Is your Crystal Lake garage waiting for transformation into your mancave?

Your wife has her sewing room in your Crystal Lake home. The kids have a play room. Downstairs, you have a laundry room, a family room and a workbench and storage area. But, what about your area? Where can you have your mancave?

Is your wife sympathetic to your plight? Even if she isn’t, if the garage has become the de-facto landing place for odds and ends and assorted junk, maybe this is where you can add your man cave. It will take some work, a little money and, most importantly, some thought.

This is where it all starts – with a plan. Ask yourself some questions, such as:

• How big is your garage?
• Is your garage attached to the house?
• What do you want to do in your mancave?

Once you’ve answered these questions, it’s time to design a mancave that will fit your garage and your goals. It’s time to answer more questions, such as these questions about the infrastructure of your mancave garage:

• If you’ll use your mancave year-round (of course, you will), how will you heat it? Will you cool it (AC)? Will you need to insulate – Walls? Ceiling? Subfloor?
• Will you need plumbing? A sink? A bathroom?
• What are your electrical requirements? Where will you need outlets? Do you have a circuit in your electrical panel that can meet the electrical requirements of your mancave?
• What will you do with that big hole – the garage door opening? 

The last of these questions is pregnant with possibilities. Some folks may want to enclose their mancave with a permanent wall, or maybe by building a sliding door into the opening. But, a garage door is a way to open your mancave to the great outdoors. You can even add a screen, such as a Lifestyle Screen, so that you can enjoy the great outdoors without allowing bugs and pests into your mancave.

Now, it’s time to for layout and interior design. Will you have a bar, a bathroom, a pool table, an entertainment center. Of course, you’ll have a big-screen television. Where will you place it and where will the sofa and recliner go?

What kind of a motif do you want? Are you into NASCAR, hunting and fishing, other sports? Your walls and ceiling are pallets where you can express your passion and create and environment that celebrates your interests. The possibilities are almost endless. Your wife may want to help but, don’t forget, it’s your mancave; make sure that, in the end, it is a reflection of you and your interests.

Will hackers hack your Lake Bluff garage door opener?

Hackers are hacking into computers all over, from the CIA’s computers to, potentially, that laptop computer of yours. They’re also hacking into smart phones. Word on the street is that they can hack into on-board computers in cars. Considering, it’s no wonder that they can also hack into your Lake Bluff garage door opener.

When a hacker hacks into your computer, they’re seeking your personal information, which can include anything from your social security number and other personal info to access of your bank account. Clearly, this is not a pleasant thing. It can turn out that it’s very costly whether they charge purchases to your accounts or they steal your identity. But, there is one thing that makes a hack into your garage potentially worse than all that. You and/or your family may be home when they come in through the garage.

Garage door opener hacking leads to cases of burglary where the burglars are present in your Lake Bluff home. Whatever the thieves’ intentions, that you might meet them, face to face in your home, is a distinct possibility. Things and money can be replaced. Your life and health – the lives and health of your loved ones – is not something you can so easily replace.

The good news is that not all garage door openers are equally susceptible to hacking. If your Lake Bluff garage has a ‘rolling code’ feature, your garage door opener is less susceptible to hacking. Garage door openers with ‘fixed code’ transmitters virtually offer open invitations to hackers.

Garage door openers with the ‘fixed code’ transmitter use an 8- to 12-digit code. That works out to, at most, 4,096 possible combinations of digits. This may sound like a lot; it’s not. With computer technology, a hacker can run through that many numeric combinations in short order.

A garage door opener with a ‘rolling code’ transmitter, on the other hand, works with billions of combinations that change every time you open your garage door, even though you don’t notice the change. Hackers are skilled in their illicit trade, but they’re not that good.

Selecting a garage door professional to install or maintain your Northern Illinois garage door

When your garage door or your garage door opener needs service in Northern Illinois, what factors do you need to consider before you select someone for repair or service?

As with most projects or purchases, three factors drive any Northern Illinois garage door or garage door opener project, whether an installation, repair or maintenance:

• Price/Cost
• Quality
• Time

Here is a look at these specific criteria, which you’ll want to keep in mind while choosing a garage door professional. If you have time constraints in terms of an installation or repair, that is a factor that can drive up the cost and, for some companies, create a challenge to provide all-around quality service.

Typically, shopping for the lowest cost can also leave you with the lowest quality. But, cost is almost always a factor you’ll seriously consider when having a new garage door, or garage door opener, installed, repaired or maintained:

Cost factors when choosing a garage door professional

Many Northern Illinois homeowners consider cost first when choosing a garage door professional. If you comparison shop based on costs, or take bids from multiple garage door professionals, there are a few factors you can expect to drive the price.

1. Choose a contractor who is a true specialist: Or are you really just dealing with a handyman? When you go with a generalist, such as a handyman, you may tend to receive a lower price. With a garage door professional, someone who specializes in installing, repairing and maintaining garage doors and garage door openers, you may tend to pay a little more. But, in return, you’ll have access to their greater level of expertise. When someone specializes in something, they are more apt to know what they are doing. When it comes to garage doors and garage door openers, experiences and expertise may cost more but they bring greater value. And, keep in mind, will that handyman still be around the next time you need someone to service your garage door or garage door opener?
2. The quality of materials will also drive the cost: If your garage door professional is using the best materials, you can expect it to cost more. Using cheaper materials will offer a lower price but at a cost in quality. And, keep in mind, frequently something that costs less now costs more in the long run as it needs earlier replacement or may cause wear on other parts.

Quality considerations before you choose that garage door professional

Ultimately, quality drives satisfaction. Will you truly be happy with the workmanship or the product when your garage door, or garage door opener, is installed in your Northern Illinois garage? Will the job be done right? Did you get value for the time and money spent on your garage door or garage door opener? Getting the right service involves some key decisions.

1. Garage door specialists usually do the job right the first time: The professional installs and repairs garage doors six or seven days a week. The handyman comes across a garage door project every once in a while. To suggest the latter can do as good of a job as the prior is more than a little presumptuous. 
2. Reliable workmen: Do you really know the people you are letting into your home to do the work? Selecting someone with a proven work history, with a reliable reputation and a recognizable brand can give you peace of mind that the job will be done right. If someone shows up in an unmarked utility van, it may raise questions regarding the ability and trustworthiness of the person you’ve hired to install, repair or maintain your garage door or garage door opener. That name on the side of the vehicle provides traceable accountability. They can’t just disappear after they’ve completed the job.
3. Background checks: Whether this involves checking with the Better Business Bureau or reading reviews online, learn something about the garage door professional you are about to hire. Also, and this is vital, insist that they prove that they are insured. From running over your shrubs trying to get into your driveway, to falling off a ladder, it helps to know that you’re covered if something happens to your property or someone working on your property.
4. Better materials: A garage door professional who specializes in garage door and garage door opener installations, repairs and maintenance will, almost certainly, have a better understanding of quality materials and where to get them. They’ve witnessed, firsthand, equipment that wasn’t up to par. And they’ve also noticed when quality materials don’t require frequent replacement or repairs.

Time factors to consider when choosing a garage door professional

1. Experience and expertise: often translate to less time spent installing, repairing or maintaining your garage door and/or garage door opener. Doing something all the time helps you learn quicker and better ways to do the job. This can also translate to lower labor costs.
2. Location matters: In Northern Illinois, working with a professional close by helps. It's easier for them to stop by to evaluate and provide you with a bid. In emergencies, they’re also close by to respond more quickly when you need them.

Make a wise choice as a homeowner in Northern Illinois. Pick the garage door specialist best for you and your needs. But consider these factors as you make your decision about service for your garage door and garage door opener. Quality, time and cost are all factors that can contribute to your satisfaction, or detract from it if they’re in lower supply. All three need to be considered to ensure the greatest value in products and service.

Embracing Technology and how it can enhance your Fox Lake garage door opener

Cell phones can do almost everything, from giving you directions to turning on the lights when you’re not even home. Another thing they can do, and that you may want to consider using in your life, is to use your cell phone to open your Fox Lake garage door.

Major manufacturers of garage door openers now make their devices ready for this integration. Most have adapted this technology into their garage door openers since 1997.

If you have a garage door that is older, not to worry. It can be retrofitted to work with a smartphone app. However, by the time you factor in the cost and labor, retrofitting an older garage door opener can get pretty pricey. You might want to consider upgrading your Fox Lake garage door opener rather than retrofitting an older one. Compare the costs between the two but keep in mind the value of having a newer garage door opener rather than keeping an older one that is more likely to need repair or replacement.

There are several advantages to using an app rather than a garage door opener remote, including:

• Open the door remotely: even when you’re away from your Fox Lake home or business. If there is a reason you need to let someone in, but you can't be there, the app lets you control the garage door opener from miles and miles away. Say your spouse went out to the store before you left for work and now they’re locked out. You can activate the garage door opener from wherever you are.
• Connecting more devices: No need to get more clickers, just add the app to all the family phones and you all have access to the garage door opener.  That means your teenager who doesn't have a car but does have a bike, can activate the garage door opener and put his or her bike away instead of leaving it in the driveway.
• You have your phone with you: That means you can operate your garage door opener even if you’re not in your car, which is where you usually leave the garage door opener remote. This solves several issues, such as:
• leaving the garage door opener remote at the repair shop when you drop off the car for service
• leaving it in a rental car after you return it – a potentially major headache
• having it stolen from your car when you left the windows open or when someone otherwise breaks into your car
• Alerts: You can receive notifications to your phone when your garage door or your garage door opener need maintenance. This allows you to get service in a timely manner rather than waiting for something to break before you know it needs work. You’re also notified when your garage door is left open. You can then activate the garage door opener to close it for you from wherever you are, even if you’re out of state on business or vacation. It’s even possible to close your garage door when you're away from Fox Lake on another continent.

Some people express concern around security: “What if someone gets my phone? That means they can get into my house.” General cell phone safety and security are a concern that anyone should maintain. Guard and protect your smartphones, especially if you use them to shop or to perform remote operations at your home. But, using an app on your phone can prove safer than a clicker.

You have your phone password protected and clickers do not provide that kind of security; anyone can use them to open your garage door.

Whether embracing smartphone technology appeals to you or, maybe even scares you a little, integrating your garage door and your garage door opener with your smartphone is a good step. The convenience and safety the app can provide make it a smart choice.

Do I need to replace both springs on my McHenry garage door?

If one spring on your McHenry garage door breaks, is it necessary to replace both? That's the magic question. The answer is yes, and no. It's sort of a gamble. A garage door spring lasts as long as a spring lasts. Determining how much life remains can prove difficult.

Typically, the expected lifespan of a garage door spring is about five to eight years. If both springs are in that age window, then it’s likely a good idea you should replace both. If one garage door spring is newer, it may not need to replace it immediately. The fact that one garage door spring has worn out does not mean the other has worn out as well.

Garage door opener systems balance the load between the springs. When set up properly, this prevents excessive wear on a good spring if there is a bad spring. The wear on one does not mean wear on the other.

Makes good financial sense, too

Economics drive this decision. It may cost you less overall if you have them both springs replaced on your McHenry garage door at one time. Your garage door professional is already there so you are looking at the cost of parts and a little more labor to get the job done. If you wait and then have the other replaced a short time later, you’ll pay more for labor and more overall. This suggests that paying less now and is a better gamble. In most circumstances, doing both at the same time makes sense.

If you can't afford the extra cost now, or simply don't want to pay the extra cost at this time, it’s not the end of the world. Perhaps you are planning to sell your home soon and don't want to deal with the extra cost. Perhaps you rent the home and are incurring the cost of replacing the garage door springs yourself. These are situations where you may want to gamble on how soon you’ll have to replace the other garage door spring.

Hiring a qualified garage door technician to replace you springs helps make sure that the job is done right. Your garage door opener is a balanced system and getting the wrong spring, or setting them up improperly, can lead to more repair work and greater costs. Sure, it might save money now, but you’re gambling that your garage door opener will continue to balance the load between the two garage door springs for a long time. As mentioned earlier, you should expect five to eight years of life from your garage door springs.

Make sure the job is done right

Some garage door professionals in Northern Illinois like to use pre-cut springs. This allows the garage door technicians to get in and get out faster. Less time on the repair and less cost on the materials equate to a greater profit margin, even if they appear to give you a lower cost.

It may seem less expensive but shoddy work can cost more in the long run. It is easy to get the wrong spring for your garage door. Perhaps they decided which spring to use based on what they are removing. Perhaps they decided based on factory specs for your garage door opener. These are good guidelines but they do not guaranty that you’ll receive the right spring for your garage door.

The best approach is to weigh the door to determine the correct garage door springs. Your garage door opener is using that spring to counterbalance your door. The wrong spring will prove ineffective. Even if the factory specs define a certain garage door spring that does not mean it is the right one for your garage door. For instance, if the garage door is insulated, it will be heavier. Studs added for stability also increase the weight of the garage door.

These factors require different garage door springs than the original specs required. Using the proper garage door springs for your McHenry garage door means that your garage door opener can use less force to open and close your garage door.

Do you, as a homeowner, need to replace both springs at the same time? Maybe it’s smarter, but it's not mandatory. When you do replace springs on your garage door, insist that your garage door professional do the work correctly. It will extend the life out of your entire garage door system.

Should you replace the garage door opener and the garage door of your McHenry garage

Just because the garage door on your McHenry garage needs replacing doesn't mean that your garage door opener needs replacing as well. The same is true the other way around. The garage door and garage door opener are separate systems. Both need maintenance to ensure they work properly and that they can work together. But failure of one does not mean failure for both.

That said, if you are replacing one, it is worth evaluating the other. If the garage door is having trouble, how old is the garage door opener and what kind of shape is it in? If the garage door opener needs replacement is the garage door in good working order?

For some homeowners in McHenry, dealing with both at the same time makes good economic sense. You're already investing money into your garage, you already have the garage door professional on site. Is it worth spending a little more now to save some money in the future? The additional cost to do both often makes it worth having both the garage door and the garage door opener replaced at the same time.

When deciding whether to replace the garage door and the garage door opener together, here are some things to consider:

• Does the garage door move smoothly when opening and closing?
• Does the garage door make a lot of noise opening and closing?
• Does the garage door travel the full distance opening and closing?
• Is your garage door, or garage door opener, more than 15 years old?

Any of these could indicate that both the garage door and/or garage door opener need some work. Any one of these points could suggest that it's time to replace the garage door and/or the garage door opener. The age of the garage door and garage door opener increase the likelihood that they need replacement.

If you are considering upgrading your garage door opener system, it may make sense to replace your garage door, too. Newer technology may also make the decision more appealing. For instance, with newer systems, your smartphone may open and close your garage door, even if you're not home. Newer garage door opener systems may operate more quietly and may last longer than your current system.

A cold Northern Illinois winter may convince you to install an insulated garage door. Insulated garage doors weigh more than un-insulated garage doors. But, if you upgrade to an insulated garage door, you need to consider whether your garage door opener can handle the extra load.

As a McHenry homeowner, you need to feel comfortable with how much you are ready to spend. Perhaps the long-term economic choice doesn't fit your current budget. Perhaps you don't plan to stay in this home long enough to see the return on your investment of replacing both systems.

It may make sense to replace your garage door opener when you replace your garage door. It may not. It isn't necessary a question of whether it's a good idea. Homeowners in Northern Illinois can decide if the need or want to replace both the garage door and the garage door opener at the same time. Making the best choice is ultimately a personal decision.

A little garage door maintenance will keep your Antioch garage door operating smoother, steadier and quieter longer

With some appropriate garage door
maintenance, this Antioch garage door will
work smoother, quieter and more reliably
longer.

It happened slowly and over time. It took so long, in fact, you almost don’t remember how the garage door at your Antioch home used to work. But, now, it’s gotten so bad you can’t help but notice.

Before, you’d hit the button on your garage door opener and, smooth and steady, the garage door would rise or descend. Now its motion is jerky, unsteady and, above all, loud. What has happened to your Antioch garage door and garage door opener?

Most likely, it’s not so much what has happened as what hasn’t happened. What hasn’t happened is that you probably haven’t done anything with your garage door other than to raise it or lower it when you wanted to enter and leave the garage.

The Universal Rule applies to garage doors, too

There is a universal rule – mechanical things require maintenance. And that includes your garage door.

Every time you use your garage door the movement loosens nuts and bolts that hold things together. The amount of tension in the garage door springs begin to change little by little. Grease and lubricant is lost. Belts and chains stretch. Joints that once fit tightly together lose their cohesion.

In the meantime, dirt and foreign particles are introduced into the mechanism. Moisture also launches an invasion of the mechanical parts of the garage door. The combined effects of these factors breakdown the ability of the garage door to operate the way it once operated.

When the garage door was new, and everything worked like a Swiss watch, the strain of operation was also minimized. But, as parts loosen, as dirt and moisture invade, as belts and chains stretch, the strain of operation is increased. This causes additional wear. Parts loosen even more rapidly. The garage door is on a path to an inevitable outcome.

That outcome is called breakage. Something gives under the strain. The belts, chains, hinges, springs, joints: something breaks and the garage door no longer works. Before that occurs, you’ve long-since noticed that the garage door is not smooth, steady and quiet.

Is your garage door trying to tell you something?

You might say that, when the garage door is loud, it’s trying to tell you something. It’s crying out for a little maintenance.

Garage door maintenance is not a big deal. Performed by a professional, it is sure to extend the life of your garage door and forestall that point where something breaks. In the process, garage door maintenance will save you money on expensive garage door repairs. And it will ensure that your Antioch garage door operates smoother, steadier and quieter than it otherwise would for a long time.