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Garage Door Safety Month

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Almost everyone has fallen victim to the trap of thinking they’re a handyman (or woman). You believe something is just a quick fix and you either a) end up breaking said item b) hurting yourself or c) all of the above. At the Overhead Door Company of Omaha, we’re all too aware that this happens with garage doors way more than it should. So for Garage Door Safety Month, we’ve listed a few points that will make you reconsider the next time you’re thinking of going all Home Improvement on your garage door.

Number Don’t Lie

According to NEISS (National Electronic Injury Surveillance System) – a database maintained by the Consumer Product Safety Commission on all consumer product-related injuries – approximately 10,000 Americans are injured per year in garage door-related accidents. Almost three-quarters of those accidents are due to people putting their limbs in the wrong places at the worst times: fingers between panels, next to the springs, or underneath the rollers. Ouch! On top of that, a large chunk of these come during unsupervised repair attempts.

Don’t Be A Stuntman

In addition to the reckless DIYers mentioned above, there are people who attempt to get creative in the ways they mess with their garage doors. They hang on them like they would playground equipment and try slide underneath them in order to act out some sort of Indiana Jones-style fantasy. Unsurprisingly, this does not end well. An additional 800 injuries occur due to stunts. Just a gentle reminder: YOUR GARAGE DOOR IS NOT A TOY!

Safety Extends To You And Your Home

Garage Door Safety Month is about more than preventing you and your family from doing questionable stunts, it’s also about keeping you up to date on the latest and greatest technology to keep your home safe. With OHD Anywhere® app, it’s now easier than ever to control your garage door. Once the OHD Anywhere® sensor is attached to your garage, you can check to see if it is open or closed. Additionally, the OHD Anywhere® app gives you a full history of when it was opened and with which opener – useful information to know if you found your garage door open at times when it should not be.

Leave It To The Pros

It doesn’t take a trained eye to see if something is off with your garage door, but it takes a trained pair of hands to fix it. Whether it’s a hitch, a kink, or a hiccup in how it’s running, simply using the eye test and taking a few notes is all you should do before you call a professional.

In fact, the only test we recommend you run is the 2×4 test. Designed to test the reversing mechanism, it’s as easy as placing a board in your garage door’s path and hitting the opener. If your door does not reverse before reaching the board, then it’s once again time to call the professionals at the Overhead Door Company.  

For all the do’s and don’ts regarding garage door safety, or to set up an inspection of your own, call the experts at the Overhead Door Company of Omaha today.

(402) 331-0526

Preparing Your Garage Door For Summer

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At the Overhead Door Company of Omaha, we want to make sure that you are prepared for every season. Summer is no different. Below, we’ve listed a few tips and products to keep your garage cooler and more hospitable for you, your family, and maybe even a few guests. Read on to find out more!

 

Colors Count

We’ve talked about how painting your garage door can draw the eye, but color can also serve a practical purpose. You’ve probably heard it before, but light colors reflect light and dark colors absorb it. Simple, right? Consider lightening your garage door a few shades with a fresh coat of paint or swap it out for something made of a lighter wood – like a door from our Carriage House Collection.

 

The Last Airbender

Like every other room in your home during the summer, your garage is bound to get hot and stuffy. Unlike every other room in your home, you don’t want to pay to pump in air conditioning. However, if you are not looking to be greeted by a wave of heat every time you head out to your vehicle, you should consider installing a fan.

A simple ceiling fan keeps the air from becoming hot and stagnant. Even better, consider a ventilation fan. These cost-effective units can suck the hot air right out of your garage door and send it back where it belongs – the outdoors.

To go along with that, think about partnering your new fan with a dehumidifier. Removing the moisture from the air means that the heat will no longer have something to cling to.

 

Turn It Into a Guest Room

Everyone is looking to pocket a little extra money, especially during the summer. One way to do this is to rent out a room in your home. By sprucing up your garage with the necessary trimmings, you can create an additional bedroom and a steady stream of supplemental income to go along with it. Just add a bed, nightstand, maybe a window (which will also help with the airflow), and a rug. Top it off with a Wind Load door to make your garage feel less like a place where you store your car and more like a cozy bed and breakfast. It won’t be the Four Seasons, but it will make your home into a solid, budget-friendly option for folks traveling without much coin.

 

Insulation Isn’t Just for the Winter

Insulation normally comes to mind when you’re thinking about the winter but it can be a godsend during the summer months as well. Not only is something like our Thermacore technology perfect for preventing your car from becoming an ice cube during the winter months, but a properly sealed garage door can also keep the sun’s heat from creeping inside and upping your cooling costs.

If you’re looking for more ways to prep your garage for summer, or if you want to upgrade to one of the garage doors mentioned above, call the Overhead Door Company of Omaha today!  

(402) 331-0526

 

The Simple Spring Garage Door To-Do List

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Springtime is the perfect opportunity to get out and get going on any home improvement projects you might have. It’s also the perfect time to make a few upgrades to your garage door. The Overhead Door Company of Omaha has put together a list of things you might want to consider adding, upgrading, or, at the very least, checking out on your garage door while the weather is perfect.

 

Weatherproof Now

Even though the mercury is rising and winter may be the furthest thing from your mind, it’s good to do a little bit of planning to prepare for when the cold returns. Consider adding a weather seal to the bottom of your garage door. This heavy-duty strip of rubber does just as good a job at keeping out the snow and cold in January as it does the showers in April.

If you’re looking to go bigger, it may be time to upgrade to a Thermacore® door from the Overhead Door Company. This series of doors features our sandwich construction of steel-polyurethane-steel as well as between-section seals with thermal breaks to reduce air infiltration. What that boils down to is that your home is protected from the elements every time you close your garage door.

 

Pay Attention to More Than Just the Door

Torsion springs, hinges, rollers, and tracks are vital to your garage door working properly, yet they rarely get the attention they deserve. We’ve talked about the importance of getting these elements checked in the past, but now that the weather is nice you really don’t have an excuse. Rust and wear can severely hinder your garage door’s ability to function properly and sometimes all these elements need is something as simple as a coat of WD-40. However, there are going to be instances where your setup needs a little more care than that. If something major looks off, like a crooked track or a kink in the chain, make sure you call a trained professional to fix it as doing it yourself could result in a major injury.

 

Install a Keypad

Even if you already have an opener in every car – and one in the kitchen drawer for safety – a wireless keypad outside your home can still be a wise investment. Despite your best efforts, there will always be those times when one of your openers seems to magically disappear and in those instances, you don’t want to find yourself locked out.

It’s also a great addition if you have kids. Now you don’t have to worry about them forgetting the opener when they leave the house. They can simply punch in the code whenever they return.

 

Enough with the Noise

Picture this. You’ve settled down for a nice evening in bed. There’s a cup of tea by your side and you’re a few chapters into a great new book. After 30 minutes, your eyelids become heavy and you start to drift into a gentle sleep. All-of-the-sudden, you’re greeted by the metallic grind of your garage door rising. Evening ruined.

We want this to change. That’s why we offer a range of openers (the thing that actually pulls the garage door, not the remote we talked about above) – including the Legacy® 920 Belt Drive Garage Door Opener – that can open your garage almost silently. That means no more late-night wakeups listening to metal-on-metal grinding.

Looking for more ways to improve your garage door this spring? Call us today at the Overhead Door Company of Omaha for more ideas or to schedule your appointment!

(402) 331-0526

Curb Enthusiasm: Updating Your Garage Door to Up Its Value

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Curb Appeal. The technical definition is the attractiveness of a property for sale and its surroundings when viewed from the street. Translation? It’s when a house has some pop! The easiest way to add to the curb appeal of your home? Sprucing up your garage door! Think about it, it’s the largest, most visible thing on the front of your home and it’s usually the first thing people see when they drive by.

Adding visual intrigue to your garage door has its advantages too, especially when it comes time to sell. Below, the Overhead Door Company of Omaha has listed a few tips to bump up your home’s style to help you attract a few more eyes and dollars when you decide it’s time to move.

 

A Home Improvement Project That’s Actually Worth the Effort

According to Remodeling.net, adding a new garage door is the number one return on investment when compared to other home improvement projects. Adding windows, a new set of hinges, some interesting light fixtures, or a tasteful finish will instantly make your garage door look more distinguished.

And there’s no easier way to figure out which features you want than by using the DoorView® Garage Door Designer App. It’s simple, just upload a picture of the front of your home and start experimenting with our massive selection of garage door styles and features.

Add a Little Color

Slapping a fresh coat of paint, possibly even in a bold color like burnt orange or light blue, will instantly brighten your garage door and set it apart from every other beige or brown one on the block.

If you’re looking to get even more adventurous, you might even consider our Envy™ Model 956. These doors combine aluminum with glass paneling to instantly give your home the sleek, modern feel of that trendy restaurant you’ve been trying to get reservations at for weeks.

 

Before You Do Anything, Clean

We’re not just talking about taking a broom and sweeping away the cobwebs and dust around the edges of your garage door – we’re talking about giving it a true deep cleaning.

Consider renting a power washer. It’s amazing what a simple high-powered stream of water can do. When used correctly, it removes dirt and grime that can build up over the seasons leaving certain parts of your home (i.e. your garage door) looking dull. Blasting it with the power washer will not only leave it sparkling clean, but it also makes it easier to paint and upgrade.

If you’re looking for any additional tips on how to add curb appeal to your home, or if you’re looking to upgrade your garage door call the Overhead Door Company of Omaha today.

 

(402) 331-0526

Fight the Frost: Tricks to Keeping Your Garage Door from Freezing Shut

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It’s February folks, and you know what that means? Winter is still knocking at your (garage) door.

Last month, we here at the Overhead Door Company of Omaha went over some ways to help you maintain your garage door during the winter. However, for those especially frosty February days, it helps to know a few additional tricks to keep it from freezing shut.

 

Sometimes, You Just Gotta Shovel

Nobody likes to shovel. In fact, it’s been scientifically proven that it’s the worst outdoor chore of all time. That said, if you don’t want your garage door to freeze, you have to try your best to keep it clean. Brushing away excess ice and snow in between the times when you go out to shovel the full driveway is usually all it takes to prevent the build-up that causes garage doors to freeze shut.

Feel the Heat

Space heaters crop up in every other room in your house during the winter, why should your garage be any different? Keeping a pair of small, sturdy space heaters handy will not only make the morning trudge to your car a bit easier, they’ll also help to keep the weather seal (that’s the fancy name for that thin piece of rubber on the bottom of your garage door) from cracking and the battery in your opener from draining – just make sure to be mindful of the cords and unplug them when you’re not using them.

Look in the Pantry

Ice melt should be your go-to if you’re trying to eliminate that last layer of frost for your driveway. However, we’ll forgive you if you didn’t want to make a special trip to the hardware store to lug 50-pound bags of it around. In those instances when you need something to break down icy build-up, look no further than your pantry for assistance. Both table and Kosher salt are serviceable replacements for the heavy-duty stuff. Just sprinkle a little seasoning near the weather seal, let it marinate and watch as your garage door returns to its former glory.

Just Add Water

What’s the best way to unstick a garage door? If you said adding water, congratulations you’re right (also, thank you for reading this post a second time). Pouring a small amount of warm (not boiling!) water on the weather seal could be the answer to unsticking it and preventing you from having to take more drastic steps.

 

If you’d like any additional tips or think you might need to replace the weather seal on your garage door, call the trained professionals at the Overhead Door Company of Omaha today!

(402) 331-0526

Combat The Cold: 5 Tips to Help Your Garage Door Survive the Winter

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Winter is an especially taxing time on your home. With snow, sleet, wind, and rain bombarding your home for months on end, it’s always good to make sure everything is working properly. Your garage door should be no different. By putting in a little extra time during the winter, you’ll ensure that your garage door will be running beautifully, even when the weather outside is anything but.

Don’t Break the Seal

The rubber seal at the bottom of your garage door has a lot of responsibilities. Not only does it keep water from seeping into your garage, but it helps to regulate the temperature in your home as well. To avoid a hefty heating bill or an unwanted indoor pool, make sure to clear off any icy buildup to so that the strip will not stick or crack.

Accessories Matters

You know what’s just as bad as a broken garage door? A faulty opener. It’s easy to forget, but the cold can sap the batteries in your outdoor keypad or the opener you keep tucked away in your car. Replacing the batteries now will ensure that you go through the rest of winter without fear that either of those devices will fail you. At the very least, consider buying a few batteries and keeping them in some easily-accessible spots in your home.

Listen to the Music

It may seem strange, but one of the easiest ways to tell if your garage door is working properly? The sound. Give your opener a few clicks and listen as the door travels up and down. If you hear a crunch, grind, or any other terrifying mechanical sound, it might be time to call the professionals at Overhead Door Company of Omaha.

Devil is in the Details

Does your garage door have windows or a fancy handle? Though these items might not immediately come to mind when you think of garage door maintenance, that doesn’t mean they should receive any less consideration. Checking that those windows are properly sealed and that the handle is still turning properly – even when it’s covered in a bit of frost – will save you the headache of having to do it when it’s freezing out.

Check the Balance

This one is pretty simple. Open and close your garage door a few times and look for any imbalances. Is it pulling to one side? Is there a hitch? Does it fall down quickly and roll up slowly? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, it might be time to take a closer look. Make sure everything is properly lubricated, remove any buildup from the rollers, and check to see if anything is out of alignment. Sometimes, all your setup needs is a little TLC. Other times, that imbalance can be indicative of a bigger issue that should be looked at by a professional. Remember, tinkering with the torsion springs, rollers, or cables yourself can lead to serious injury if you’re not a trained professional.

 

To set up an appointment, schedule a repair, or just get a little more advice about maintaining your garage door, call Overhead Door Company of Omaha at the number below.

 

(402) 331-0526

12 Safety Tips for 12 Days of Christmas

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In honor of this holiday season, the folks at the Overhead Door Company of Omaha have compiled a list of 12 decorating safety tips with a “tip of the hat” to the renowned seasonal classic, The 12 Days of Christmas.  Our hopes are that we can assist you and yours in wrapping up this year safely and securely as well as merry and bright.

“On the first day of Christmas, the Overhead Door Company of Omaha said to me…”

Plan your outside display to ensure you have everything you need (ex. gutter clips, enough lighting, etc…) prior to heading outside.  This will save you time, energy and exposure to the cold Nebraska temperatures.

“On the second day of Christmas, the Overhead Door Company of Omaha said to me…”

Ensure that all electrical displays and extension cords you plan to use for your outside presentation are designated for outside use. 

“On the third day of Christmas, the Overhead Door Company of Omaha said to me…”

Check your ladder to ensure it will be the right height as well as can bear the required weight before using.

“On the fourth day of Christmas, the Overhead Door Company of Omaha said to me…”

Don’t be a loner!  It is always best to work with someone who can help hold lights and support a ladder when needed.

“On the fifth day of Christmas, the Overhead Door Company of Omaha said to me…”

Keep electrical decorations and extension cords away from standing water or snow to avoid shock when removing.

“On the sixth day of Christmas, the Overhead Door Company of Omaha said to me…”

Avoid using nails, tacks or staples when hanging lights, as they can pierce the protective wire coating and lead to a fire hazard.

“On the seventh day of Christmas, the Overhead Door Company of Omaha said to me…”

Be sure to fasten all decorations securely to trees, gutters and supports so that wind damage remains minimal.

“On the eighth day of Christmas, the Overhead Door Company of Omaha said to me…”

Use LED lights as opposed to larger bulbs so you can conserve energy and save a few bucks on your power bill.

“On the ninth day of Christmas, the Overhead Door Company of Omaha said to me…”

Be sure to unplug decorations prior to replacing any burned out bulbs.

“On the tenth day of Christmas, the Overhead Door Company of Omaha said to me…”

Keep your live tree a safe distance from heating sources such as a fireplace, heating vents and space heaters.

“On the eleventh day of Christmas, the Overhead Door Company of Omaha said to me…”

Water your tree daily to avoid it drying out and becoming a fire hazard.

“On the twelfth day of Christmas, the Overhead Door Company of Omaha said to me…”

Always power down all electrical decorations prior to leaving the house or going to bed.  By consistently taking this one action, you will prevent a power shortage as well as the possibility of a house fire.

We at the Overhead Door Company of Omaha wish you and yours a safe, secure and joyous holiday season and, as always, keep us “top of mind” for your quality garage door repair and purchases.

(402) 331-0526

preventative maintenance

Fall Garage Prep

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Now is a great time to mark a few things of the “To Do List” as you prepare your home for cooler weather. At Overhead Door Company of OmahaTM, we want you to be prepared for winter. Ready your home and garage for the change of seasons with our fall garage prep guide.

 

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weather ready

Weather Ready Door

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Nebraska is known for some strong winds and varying temperatures. Some days it can be a struggle to find the right setup without spending an arm and a leg on utilities. Your garage may be partially to blame, so let’s talk about a weather ready garage door!

 

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