How to Open a Garage Door Without Power

Many homeowners don’t realize their garage doors are affected by power outages until they can’t use them. Luckily, you don’t have to wait until the power comes back to use your garage door.

What Happens to Garage Door Openers During Power Outages?

Garage door openers allow users to control their garage doors automatically while securing them against manual force. During a power outage, electricity no longer flows to the door opener, preventing it from controlling door movement. 

How to Manually Open and Close Your Garage Door Without Power

Your vehicle is of no use if you can’t get it out of the garage. The good news is there are various techniques for safely opening and closing your garage without power.

From the Inside

If you’re in your garage and need to get your car out, follow these steps:

1. Unlock the door: Locate any locks or latches on the garage door and open them to ensure they don’t cause damage when manually lifting the door.
2. Unplug the garage door opener: Unplug the garage door opener to prevent the assembly from sustaining damage if the motor engages when the door is off the tracks.
3. Pull the emergency release cord: The emergency release cord is a red handle that hangs from the center of the garage door track. Pull the handle straight down to disconnect the door from the trolley.
4. Lift the garage door: Now that the garage door is disengaged, you can open it manually by grabbing the bottom of the door and lifting it. Make sure the door stays in place above you before letting go.
5. Close the door: Once you’ve driven your car out of the garage, pull the door down to close it.

From the Outside

If you come home to find your garage door shut during a power outage, you can open it from the outside in a few simple motions:

1. Find the emergency release kit: Locate the small lock toward the top of your garage door, which contains an emergency release cable. 
2. Free the release cord: Use the special key to open the lock and pull out the tumbler to access the emergency release cord. Pull the cord to trigger the release mechanism.
3. Unlock the garage door: Find the lock near the garage door handle and turn it vertically to unlock it.
4. Lift the door: Push the door straight up and make sure it stays open before releasing it.
5. Close the door: Enter the garage and pull the door closed.

Upgrade Your Garage Door at Oregon City Garage Door

For dependable residential garage door installations, choose Oregon City Garage Door. With over 25 years spent providing services across the Portland area, we’re the experts you can trust. 

Request an estimate on our products today!

How to Fix Gaps on the Top, Side and Bottom of Your Garage Door 

A small gap in your garage door might not seem like a big deal, but it can be an open invitation for rain, debris, and pests like mice and insects. In some cases, a noticeable gap could even be a security risk.

At Oregon City Garage Door, we want to help you keep your garage safe and sound. Here’s our guide to finding and fixing those pesky garage door gaps.

What is a Garage Door Gap?

A garage door gap is any unwanted space along the sides, top, or bottom of your door when it’s closed. These gaps can let in drafts, raising your energy bills, and allow water to seep in, potentially damaging your garage’s foundation.

How to Find Garage Door Gaps

Some gaps are obvious, but smaller ones can be tricky to spot. Try these two simple methods:

• The Sunlight Test: Turn off the lights in your garage during the day. Look for any slivers of sunlight coming through around the edges of the door.
• The Hand Test: On a breezy day, run your hand along the inside perimeter of the garage door. You’ll be able to feel any drafts.

Common Causes of Garage Door Gaps

Before you can fix the problem, you need to know what’s causing it. Here are the most common culprits:

• Worn-Out Weatherstripping: The rubber or vinyl seal at the bottom of your garage door can wear down, crack, or get chewed on by pests over time.
• Misaligned Tracks: The metal tracks that guide your garage door can become bent or misaligned, causing the door to sit unevenly.
• Incorrect Limit Switch Settings: The limit switch on your garage door opener tells the door when to stop. If it’s not set correctly, the door might not be closing all the way.
• Shifting Foundation: Over time, the concrete floor of your garage can settle or shift, creating an uneven surface for the door to close on.

How to Seal Garage Door Gaps

Here are four common ways to fix gaps in your garage door:

A Note on Safety

Your garage door is the largest moving object in your home. While some of these fixes are DIY-friendly, others can be dangerous if not done correctly. If you’re ever unsure or uncomfortable with a repair, please call a professional.

Still Have Gaps? Contact Oregon City Garage Doors Today!

If you’ve tried these solutions and still have a gap, or if you’d rather leave it to the experts, we’re here to help. Our experienced technicians can quickly diagnose the problem and provide a lasting solution to keep your garage secure and weatherproof.

How to Repair a Dented Garage Door Panel

A dented garage door can impact your home’s curb appeal and the security of your garage. Thankfully, there are several tried and true methods for garage door dent removal and repair.

At Oregon City Garage Door, our experts have put together a guide on fixing a bent garage door panel to help you get started. 

Common Ways Garage Doors Are Dented

Manufacturers build many standard garage doors with aluminum and steel because of their durability and low maintenance. The downside is that they are easy to dent. Many things can dent your garage doors, from accidents to nature. 

Over time, the impacts of high winds, rain, hail and snow can cause your garage door to weaken and buckle. Without regular yearly maintenance, this process can happen faster.

It’s surprisingly easy to get into an accident when your garage doesn’t open all the way or you can’t see it in your car’s blind spot. Leaving an object in the door’s path or track can also lead to significant damage. Even a stray Frisbee or baseball can make a small dent.

Can Dents in Garage Doors Be Repaired? 

If you have a dented garage door, you should first examine the damage to determine whether a DIY repair is possible.

Check whether your garage door can open and close. Exercise caution before attempting to open the door because the assembly has a high level of tension. If the door can’t open and close, you’ll need professional maintenance.

It’s typically harder to remove dents from wooden doors than to repair steel or aluminum. 

How to Fix a Dented Garage Door Panel

There are several trusted methods for fixing a minor garage door dent. Use your best judgment to determine if you can repair your door or you should hire a professional.

Hammering Out the Dent

You can often repair an aluminum door with a hammer. Follow these three steps: 

1. Wash: Clean the dented area with soap and water.
2. Gather supplies: Use a wood block and mallet for this repair. 
3. Hammer: Hold the block against the dent and tap the section until it’s level with your surrounding door panels.

Heating the Panel

Another common method for garage repair is heating: 

1. Preparation: Wash and dry the panel, then stretch aluminum foil over the dent. 
2. Heat: Use a lighter for about one minute to heat the surface of the aluminum foil. Afterward, take the aluminum foil away quickly. 
3. Spray: Spray the dent with a can of compressed air for about half a minute to a full minute. Carbon monoxide should pop your panel back into place.

Contact Oregon City Garage Door

Whether the job is too big or you want the convenience of professional help, Oregon City Garage Door is in your corner. 

We offer garage door panel repair and replacement services. Our team of professionals will assess and repair minor dents in your door or accident that prevents it from opening and closing. Reach out and request a free quote today!

How to Prevent the Garage From Flooding

Has your garage flooded during heavy rainfall or a natural disaster? Since this part of a home or business is made to be accessible, it’s naturally more vulnerable to flooding or water damage during storms. When that happens, the costs can rack up quickly — flooding can cause foundation damage, destroy inventory or belongings, and lead to health concerns like mold and mildew development. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to flood-proof garage doors and help stop water from entering a garage. 

At Oregon City Garage Door, we want to help home and business owners keep their property in pristine condition by providing top-quality garage door services and educational resources. Learn more about why garages flood and how you can help prevent it. 

Why Do Garages Flood When It Rains?

If you live on a slope or your area is prone to flash floods, your garage flooding may be an issue you face frequently. When it rains so hard and often that the rivers and lakes rise and the drainage overflows, the water will have nowhere to go but flow down from its starting location. When you own property on a lower incline than the nearest body of water or in a city with inadequate drainage, you need to be prepared to take mitigation measures and prevent water from getting into your garage.

When planning flood prevention, be sure to consider your downspouts. These installations are supposed to help divert water away from a building. If the gutter downspouts face the wrong direction or have leaks, they could unintentionally lead to water seeping into your foundation and the garage. If you notice constant flooding in your garage, you will want to identify any sources of leaks and close up any holes or open spaces that allow water inside. 

How to Protect Your Garage From Flooding

If you live in an area prone to storms, it’s especially important that you know how to protect your garage from flooding. While flooding is one of the most common occurrences in all states, some regions are more prone to it than others. For that reason, everyone should know how to protect a garage from flooding. 

The garage door is a great place to start, as it takes the most impact from storms. Since garage doors are made relatively light to allow them to open and close, they are subject to movement during intense storms, which may allow water to enter the garage.

Ways to Prevent Flooding at the Garage Door

To help stop water from entering your garage, you’ll want to start by ensuring all openings have proper seals and are in good repair, including any windows and the garage door itself. If the garage door is old or dented, it will do very little to protect your garage from water, which is why it’s essential to perform garage door maintenance to prevent flooding problems. 

If you see any damage to your door, replacing it is the first step. There are many types of garage doors to choose from, with some offering greater levels of durability or insulation to withstand specific environmental conditions. You can even buy hurricane-ready garage doors if you live in a hurricane-prone area.

Weatherstripping and Foundations

At the bottom of any garage door is a weatherstrip. Weatherstrips are usually rubber or vinyl and are present to help prevent water from seeping in underneath the garage door. When they age, however, they can crack, which will allow water to seep through the gaps.

It is essential to check and replace your weatherstripping regularly, as these pieces help prevent water from entering your garage during minor flooding occasions and help your garage maintain its temperature.

If you bought your home or commercial facility many years ago, you might need to check your foundation for cracks, damage or even previous water-damaged areas. Since damage here will affect literally every other part of a building, it pays to be vigilant and ensure your foundation stays in good repair. Even if any cracks you see are minuscule, you need to address them. Water can seep into holes of any size and cause damage, especially during freezing weather. 

If you see any cracks in your foundation, use waterproof paint or concrete patches to fix them as part of your flood-proofing regimen.

Improving Drainage Around Your Home

If your garage floods during heavy rain, there are a few vital steps you can take to improve the drainage around your home. If the city-provided drainage system is inadequate, you can install French drains either along your driveway or in front of your garage to help eliminate excess water when the street drains are overwhelmed. French drains are gravel-filled trenches the water can run into and pass through. Underneath the gravel is a perforated pipe that collects the water and draws it away. 

Barriers

If you have the time to prepare them, flood barriers for your garage door can be beneficial in the case of severe rainfall like that associated with hurricanes. Sandbags are popular for this purpose, as they act as an inexpensive makeshift dam. Put towels behind them to help soak up any water that may leak past. Along with using sandbags to direct water away from your property, you can also dig trenches and erect other barriers if you believe the previous prevention methods will be insufficient.

If you live in an area prone to these tropical storms or severe rainstorms, you may want to look into flood vents. Flood vents allow the floodwater to enter your garage freely rather than building up and exerting pressure against the garage door. Though it may seem counterintuitive, deciding to let the garage accommodate the excess water during severe weather will help save the rest of the property from suffering flooding and water damage. 

Professional Garage Door Flood Prevention

If you’re not sure how to best flood-proof your Portland-area garage, Oregon City Garage Door is here for you. Whether you want to protect a commercial building or a residence, you can rest assured that our expert team will be there to evaluate your needs and help you decide on the best flood-mitigation measures for your property. 

When you need maintenance or a tuneup done on your garage, Oregon City Garage Door is for you. With services ranging from garage door installation to flooding prevention, we cover all the bases to help you keep your garage in peak condition. We can even provide guidance on how to dry out a flooded garage if the damage is already done, and we’ll do everything we can to prevent it from happening again in the future. Contact us today to learn more about our garage door services for the Portland area.

How to Fix a Stuck Garage Door

Owning a garage is so convenient, as long as the garage door is running smoothly. You rely on your garage door to go up and down on demand multiple times each day. If your garage door was installed properly, you’re used to it working without any issues. But, perhaps today, it got stuck. 

Garage doors rely on a series of interconnected parts to function properly. Their complex design can sometimes malfunction without warning. Regular garage door maintenance can help avoid these issues, but breakdowns can still happen. 

A stuck garage door can cause inconveniences in your daily routine. Sometimes there is a simple fix, and other times you may need professional repairs. These tips can help you avoid frustration and identify the root of the problem so you can get your garage back to normal right away. 

Causes of Sticking

The first step toward fixing your garage door is to figure out why it got stuck. Garage doors are powered by many different parts, which can malfunction for a variety of reasons. 

Here is a list of common problems that cause garage doors to get stuck: 

1. Dead Batteries

The first thing you should check if your garage door is stuck is the batteries in your remote. Batteries die all the time, and this is often the problem. If you swap in fresh batteries and it doesn’t help, you can start checking out other likely causes. 

2. Locked by Accident 

This may seem obvious, but have you checked the lock? Garage doors can often become locked by mistake by a child or an automatic locking system. If your garage door won’t open, take a second to check the locks before trying other solutions. 

3. Cold Weather 

Oregon winters are cold and wet, and water can collect and freeze around the springs of your garage door. A buildup of ice can put pressure on your springs, making your garage door latch stuck. Try removing the ice from the springs and see if your door becomes unstuck. Clearing the ice from your springs may be a simple fix unless they have become damaged. Use a heat gun on a low setting or a hair dryer to gently melt the ice away.

If the ice has broken the springs on your garage door, call a repair service right away. Replacing a spring yourself is extremely dangerous and is not recommended. 

4. Broken Pulley or Springs 

A pulley and spring system lifts your garage door up and down. These mechanisms pull the door along the track to open and close it. If a spring is broken or the pulley is obstructed, the garage door will not be functional. These parts can break even while the door is in motion, causing it to be stuck halfway or fully open. 

Springs are not designed to last forever. After a while, they need to be replaced. If you believe this is causing your door to be stuck, call a professional garage door repair service. They can fix the broken spring or pulley system to get your garage door running smoothly. 

5. Track Issues 

Your garage door’s track is an essential part of the opening and closing mechanism. But it’s also one of the most delicate. Rollers guide your garage door along the track to lift it up and down. If the track is disturbed, your door can easily become stuck. 

Common track issues include: 

• Blockages: Objects like rocks and leaves or even a rubber ball have been known to weasel their way into garage door tracks. Examine your tracks for any items that could be blocking the rollers from moving. Only try to clean these blockages if your garage door is in the down position to avoid the risk of injury.
• Dislodged rollers: If your garage door opens halfway and stops, your rollers may have jumped off of the track. A professional is needed to fix this problem safely.
• Damage: Regular wear and tear can add up, causing the tracks to become bent and misshapen. They can also be broken by an impact from a car or harsh weather conditions. Call a professional to make sure your garage door is fixed properly. 

6. Sensor Malfunction 

Sensors are designed to keep your garage door open if they sense an obstruction. Sometimes, sensors register a blockage like dust and other debris as an object, causing the garage door to be stuck open. Try wiping them off and test if that works. If problems persist, consult a professional for help. 

7. Inadequate Lubrication 

Proper lubrication is required for your door to function smoothly. If your garage door has been making a lot of noise lately, you may not have enough. Poor lubrication will cause your door to get stuck, but the solution is simple. Apply lubricant to the tracks, hinges, rollers and springs after cleaning the components. Do this when the door is in the down position. 

Stuck up, Down or Halfway? 

The spot where your garage door is sticking can help you troubleshoot the cause of the problem. You can rule out certain malfunctions depending on where it is jammed.

Stuck Up

Common causes for a garage door that is stuck in the up position include: 

• You have malfunctioning garage sensors.
• There’s a broken spring.
• There’s an electrical issue with the garage door opener.
• Remote batteries need to be replaced.

Stuck Down

Common causes for a garage door that is stuck down include: 

• There are broken parts, like hinges, cables or rollers.
• The garage door is locked.
• Rollers are out of the tracks.
• Remote batteries need to be replaced.

Stuck Halfway

Common causes for a garage door that is stuck halfway include: 

• An obstruction is blocking the rollers on the tracks. 
• There’s a jam in the spring and pulley system. 
• The pressure on the garage door opener needs an adjustment.  

Contact Oregon City Garage Door to Fix a Jammed Garage Door 

If your garage door is stuck, you can look at the areas listed above to identify the problem. Check the locks, clean out the tracks, apply lubricant and attempt a few other easy fixes. However, making major repairs to your garage door can be dangerous if you do not have experience. Trust your garage door to the professionals for a quick and easy fix. 

At Oregon City Garage Door, our professionals provide high-quality prompt and friendly service. Our experts are available to inspect your residential or commercial garage door and find the right solution to make your garage fully functional again. We also offer garage door maintenance and tune-up services to prevent your garage door from getting stuck again in the future. 

If your garage door is having issues that you can’t seem to fix, call in the experts. Schedule a service with Oregon City Garage Door today!