10 Things You Should Never Store in Your Garage

Many people use their garage as a type of storage room. They run across something they aren’t using or don’t have room for, so they store it in the garage. This gets the unneeded items out of our way, but it also falls prey to the “out of sight, out of mind” principle. Fluctuating temperatures, rodents and pests, and humidity are some of the enemies your garage harbors that can damage your belongings. Other items just pose safety hazards regardless of the conditions inside the garage.

These are some of the things that should never be stored inside a garage.

1. Gasoline, Propane, or Other Combustibles – Propane should always be stored outside. You should store gasoline outside or in other outbuildings that won’t pose as great of a risk to your home.
2. Paint – Leftover paint is great to have when touch ups are needed but storing it in a garage can cause it to thicken and separate due to temperature changes.
3. Canned Food – Temperatures that exceed 85 degrees will cause spoilage while dampness and humidity cause cans to rust.
4. Paper Documents – Paper attracts chewing pests like mice and silverfish and varying temperatures can make books and paper curl and crack.
5. Photographs – Humidity and high temperatures can make photographs stick together causing irreversible damage.
6. Clothing and Bedding – Even though they may be tightly wrapped up, tiny insects, moisture, and exhaust fumes and other odors can still creep into and ruin fabrics.
7. Unused Electronics – Moisture from condensation or other pests can destroy circuit boards and other components.
8. Wood Furniture – Wood swells and contracts in response to changes in temperature and moisture can cause veneers to warp.
9. Spare Refrigerators – Higher temperatures make refrigerators work harder to keep food at lower temperatures. This extra effort causes an increase in your energy bill.
10. Firewood – While it would be convenient to only have to go out to the garage to get a few pieces of firewood, a stack of firewood can also harbor insects and mice that can invade other areas of your garage.

Regularly declutter your garage to avoid causing damage to your belongings. Removing debris and food particles from your garage will prevent rodents and other invaders from being drawn in.

A great way to protect your car, your belongings, and the rest of your house is to have a secure garage door that has been installed properly. If you need garage door repair or are interested in reviewing options for a new garage door, contact the experienced professionals at Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors, Inc.

Why is Water Leaking into My Garage?

It’s normal to see small accumulations of water on your garage floor that were caused by strong rainstorms or melting snow. They are usually easy to clean up or evaporate with no issues, but there may be a problem if you are finding more than the occasional puddle. Water accumulation in corners or odd spots that are causing damage need to be attended to. While looking for a garage door leak is a good place to start, there are many other sources to consider.

Here are some areas to check for water leakage.

1. Damaged or Broken Door Seals – If the gasket, or bottom seal, of the garage door is damaged or torn, it will let in water, debris, and unwanted animal pests.
2. Garage Door Problems – Things like the door being off of its alignment or other damage could also be allowing water into your garage.
3. Rain Gutters – Water can pool and seep into the garage if there are no gutters to drain the water away from the house or if the existing gutters are leaking.
4. Surrounding Terrain – Gravity might be causing the water to flow naturally to its lowest point which might be the floor of your garage.
5. Deteriorating Seams – Seals around windows and doors may need fresh caulk to keep moisture out.
6. Sill Plate Deterioration – If the sill plates at the foundation of your home have been damaged by decay or termites, they could be the source of the problem.
7. Plumbing Issues – A leaky pipe or water heater can cause water damage.
8. Missing Shingles or Moisture Barriers – Damaged roofing or siding might be allowing the water to get into your garage.

Floor cracks and pitting can pave the way for more damage that occurs over time. Water that continually soaks wood framing and drywall leads to structural damage, the possible formation of mold, and very costly repairs.

Garage door repairs, such as replacing the gasket, may be the solution. An experienced, fully insured, trusted garage door company will provide trained experts who can identify the problem and guide you through the repair process to include choosing a new door if necessary. If you are having a water problem in your garage, contact Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors, Inc., for a consultation.

4 Benefits of Upgrading to an Insulated Garage Door

Garage doors serve many purposes. They secure our homes by locking out intruders, they keep animals out, and they create a protected space for our vehicles and other belongings by sheltering them from the weather. While just about any kind of a garage door can suffice, there are things that insulated garage doors do that go beyond protecting our homes and the possessions inside.

Here are some reasons to consider upgrading to an insulated garage door.

1. Insulated Garage Doors Make Less Noise – Non-insulated lightweight doors often  make the most noise. This can be an issue for people trying to sleep or work in rooms located directly over the garage or next to it. Insulated doors are heavier and the panels are made of tightly bonded materials, so they vibrate less when moving up or down along the track. They can also help to block more noise from the area surrounding your home.
2. Insulated Garage Doors Last Longer – Since the panels are constructed from layered materials, they are stronger and more durable than non-insulated doors. Older style garage door panels are made by wrapping thin sheets of steel over the panel frames, which makes them essentially hollow. They can be easily dented or damaged when hit by a car, a bicycle, or even a basketball or football. A dented garage door takes away from your home’s curb appeal and value. With an insulated garage door, you can ensure the value of that garage door for years to come.
3. Insulated Garage Doors Save You Money – An insulated garage door will hold more heat inside your garage and therefore, your home. This means that less heat is lost from your home through the garage and your furnace won’t have to work harder to compensate for it. Your insulated garage door will save you money on your heating bills each month.
4. Insulated Garage Doors Protect Your Car – Cold weather affects cars in adverse ways, such as decreasing the air pressure in tires, thickening engine and brake fluids, and causing the battery to have a harder time starting the vehicle. An insulated door can raise the temperature inside the garage to about 42° F when the temperature outside is 20°F. Car batteries work best at temperatures between 30 and 90° F. Upgrading to an insulated garage door protects some of your biggest investments, your home and your vehicle.

Choosing the right insulated garage door for your home involves knowing which materials would provide the best value and style. An experienced garage door installation company like Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors, Inc., can show you the available options and help you make an excellent choice.

Different Types of Commercial Doors and Their Uses

Function is key when it comes to choosing doors for your commercial business facility.  Aesthetic concerns aside, it can be difficult to choose the right door from among all the styles available. Factors such as the purpose, speed of operation desired, and heavy or light usage all help determine which door will best fit your commercial needs.

Let’s take a look at several available types of commercial doors.

1. Rolling Steel and Fire Doors – These kinds of doors are made of steel and are intended to activate automatically in the event of smoke or fire. The purpose is to keep smoke and fire from spreading into other areas of the building to allow for safety of personnel and extinguishment of the fire. They have intumescent coatings, which is a fancy way of saying that the linings around the door frames swell up in heat so that the fire can be contained. You will need extra guidance from a professional installer to determine the fire rating you will need for each door.
2. Sectional Garage Doors – These commercial garage doors are made of separate panels that are raised and lowered by a torsion spring system and can be operated by garage door openers or manually. They can be insulated and incorporate clear panels or smaller windows as needed.
3. High-Speed and Special Function Doors – The springless design of high-speed doors allows them to open and close safely and quickly to maintain speed of production, safety, and separation of work areas.
4. Security Gates and Grilles – Necessary for store fronts, kiosks, and other retail applications, security gates offer visibility and ventilation along with increased security. They can be motorized or operated manually and stored out of sight for convenience. A skilled installer can help you determine a curtain pattern and style that is right for your business.
5. Man Doors – Offering a wider range of aesthetic options, man doors can be made out of metal or fiberglass with an array of hardware and exterior coating choices.

Professional experienced installers from Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors, Inc. not only help you choose the correct door but also any additional equipment and accessories. To maintain safety, security, and efficiency, loading dock areas need essential equipment including levelers and lifts, dock seals and bumpers, and accessories like fans, lights, truck restraints, and impact guards. You can also find door openers, keypads, card readers, and even parking arms and gate openers for your facility.

Your commercial doors can be functional as well as give your business a professional appearance.

Common Garage Door Terms You Should Know

Using a garage door is as much a part of our everyday lives as preparing food or taking showers. On average, garage doors are used three to five times per day or 1,500 times each year. Garage doors utilize different kinds of springs which are built to last between 5,000 to 20,000 cycles. A cycle represents each time the door is opened and closed. These figures mean that your garage door may remain problem-free for three to 13 years. Since more usage equals greater wear and tear, the need to replace or repair your garage door is inevitable. 

Being well-versed in how your garage door works and the components that make it possible is essential if you need to describe the problem to a garage door service professional. You may be interested in learning so you can make the repairs yourself, but as you read through this information, you’ll see why that isn’t recommended.

Garage door assemblies are complicated and there are many small parts and accompanying definitions, so we will introduce you to only the most essential working parts that you should know.

These terms have to do with how the garage door is raised and lowered.

1. Garage Door Track – also called the rails, these are the vertical metal tracks attached to the outsides of the garage door opening and the horizontal ones attached to the ceiling that hold the garage door in place.
2. Rollers – found inside the track and made of various materials, they allow the door to roll smoothly up and down inside the door track.
3. Cable Drum or Drum – also known as a spool, the drums are mounted above the door on each side and balanced using torsion spring systems. There will be one on the right side and one on the left side.
4. Pulley – these are located at the ends of the extension springs and mounted on the top corners of the track assembly
5. Lift Cable – the lift cable can be attached two ways depending on the spring system. For an extension spring, it will be found inside the pulleys. For a torsion spring, it will be attached to the cable drum assembly. The lift cable works with the spring system to lift the door.
6. Extension or Stretch Spring – this type is suspended over the horizontal track and is controlled by the lift cable.
7. Torsion Spring – mounted along with the cable drums and above the door on a pipe or shaft, it uses torque (twisting force) to balance the door weight as it is lifted and lowered.
8. Retaining or Safety Cable – used with extension spring systems, it runs through the center of the spring and helps keep the door from falling if one of the system components fails.

The next set of terms applies to how the garage door is assembled.

1. Panels and Hinges – the individual portions of the door are called panels and are connected with hinges that allow them to flow through the curved portions of the door track.
2. Top Fixture – just like it sounds, it mounts onto the top section of the door to attach it to the opener.
3. Bottom Fixture – these are mounted onto the bottom sections of the door and hold the lift cables. The lift cables are under extreme tension. That’s why they should only be removed or repaired by a qualified installer. A cut or loose cable can cause severe physical injury.
4. Astragal – this is the weather-stripping material that runs along the bottom of the door to seal gaps.

This final set of terms applies to the garage door opener. Whether your opener uses a screw, belt, or chain drive, it will operate in the same manner.

1. Circuit Board – the brain of the opener, it processes the commands from the controls to open and close the door.
2. Safety Beam or Photocell – these are mounted on both sides near the bottom of the door and complete the circuit that makes the door operate. It stops the door when a blockage is detected.

When your garage door is malfunctioning, it will be helpful to use these terms when describing the problem to a repair technician. 

If you need garage door parts or a new garage door, call a qualified insured repair service like Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors, Inc., to safely get your door back into top working condition.

Increase Your Home’s Value with a New Garage Door

When people are looking for ways to increase the value of their home, they often think of things like buying new appliances or remodeling the kitchen or the bathrooms. Some people don’t even consider the curb appeal of their home. Installing a new garage door can do more to boost your home’s value than some other kinds of improvements.

About 70% of realtors believe that a home sells faster when it features a new garage door, and 80% agree that the new door adds up to four percent of the home’s value. For example, a house priced at $200,000 with a new garage door will be able to sell for $8,000 to $12,000 more. Since the average cost to replace a double car garage door is anywhere from $800 to $1800 including installation, that represents an excellent ROI.

In addition to enhancing the home’s curb appeal and being a sound investment, there are other ways in which new garage doors offer benefits.

1. Accentuating the Style of the Home – You can really put the exclamation point on your home by matching the garage door to the style. For instance, a wood or steel carriage house garage door would be an excellent complement for a Colonial or Victorian house.
2. Saving Energy – Installing an insulated weather-sealed garage door blocks cold or hot air, which keeps your home at a consistent temperature, saving you money on your energy bill.
3. Increasing Comfort and Privacy – An insulated garage door can minimize noise and other disturbances to keep your home quiet and shielded.
4. Optimizing Security and Safety – New garage door features include photosensors that keep the door from closing on an object, person, vehicle, or pet that is in the path of the door. Security features like rotating security codes safeguard your home from intruders by changing the code every time the door is opened or closed. There are even apps that allow you to operate your garage door using your smartphone.

Whether you are planning to sell your home or to stay in it for several more years, investing in a new garage door is a wise investment. The garage door experts at Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors, Inc. can answer questions you may have about installing a new garage door.

Why Garage Door Repairs and Installation Should Be Left to the Professionals

Reasons to Leave Garage Door Repairs to the Professionals

Chances are you’ve tried your hand at a number of DIY home projects and consider yourself proficient with the tools you have. This gives you the confidence to tackle bigger and more complex tasks. However, you may not have the experience to accomplish garage door repairs, and below are a few reasons why these repairs should be left to professionals.

DIY Garage Door Installation Is Time-Consuming

If you’re the average DIYer, you know how time-consuming some projects are. Even if you can set aside time for installing your own garage door, you may find that it’s far more time-consuming than you realized. Having a professional install your garage door frees your time and allows you to focus on other things.

Saves You Money

Having a professional install your garage door or perform repairs saves you money. You may find that a component you need is far more expensive than your bank account can handle. Let the professionals take care of finding the correct parts for a good price. They probably know more about the industry than you do.

Professionals See the Details

While you might have an eye for details in other areas of your life, you might miss details that can ruin your garage door project. An experienced professional knows when your garage door needs extra weatherstripping, as well as other issues you may have with your garage door.

Professionals Preserve Your Warranty

As with your car or HVAC system, most garage doors come with a manufacturer warranty in the event of something going wrong with your garage door. As with your HVAC system, the warranty only stays valid if a qualified professional performs the repairs and installation. When you perform DIY repairs and installations, you risk voiding your warranty.

Professional Repairs Are Safer

One of the disadvantages of doing your own garage door repair or installation is that you have a higher chance of getting injured in the process. These injuries range from puncture wounds, falling off ladders, and injuries from torsion springs. A professional knows how to work safely and has the proper safety equipment for the job.

When you decide to fix your garage door, you want to know that you’re in good hands. Contact Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors, Inc. today for all your residential and commercial garage door repairs and installations.

How Can a Storm Door Protect Your Home Against Extreme Weather?

Ways That Storm Doors Protect Your Home During Extreme Weather

A storm door is your first line of defense against the elements. Learn why it’s a great addition to a home.

A Water Barrier

Standard doors can’t effectively defend a house against flooding because water will slowly seep underneath the threshold. With a storm door, your home will have an extra layer of protection if excessive rainfall causes flooding. The key is the vinyl sweep. It seals the gap between the threshold and door slab. A storm door also has a drip cap. If any water flows down the door, the drip cap will channel it into a tapered section on the threshold.

Practical Insulation

Storm doors are great in the event of power outages because they’re insulated. If you power up a whole-home generator and your HVAC system, an insulated storm door will help hold the heat within your home.

A Barrier Against Bugs

A storm door’s setup is better because it keeps insects away from the primary door. Extreme weather can often attract swarms of bugs, such as mosquitos. These kinds of bugs like to build nests near standing water after rainstorms. If you open your usual door in the spring or summer, nothing will stop these bugs from entering your home. A storm door adds a second layer of protection and a stronger defense against those pesky bugs. 

Great Components for Convenience and Long-Lasting Protection

Storm doors are high-quality products. If you have one installed, it will protect your home for a long time. Many wonderful designs are available. Here are some features and benefits:

• A storm door with full-size panels let in plenty of light.
• A storm door with a wire screen provides good airflow.
• A storm door with a kick plate better protects the door.

Install a storm door this season, and have peace of mind when extreme weather strikes. Contact Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors, Inc. today, and set up an appointment for our storm door installation services. We’re a family-owned business, and we’ve been installing doors since 1950.

Preparing Your Garage Door for Winter

Four Tips for Getting Your Garage Door Ready for Winter

Wintertime can be a rough season for your garage door. Battering winds and freezing temperatures are examples of things that can damage this important segment of your home. Here are four ways to protect and reinforce your garage door before the temperatures start to drop.

Perform a Thorough Inspection

Look for any existing damage on your door and its tracks. Stand outside and open and close the door a few times. Is it producing any abnormal sounds like clanking or screeching? Observe how smoothly the door moves up and down and if it gets caught up on the tracks at any given time. For a more comprehensive assessment, consider bringing in a garage door maintenance and installation company, like Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors, Inc.

Grease Your Door’s Moving Mechanical Parts

This is a simple maintenance tip that you can do yourself without needing to hire a professional garage door technician. Purchase a quality lubricant solution, usually in spray form, and apply a fresh coat to any of the door’s moving components. These include the rollers, springs, and hinges.

Fully Seal Your Garage Doors

At nighttime, stand outside of your garage door and close it. Check the bottom of the door to see if there is any light seeping out from inside the garage. If so, the garage door does not fully seal. And although that doesn’t cause any structural damage, a garage door that isn’t fully sealed allows hot air to escape to the outside. You may need to call a garage door specialist to help you fix this issue.

Clean the Sensors

Modern garage doors typically come with safety sensors that keep them from closing on a person or object passing below them. This is especially important for households with children, pets, and elderly tenants. Dirt and debris can accumulate and cover or damage the sensors, preventing them from doing their job. Clean these regularly to protect yourself and your loved ones.

One of the easiest ways to prepare your garage door for the cold months is to schedule regular garage door maintenance at least once a year.

Things You Should Know About Dock Seals

Four Things To Know About Dock Seals

You want your shipping area to be productive as well as safe and secure. Loading dock seals provide the barrier between the warehouse door and the backed-in trailer for loading and unloading assets. Designed to compress, they create a tight seal. Here are some things to know about the addition of dock seals to your company’s loading dock area.

Your Loading Dock Is Safer

Pests or even fire are left out when your loading dock is sealed. Employees won’t be worried about swatting flies, bugs or bites, which can slow down operations. Moreover, the wind will stay outside, making it easier to carry items and load them into the trailer. Protected from unwanted entry, the sealed doors will help keep everything and everyone safer.

Your Loading Dock Is More Productive

Unwanted weather like rain and snow won’t be able to disrupt your loading and unloading when you utilize a dock seal. Your staff will not need to worry about wet floors and their safety. They can focus on their job, sending and receiving and making your warehouse more productive. 

Your Loading Dock Will Remain in Better Condition

Wind and rain may take a toll on your loading area as exposure to the elements creates wear and tear on the doors. Gradually, they will wear down. Having strong seals minimizes exposure to the elements and makes the doors last longer. This saves money in the long run.

You’ll want to consider the usage, type of trucks and the height of your docks when selecting the appropriate seals for your loading dock. We can help you select the right option for your specific business needs before you order. Interested in learning more about how loading dock seals or shelters can help your business? Contact Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors, Inc. to get in touch with our experts for assistance.