Mayflower passengers died in the winter of 1620-21. This made the fall harvest of 1621 crucial. 

The handful of Plymouth Colony survivors were depending on a good harvest to provide them with the nutrition they would need to survive their second winter in America. 

It is said that they celebrated the event with a meal that included turkey, fish and shellfish, fruits and vegetables, potatoes and pumpkin pie. No one is absolutely sure that was the menu that day, but it was undoubtedly a feast, at least by their standards.

There was no thought of watching a football game on the television. No one worried about whether they left the garage door open before they drove to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and family. 

There was no gas oven or microwave to assist with the cooking. There was no refrigerator to keep things cold until ready for cooking or the table. This was a celebration that, by our standards today, was enjoyed in the harshest conditions. And yet, they were thankful.

This, they say, is the original Plymouth Rock.

True or not, it's a symbol of the arrival of the

Pilgrims in 'The New World.'

Today, we have all those comforts. We have widescreen televisions to watch professional athletes playing football. We have homes that are heated. Properly done, the meal, from main course to side dishes and desert, will arrive on the table at the intended and coordinated times.

We live in a world of these comforts. That includes fine homes, jobs to earn money that will put the food on our Thanksgiving tables, a nice car and a garage where we can park it out of the elements. And we have garage doors with remote garage door openers to open and close that garage door so we don’t even have to get out of the car when it rains, or even when it’s dry.

All-in-all, we have a lot to be thankful for.

All of us at Garage Doors and More wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Body-slamming garage door craze is more than stupid; it’s a social media trend

Hey, Joe, watcha wanna do tonight? 

Uhm, I don’t know. Maybe we could go and throw ourselves at some garage doors. That should be fun.

That's lit. Let’s go.

Now, if the conversation above sounds a bit like the script from an episode of Bevis and Butthead, don’t go jumping to conclusions; turns out this is actually happening with some regularity. It’s become a trend.

Bored mostly-teens have discovered the thrill of an absolutely empty experience and are tossing themselves, bodily, against strangers’ garage doors. The unpleasant result is frequently a damaged garage door. It could also include bodily harm.

Exactly what youngsters think they’re accomplishing isn’t clear, though this isn’t the first generation to arrive at a silly expression of, well, nothingness. After all, in the ‘90s, people wore fanny packs and started that sagging pants phenomenon where they showed off their underwear. Hopefully, they didn’t combine the two.

The next decade, people were wearing shutter shades and wore long, long scarves that could get caught in elevator doors. But, while these trends might injure your reputation, over time, they didn’t generally lead to bodily harm.

Not only do they toss themselves bodily against a garage door but they capture the event on video. It has become a social media trend. You toss yourself against a garage door while a friend videos ‘the fun’ and then you share it on social media.

While we all hope nothing serious happens to the human pinballs, almost inevitably, damage is done to the garage doors. Dents are pounded into the surface of the garage door. Worse yet, if they hit the door where it is backed up by a brace, they can damage the inner structure of the garage door.

In some cases, the damage is so severe that a garage door may become inoperable. In worst case scenarios, the garage needs to be replaced. At the very least, repairs area almost inevitably required. 

In most cases, individuals who find this entertaining tend to throw themselves against metal or fiberglass garage doors; wooden garage doors are often a bit firmer. It doesn’t mean a wooden garage door can’t be damaged but it’s harder to do. Someone has to throw themselves at a wooden garage door with greater force.

In the process, a wooden garage door is more likely to cause injury to the human pinballs. It’s a tough game but, if someone is silly enough to do it, there are risks that may take the fun out of the experience. And if it’s not injury, it’s against the law to go around damaging peoples’ property, even if someone uses their own body to do the damage. 

Time for garage door maintenance before Fox Lake winter sets in

It stands there stoically waiting for your call, that garage door that responds on order whenever you call. But its job is about to get more difficult. The difficulty of standing sentry at the large opening to your garage door is challenged when a Fox Lake winter arrives.

The cold does something funny to different materials, such as metal and wood. It makes them brittle. In some cases, the cold can cause moisture to cling to the surface as frost.

At the same time, the cold effects liquids, too. It freezes water and thickens oils. The frozen water can put pressure on parts of a garage door when the water freezes between two surfaces. And as lubricants thicken, they don’t spread as well. Their effectiveness is challenged by the cold.

Metal parts in your garage door include bearings and hinges. These are among the parts that suffer the most when that Fox Lake winter arrives. And when they struggle, they put additional strain on the garage door opener.

Think about opening a door with new hinges as compared to a door with old and rusty hinges. Naturally, you’ll have to use considerably more effort to open the latter door. The same is true of a garage door opener when the hinges and bearings are old and rusty, or when they’re dealing with the effects of winter.

Preventative medicine for your garage door and garage door opener, before winter sets in, is to have some timely maintenance performed on your garage door.

Garage door maintenance includes applying fresh lubricants were called for. It also calls for adjusting the door, the garage door opener and related parts. If everything is lubricated and adjusted properly, the strain is reduced all around.

Garage door and garage door opener maintenance are good things to consider any time of the year. But that’s even more true during the winter.

It doesn’t necessarily mean that your garage door or garage door opener will fail this winter. But that extra wear, tear and strain will show over time. The life expectancy of your garage door and garage door opener will be shortened. On the other hand, if you maintain your garage door and garage door opener well, you can count on get the maximum amount of reliable service from both of them.

In Fox Lake, winter is inevitable. Some winters are colder. Some winters have more snow, sleet or freezing rain. But winter will come. A little garage door maintenance can reduce the effects of the approaching winter on your garage door or garage door opener.

Garage can augment celebration this Lake Villa Labor Day

If all goes as planned, no rain will fall in Lake Villa this Labor Day but, if it does, don’t give up; move your celebration into the garage. No, not the barbeque. You don’t want to start the garage on fire. Still, the garage can offer a place to continue the fun when the sun won’t cooperate.

If you’re not sure if the weather will support your party, you may want to undertake some preparation just in case. Clean out some space in your Lake Villa garage. Make sure the lights work. Bring some music out and place the entertainment equipment in a stable place where you can all enjoy it without fear of knocking anything over.

When you clean out some space, it might not hurt to sweep up the floor. But more than that, you may want to sweep the back of the garage door.

Dirt and debris, such as grass and leaves, may be clinging to the inside of your garage door. You don’t want such things to drop into someone’s food or drink.

Spiders and other pests may use your garage door as a pathway to scrounge for food. Those spiders may have cast their webs there. Once again, you don’t want a spider dropping into Aunt Mable’s lemonade shandy. But sweep gently so you don’t damage anything your garage depends on to operate.

You can have your tables and chairs ready to go – ready for outside the garage or inside. If you’ve got a refrigerator in the garage, keeping foods and drinks cool is covered. Otherwise, get your coolers ready and plan to pickup some bags of ice before the festivities kickoff. 

When it comes to lighting that single bulb at the ceiling may not set quite the tone you’re looking for. You may want to string some lights in the garage to create a festive atmosphere.

If you want, and if you can’t clear everything out of the garage for the event, you can get some tarps and cover up those tools, toys and equipment you keep in the garage but that won’t add to the ambience. 

If you’ve had enough foresight, you may have added a screen to your garage door entrance. This will help to keep flying insects at bay. Otherwise, you may want to use some bug spray in advance of the event and/or light some citronella candles during the party.

Even if the sun is shining (and hopefully the sun is shining), your garage is a great asset for your party. It offers a place to sit and relax for those who don’t want to sit in the sun. You may also use it as the buffet and bar area.

Labor Day is the last unofficial blast of this Lake Villa summer. Make sure you’re ready to make the most of it. And don’t forget the potential of your garage.

Is it time to clean your Richmond garage door?

You’ve got a nice garage door out there on your Richmond garage but even nice garage doors get dirty. From time to time, you may want to give that garage door a bath. For that matter, if the door is dirty, the garage is probably dirty, too. You can wash the entire garage door.

One way to clean a dirty garage door on your Richmond garage is to hire a company with a power washer to come out and clean your garage and garage door. Or you can rent a power washer yourself. The other option requires additional elbow grease and/or effective cleaning solution.

Even with a power washer, it’s a good idea to use an effective cleaner and a brush. By brush, this refers to the kind that attaches to a handle, such as a broom handle. Gives you the leverage and reach to get up high without necessarily dripping all over yourself.

Clorox, the bleach maker, recommends using a mix of ½-cup of bleach to a gallon of water. But bleach is harsh and you may want to opt for something else. As with any cleaning solution, you probably want to try it out somewhere as inconspicuous as possible to make sure it doesn’t have a negative effect on the base material or the paint or other surface coating.

There are a number of other cleaning products you may want to use. The key is that, while you want something that doesn’t damage the material or surface, you also want a cleaner that washes off easily.

Another consideration is the rubber weatherstripping around your garage door. You’ll want to clean this, too. But you don’t want to use anything that will dry out the rubber. It might make sense to wipe it down with a damp cloth.

You also want to be careful not to hit the inside mechanism that operates your garage door. Most of these parts are metal and can rust. Many of the parts that operate opening and closing your garage door require lubrications. You don’t want to wash away the lubricants.

In fact, when you’re done cleaning your garage door, it’s not a bad idea to have some maintenance done on your garage door. This will ensure that all adjustments are proper and everything that should be lubricated is properly lubricated.

Of course, when washing your garage door, you should prepare for the experience. Choose a warm day when you won’t mind getting wet. Wear clothes that are appropriate for the occasion. 

• Fill a bucket with water and your gentle cleaning solution
• Wet down the surface you’re cleaning
• Scrub the surface with a soapy brush being careful not to do any damage but scrubbing hard enough to loosen the dirt
• Rinse down the surface 
• Wipe down the weather stripping
• Adjust and lubricate the inside garage door opening mechanism

Some folks even wax their garage doors. That’s certainly an option, assuming you won’t get too much wax into texture of the surface where you can’t get it out.

Hiring someone to power wash your Richmond garage door is a nice way to get the job done while you make other use of the time. But, you want to make sure they do a good job and they don’t damage anything.

On the other hand, if you do it yourself, you can save some money, as long as you do it right.