Westgate Blogger
Your garage, an extension of your home
Many of us are in need of more space in our homes. The thought of trying to afford a new home is impossible for many families out there, so how about revamping an existing space in your home into a multi-functional space, and I’m not talking about a whole home remodel or pricey addition. I’m talking about your garage that’s piled with stuff you never use or forgot you had.
The first step is to go through all of your items in the garage and organize it into appropriate bins and shelving. Installing cabinets and shelving in the garage will not only help you organize everything, but will make it easier to find things when you need them. All of your unwanted items can either go to a local second hand store, or you can hold a garage sale and make some unexpected money.
Now that you have space in your garage you can decide what you would like to use the space for. Anything from a games room, man room, office, play room, movie theater, gym or recreational room. Another great option is if you have teen children this can be a great place for them and their friends to hang out, play games, and watch TV without being too far away from home.
The warmer months of the year is when this space will be utilized the most, and that’s when our bug friends are out in full force, which can put a damper on many summer activities. My recommendation is to use a Bug Barrier, which is a screen door that slides down behind your garage door when the main door is open. The screen doors can be broken up into two or three sections and models are available which have doors built in so entering and exiting the garage is no problem. There are many options available in terms of colour selection, so matching the existing colour of your garage or exterior is a possibility.
The Bug Barrier is a great product and helps to maximize the existing garage space you already have without having to complete costly additions or renovations. By installing this product you have instantly made a new room where you never thought you could. The options and ideas are endless. Share your ideas and makeovers with us we would love to hear your success stories.
Bug Barriers are also available for Commercial applications. Some of the commercial benefits include:
- Keep out insects and birds while improving sanitation areas by having a controlled environment
- Helps meet FDA/AIB requirements
- Helps keep the plant facility cooler - offers 65% shade
- Improves ventilation- aids in employee comfort which will lead to increased productivity
- Allow daylight and outside air in while providing a safe and secure barrier that will deter unwelcome visitors.
- Readily installed on dock doors, dumpster areas, and warehouse openings
- Bug Barriers are ideal for food processing, packaging and manufacturing facilities.
Noisy garage door? What to do and who can help!
Do you have an annoyingly loud garage door that disturbs not only you and your family but also the whole neighbourhood? Here are some common causes that a professional door installer can identify and fix in one simple visit.When identifying reasons why your garage door is the loudest on the block, your installer will look at the type of door you have as this will have a direct effect on the amount of noise it makes when being opened and closed. Wood and non-insulated steel doors tend to be noisier than insulated steel doors. In addition, doors with upgraded heavy gauge hinges and nylon coated ball bearing rollers help to reduce noise and provide for smoother operation.
They will then have a look at the rollers on your door to determine if they are the problem. Metal rollers operating on metal tracks tend to create a lot of noise. Replacing steel rollers with nylon rollers will bring the noise level down considerably. Nylon rollers are not only quieter than metal rollers, but also require less lubrication and maintenance. Lubricating moving metal parts twice a year will also keep your door running smooth and quiet. To keep your door running at its best, ask your technician to show you the best way to lubricate your door.
Another contributor to noise and vibrations can be loose or worn parts of the garage door or the track it runs on. Hinges, springs, and fittings need to be secured and adjusted properly and be well lubricated. Having a professional come in and have a look at your door is recommended because they are knowledgeable and have the expertise to solve any issues for you immediately. They will ensure parts and fitting are in suitable working order, in addition to operating safely and efficiently.
Tips on choosing the right door or overhead door for your home or business.
Homes across the country all have some kind of door system enclosing their homes. Doors and overhead doors protect all your personal belongings, so protecting them with a high quality product is essential. When choosing the right product for your home you have to remember some key aspects.
Tip 1: What are the requirements of the door or overhead door?
What are you using the door for? Is the door for residential or commercial purposes, this will make a difference in the type of door you are choosing. Sizing will also come into play in this category and depending on the size of your current door there may be options to have multiple doors in the space.
Tip 2: How often are you using it?
If you are using the door on a daily basis for residential use, a different door will be needed opposed to commercial grade doors, which are heavy duty and are built to withstand daily wear and tear.
Tip 3: What is the climate like where you live?
What are the weather conditions in your area? If you live in an area where it rains a lot during the winter months you are probably going to need a door or overhead door that repeals water away from the door. Whereas if you live up north you are going to need a heavy-duty door which will withstand the snow and wind of the harsh northern climate.
Tip 4: How would you like it to look aesthetically?
Deciding on the look of your door or overhead door is most likely the most exciting part of buying a new one. Dealers have catalogs of all finishes we offer, ranging from aluminum, steel and wood. The shape and size of panels and windows are options buyers have to keep in mind as well. We have a large range of products, sure to fit the style and look of your current home so the new door doesn’t look like it wasn’t the original.
Our dealers are very knowledgeable and will have answers to all your questions and concerns when choosing the right door or overhead door for your home or business. They will be able to provide you with samples of product so you will be able to see and choose all of the options available.
Specifying Overhead and Coiling Doors.
See Richard Sivertsen from Westgate Door Industries article in Construction Canada Magazine.
"The article printed in Construction Canada Magazine (a publication for Construction Specifications Canada - CSC) was born out of years reading written specifications and viewing drawings; amplifying some of the concerns I experienced in putting bids together from the Project Documentation (Tender Documents). As a long term member of CSC where I took my two years training at night school to apply for my designation referred to as CTR (Certified Technical Representative) I have always been concerned with the design team that researches data on manufacturers products within our industry; their interpretation of the buildings environment, clients’ needs and their expectations of a particular product. Still today there is a great need for that sector of the construction industry to have input from us who are directly involved in the selling of these products to enable them to make clear judgements on what should be included in a specification and to ensure that the designers combine this knowledge in plotting their architectural drawings.”
Any one of us can be of help in this regard; it helps in understanding the designers/specification writers side of the equation and often times spending time in writing these types of articles for various trade publications is a way to communicate that you are available to do so.
See full article here:
http://www.kenilworth.com/publications/cc/de/201301/files/58.html
Curb Appeal - The other great upgrade
In renovation we are aware of the basic tenements that if we renovate the kitchen and the bathrooms we have a much easier time selling and getting that cost back out of the house. In terms of investing in your home to get a return these are sound principles however one of the most over looked aspect of home renovations is curb appeal. The reason curb appeal is often looked over in favour of interior renovations is often cost, it can very expensive to replace siding with stucco or vice versa, it can be very expensive to replace your front door, what is amazing is how inexpensive it can be to transform your garage door for very little cost!
You would expect to read that on a garage door website’s blog but it is the truth! The garage door on a front drive garage home is often the least expensive thing a home owner can replace. You can replace the current door with something very similar to what you already have or you can upgrade to really give your home a wow factor.
Recently Truman homes in Calgary has adopted the wow factor philosophy, they could have put on steel flush doors on their contemporary housing but instead have gone with Aluminum, and the look is incredible!
There are other ways you can upgrade your door as well, Homes By Avi has sold out in “The Enclave”, a project we are very proud to be part of. You be the judge but imagine these doors below as white panel doors and the visual is not the same. When homeowners and builders are focused on end product with great curb appeal this is the result.
For instance this Shane Home, which is currently up for quick possession in the Strathcona area of Calgary has a “Therma-Classic” Door on it. This door comes in a variety of carriage styles, provides great “R-Value” (we’ll pot about R-Value later!) and is an automatic upgrade on your curb appeal.
Avoiding Service Calls!
Overhead garage doors are in essence a moving wall, more technical and potentially more dangerous than almost any other part of your home. It is always recommended you call a professional to adjust and service your door as it is needed, we recommend at least once a year for general maintenance. Some issues are very safe and easy to deal with however, here is a common issue you can take care of safely that might save you some unnecessary service fees.
One of the most common service calls we get is for garage doors not going down. There can be many causes for this, some of which will require a repair technician but there are some that are very easy to diagnose and deal with. If you can hold down your opener wall station, located by the man door of your garage, and the door will close all the way the chances that this is a photo cell issue are very high. Photo cells (commonly known as photo eyes) are the little black boxes at the bottom of the track, these emit a cone of light that tell the opener to close because nothing is there or if the light is not being received it tells the opener to not close as there might be a car, pet or infant in the way. These cells are for your safety and the general safety of operation for the door and the door will not function if they are not working correctly in residential doors.
Luckily this issue is very easy to resolve! Most openers have photo cells that have an amber light and a green light. These should always be solid, if they are not or are flickering then you have to adjust your photo cells. The cells often are knocked out of alignment and simply need to be manual pointed at one another, do not worry if they are not exactly 4” off the floor, the light they emit is not a beam, it is a cone. Once aligned the cells will show solid lights and your door will function correctly.
If you have tried all of these and your door still won’t close normally do not hesitate to call us or a local professional to deal with this, as mentioned overhead doors can be dangerous! You can find local professionals easily on line and it is always recommended you ask a few questions such as:
Do they carry the standard 2 million in liability?
Do they have WCB coverage?
Do they belong to a local home builder or professional organization?
How much will it be and can they provide a written quotation, with documentation of the above?
What you need to know about maintaining your garage
Does my garage door require periodic maintenance? Yes, all garage doors require maintenance. We recommend a brief monthly routine as well as a comprehensive yearly maintenance routine:
1. Each month give a visual inspection of all parts of your door. Ensure tracks, rollers and hinges are clean and lubricated.
2. All moving parts should be free of debris and all nuts and bolts should be at least finger tight.
3. Manually run your door through a complete cycle to make sure it runs smoothly.
4. Check the door balance by opening the door manually; the door should stay open by itself at about 3-4 feet off the ground. It should also stay open at the top, not dropping below the header.
5. If you suspect any excessive wear, damage or any other problem, contact a professional door dealer for servicing.
6. We recommend that your comprehensive annual maintenance check be done by a professional. They will do a complete check of your door system including the torsion spring balance.
Door Replacement on your home offers great resale value!
Door-replacement projects and their cost-value ratio is an above-average 71.6% according to the “Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report 2011-12. Their national data compares the average cost for 35 popular remodeling projects with the value those projects retain at resale.
Source: www.remodeling.hw.net/2011/costvsvalue/national.aspx
LiftMaster Introduces new Products and Technology
Today’s modern homeowners are demanding more from their house hold devices than ever before and LiftMaster has responded with a line of smarter garage door openers and gate access systems. Leading the charge in bringing smarter, faster and more convenient access systems to market that fit consumers’ growing needs for technology built for their lifestyles. At the recent 2012 IDA Expo, LiftMaster showcased the ever-growing family of LiftMaster products with MyQ™ technology, the new patented two-way communication system that enables homeowners to control, monitor and operate the home’s largest 
