Choosing a new garage door is not the same as it once was. There are so many options you can now consider, including color, design, materials, durability, and how the garage door complements your home in general. Different materials can withstand different levels of use and require different levels of maintenance, so this is a consideration. As you can see, many factors must be taken into account when choosing a new garage door.

Below are some tips to help you determine whether you should choose a wood garage door or a steel garage door. Speaking to a licensed Downer’s Grove, IL garage-building and repair expert from Blue Sky Builders, Inc. means you have someone who has been in the business for more than 45 years to help you make these important decisions.

Once we have helped you choose your garage door, we can discuss replacing old garage windows, adding a steel entry door, or updating the siding and roofing on your garage. If you are considering turning part or all of your garage into a home office, exercise area, or family room, we can help you with that endeavor as well.

Wood Garage Doors: Pros and Cons

Wood garage doors are elegant and timeless and can significantly enhance your home’s curb appeal. They are commonly made with a strong hemlock frame and hardboard panels, which offer durability and beauty at the same time. Small scratches and scuffs are less likely to show up on wood grain textures than on metal surfaces.

On the negative side, wood doors require considerably more maintenance than steel and will require refinishing or repainting every few years, especially in hot, dry climates. Wood doors typically have less insulation, so your garage will be hotter in the summer and colder in the winter.

While wood doors are more expensive than steel doors, they can add more resale value to your home. Wood garage doors can be constructed out of real wood, like solid cedar or redwood. “Faux” wood garage doors typically have a steel core with a wood overlay, making them much lighter and less expensive than solid wood doors.

It can be hard for most people to tell the difference between a solid wood door and a faux wood door, but real wood garage doors are likely to be custom-made and more expensive. Where security is concerned, wood garage doors are very heavy, but they may be able to be cut much easier than a steel garage door for someone who is determined to gain access.

Steel Garage Doors: Pros and Cons

Steel garage doors generally look more “modern” than wooden garage doors, although that can depend on the finish. A black steel garage door may look sleek and sophisticated, while a bold red color could call attention to your home’s beauty. Steel is durable, fire-proof, and resistant to warping. Security is a major asset of steel garages. Steel garage doors are strong and more difficult to force open.

Steel garage doors are usually very well insulated, helping keep interior garage temperatures more stable. The extra insulation also makes the garage door quieter to operate. Steel doors are lighter than real wood doors, easier to maintain, and less susceptible to adverse weather conditions. They are usually less expensive than real wood doors, but they may not have the custom look that some people want. Thicker gauge steel doors provide resistance to dents and dings but are more susceptible to rust.

Contact a DuPage County, IL Garage-Repair and Replacement Company

If you are considering replacing your garage door and are having difficulty deciding what type of garage door is best for your home and your situation, our Chicago, IL garage-building and repair experts are ready to help you make this important decision.

When you choose Blue Sky Builders, Inc., you will have chosen a company that provides free on-site estimates at your convenience and is in its 45th year of service to more than 50 communities in the western, northern, and southern suburbs, along with the Chicago area. Call 630-852-8485 for all your garage door needs.

Many of us tend to take our garage door for granted despite the fact that it is the largest moving object in our homes. Garage doors are heavy, get lots of use, have plenty of moving parts, and can be costly to replace. Yet while we may be vigilant about ensuring regular oil changes and maintenance for our vehicles, garage doors are largely ignored – until they stop working or start making an unusual amount of noise.

We should ensure our garage doors are regularly maintained, find small, fixable problems before they become serious problems, and replace garage doors when required. If you are unsure exactly what is involved in garage door maintenance, read on! If you are having issues with your garage door, the best thing you can do is call a licensed Downer’s Grove, IL garage-building and repair expert from Blue Sky Builders, Inc..

Our company is in its 45th year of service to more than 50 communities in the western suburbs, northern and southern suburbs, and the Chicago area. We will not only ensure your garage door is in perfect condition but can also help you replace old, drafty garage windows, update or replace garage roofs and siding, and update steel entry door systems.

How to Get the Most Life from Your Garage Door

There are many different ways you can ensure your garage door continues working efficiently while remaining attractive. These include:

Limit Your Use of the Garage Door

The more wear and tear a garage door gets, the more likely it is to have problems. Many people use their garage door as their entry door, even when they are not putting their vehicle in the garage. Use your home’s entry doors unless you are actually parking your car inside the garage. The “typical” garage door has five to 10 up-down cycles each and every day, which means – at a minimum – that the springs will likely have to be replaced within a couple of years. Yet at two cycles per day, those same springs could easily last for seven to eight years.

Schedule Regular Garage Door Inspections

Most of us tend to ignore the garage door until it stops working. Regular garage door inspections (two times per year are recommended) will tell you whether there are issues with springs, cables, pulleys, rollers, hinges, or panels before you are unable to open the door. Regular inspections can save you much larger outlays of cash when the garage door fails.

Perform Your Own Garage Door Inspections Periodically

While it is always a good idea to schedule professional garage door inspections, in between these inspections, there are certain things you can do. You can check the brackets that hold the tracks to the walls and ceilings and remove any debris from the tracks on both sides of the door. If you are a regular DIY-er, you can use a socket wrench to tighten loose bolts caused by door vibration.

Keep Garage Door Rollers Lubricated

A couple of times a year, spray WD-40 or another lubricant on rollers and hinges, wiping off any excess. When dust collects on these parts, noise can result. A lubricant breaks down rust and corrosion, keeping your garage door in tip-top shape.

Replace the Weatherstripping on Your Garage Door

Rubber weatherstripping keeps out the cold, dust, debris, and water. You can purchase weatherstripping for your garage door at any home improvement store. The weatherstripping has a flange that slides into a groove at the bottom of the garage door (Weatherstripping for wood garage doors may be nailed into place.

Contact a DuPage County, IL Garage Repair and Replacement Company

Learning how to maintain your garage door is key to ensuring it gives you many years of efficient operation. Our Chicago, IL garage-building and repair experts can help. When you choose Blue Sky Builders, Inc., you will benefit from a free on-site consultation from highly experienced garage door professionals. Call us at 630-852-8485 today to discuss your garage door issues.

When your garage door starts acting up, trying to find the root cause of a weird sound can be endlessly frustrating. These sounds could be the result of a minor defect or a breakdown in hardware, and being able to tell the difference can save you from a headache later down the line. A Chicago, IL garage-building and repair expert can help you pinpoint the source of an unpleasant noise in your garage and take measures to correct it.

At Blue Sky Builders, Inc., we have over 45 years of experience troubleshooting common issues with garages, including defects in openers, springs, and cables. We take satisfaction in a job well done, and that work ethic has led to us being named an A+ Rated Member of the Better Business Bureau.

Squeaking

A high-pitched squeaking sound coming from your garage can be grating on the ears. In many cases, this sound can be traced back to an issue with the rollers, the mechanism that moves a garage up and down. When these parts become worn down over a period of years, the resulting friction can cause the garage to squeak while opening or closing. You might be able to remedy a squeaking sound by lubricating the rollers or simply replacing the old rollers with new ones. The garage-building and repair experts at Blue Sky Builders, Inc. can help you get to the heart of the problem and get your door in working order again.

Popping

If your garage starts making a loud popping or knocking sound, you might be dealing with an off-balance garage door. The springs above your door help to keep your garage door in place, and the slightest shift in stability can set your doors in an uneven position. When a torsion spring becomes broken or worn down from repeated use, the door may hang off to one side. Fixing an off-balance garage door by yourself poses the risk of injury from the door slamming on top of you. Blue Sky Builders, Inc. has the intimate experience and knowledge required to safely fix or replace the torsion springs in your garage.

Rattling

A rattling or rumbling coming from your garage could be indicative of a problem with the opening mechanism. Often, the issue lies with a loose chain along the rail that needs to be corrected. Fixing this issue may entail tightening the nuts and bolts on the track. In other cases, you might only have to lubricate the hinges to eliminate the rattling sound. If you aren’t experienced with garage doors, you might want to consider working with a garage repair expert at Blue Sky Builders, Inc. who can help get rid of a persistent rattling.

Meet With a DuPage County, IL Garage Repair Company

At Blue Sky Builders, Inc., we know just how annoying a strange sound coming from your garage can be. Our Downers Grove, IL garage-building and repair experts can pay a visit to your home to help you enjoy some peace and quiet. To schedule a free on-site estimate with our repair experts, call us at 630-852-8485 today.

Few things in life are as vexatious as a garage door that stops working. This problem often starts intermittently and increases in frequency until the garage door simply does not open at all. If you find yourself in this situation, you’re probably wondering what is going on and how you can fix it. Fortunately, our Chicago area garage door technicians are on the job – call us now and get the problems with your garage door opener sorted out before it gets cold outside.

How Do Electric Garage Door Openers Work?

Most people don’t give a moment’s thought to how their electric garage door opener works until it stops working. When you stop to pay attention, though, garage door openers are actually clever pieces of engineering that we really shouldn’t take for granted.

Most people open their garage doors around 1,500 times a year. That’s a lot of lifting and lowering! The main part of the garage door opener that does the important work is called the torsion spring. The torsion spring usually lasts between seven and ten years or about 10,000 cycles of opening and closing. The motor gives the torsion spring the power and direction it needs to pull the door open and slowly lower it down.

Common Issues with Garage Door Openers

If your garage door has stopped working, chances are the torsion spring is weakened or broken. Other common reasons your garage door might not be opening include:

• Dead batteries or an interrupted power source
• Something is blocking the door’s path
• Damaged or misaligned sensors
• A damaged or misaligned door track
• Open- or close-limit switches are set incorrectly
• Your remote is out of range or has a broken antenna
• Interference from other nearby garage doors

Can I Replace a Broken Garage Door Opener Myself?

We live in an era of the do-it-yourself ethic, and with inflation looking like it does, who can blame someone who wants to fix their broken garage door opener on their own? There are good reasons you should think twice before doing this, however, as most garage door problems are more complicated than replacing the batteries in your car’s remote.

Out of the many problems your garage door could be having, perhaps the most common in complete door failure is a problem with the torsion spring. Replacing the torsion spring is an incredibly dangerous job. The spring is tightly wound and contains an enormous amount of energy in its bunched-up coils. Even the most competent DIY professionals leave garage door opener issues to the professionals because people get seriously hurt and even killed trying to fix torsion springs.

In short, Do not fix your garage door yourself. Depending on what is wrong with your door, the repair could be risky and should only be done by a professional.

Contact a Chicago, IL Garage Door Technician Now

If your garage door isn’t opening, don’t spend weeks fretting over it or getting out of your car to open the door manually. The experienced Chicago, IL garage door repair team at Blue Sky Builders, Inc. can help you fix your broken garage door opener quickly and affordably. If you are having issues with your garage, call us right away at 630-852-8485.

Garage door springs are vital components that balance the weight of your door, making it easy to open and close. When these springs start to fail, they can cause significant inconvenience and potential safety hazards. As a homeowner, recognizing the early signs of spring problems can save you time, money, and potential injury. An Illinois garage renovation professional can reveal indicators that suggest your garage door springs might need attention.

Visual and Auditory Clues

• Unusual noises: When operating your garage door, pay attention to any loud bangs, snaps, or popping sounds. These noises often indicate that a spring has broken or is about to break.

• Visible gaps or separation: Examine the springs for any visible gaps in the coils or signs of separation. Healthy springs should have tightly wound coils without any spaces between them.

• Rust or corrosion: Look for signs of rust or corrosion on the springs. While some surface rust is normal, excessive corrosion can weaken the springs and lead to premature failure.

Operational Issues

Your garage door’s behavior can provide valuable insights into the health of its springs:

• Door fails to open or close fully: If your door stops halfway or does not open or close completely, it might indicate weakened springs that can no longer provide sufficient tension.

• The door falls too quickly: A properly balanced door should stay in place when manually opened halfway. If it falls rapidly, the springs may have lost their tension.

• Uneven movement: Watch for any jerky or uneven movement as the door opens or closes. This could suggest that one spring is working harder than the other due to damage or wear.

• Increased effort to operate: If you notice that opening or closing your garage door manually requires more force than usual, it could be a sign of failing springs.

Long-Term Indicators

Some signs of spring issues develop over time. Most garage door springs last between six to 10 years with normal use. If your springs are approaching or exceeding this age range, they may be due for replacement.

Regular inspection can reveal gradual wear on the springs, such as stretching or loss of tension over time. Frequency of use is bound to lead to problems, just like anything else. Homes with frequently used garage doors may experience spring wear more quickly. Consider how often you use your garage door when assessing spring health.

The Importance of Professional Inspection With a Chicago, IL Garage Renovation Professional

While these signs can help you identify potential issues, you should have your garage door springs inspected and serviced by a professional. Attempting to repair or replace springs without proper knowledge and tools can be extremely dangerous.

Do not wait for a minor issue to become a major problem. If you notice any of these signs or simply want peace of mind, call Blue Sky Builders, Inc. today for a free on-site estimate at 630-852-8485. A Downers Grove, IL garage door renovation professional will assess your garage door springs and provide honest recommendations to keep your door operating smoothly and safely for years to come.