Jul 3, 2023 | News
Your garage door is not just an entryway to your home; it’s a vital component that ensures the security, functionality, and aesthetic appeal of your property. When faced with garage door issues, the temptation to tackle repairs yourself may arise. Certain things in life are best left untouched, and fixing a faulty garage door by yourself is undoubtedly one of them. While garage doors might seem like straightforward mechanisms, they can prove to be hazardous if mishandled. Even if you’re a seasoned DIY enthusiast, seeking professional assistance for garage door repairs is highly advisable. In this article, we’ll explore the crucial reasons why relying on professionals for garage door repairs is a decision that pays off in the long run.
Safety First
Garage doors are intricate systems with numerous moving parts, including springs and cables under high tension. Attempting DIY repairs without the necessary expertise can lead to accidents and injuries. Professional technicians are trained to handle these components safely, minimising the risk of personal harm. Garage doors are not lightweight fixtures, and attempting to handle them solo is a risky endeavor. For safe repairs, a collaborative effort involving at least two individuals is ideal. The sheer size of garage doors necessitates a team approach to ensure the task is carried out safely. Beyond their substantial size, garage doors are remarkably heavy. Repairing them requires at least two people to share the load responsibly. Trying to manage the weight alone can lead to accidents and injuries, making professional assistance imperative.
Precision & Expertise
Garage door issues often involve a combination of mechanical, electrical, and structural elements. A qualified technician possesses the knowledge and experience to diagnose problems accurately. Their expertise ensures that repairs are not just surface-level fixes but address the root cause, preventing recurring issues. Despite their outward simplicity, garage doors house intricate components such as springs and hinges. One misstep in the repair process can result in further complications, potentially leading to a more substantial repair bill in the future. Professionals possess the knowledge to navigate these complexities with precision.
Time & Efficiency
DIY garage door repairs can be time-consuming and frustrating, especially if you’re not familiar with the intricacies of the system. Professional technicians are well-versed in the repair process, allowing them to identify and rectify issues efficiently. This not only saves you time but also ensures that your garage door is back in working order promptly.
Correct Tools & Equipment
Garage door repairs often require specialised tools and equipment that may not be readily available to homeowners. Professional technicians come equipped with the right tools for the job, ensuring that repairs are conducted with precision and efficiency. Our technicians boast extensive experience, with over 20 years in the garage door industry. They are well-versed in the nuances of various makes and models, including major manufacturers like Cardale, SWS, Garadoor, Hörmann, Novoferm, and Wessex. This specialised training ensures that they approach each repair with the expertise needed to address the issue effectively.
Cost-Effective Solutions
While DIY repairs might seem like a cost-saving option initially, they can lead to more significant problems and expenses down the line. Professional repairs may come with a price tag, but they provide long-term, cost-effective solutions by addressing issues comprehensively and preventing future complications.
WM Garage Doors
When it comes to your garage door, investing in professional garage repairs is an investment in the longevity, safety, and efficiency of your home. The expertise, precision, and cost-effective solutions provided by professionals ensure that your garage door operates seamlessly, providing peace of mind and security for you and your family. The next time your garage door encounters a hiccup, resist the urge to DIY and entrust the task to the experts who can deliver reliable and lasting solutions.
Whether your garage door requires repairs for functionality or appearance, our experts can restore it to its optimal state promptly. We offer transparent quotes for repair costs before initiating any work, ensuring that you are informed and confident in the services we provide. At WM Garage Doors, we understand the importance of professional assistance when it comes to garage door repairs. Contact us today for detailed information on the range of services we offer, and let our experts ensure your garage door is in top-notch condition.
Feb 22, 2022 | News
Having a brand new garage door fitted can change the exterior of your house. Not only can it add to the aesthetics but also brings an additional secure storage area. Following Storm Eunice and Dudley, and now as Storm Franklin hits across the UK, perhaps your garage door has taken some damage. However, often people wonder if they are covered by home insurance. Here at West Midlands Garage Doors, we have covered the common questions to help you if the worst happens.
Garage Doors & Home Insurance
The short answer to this is yes. However, every policy is different, and insurance will vary depending on the company used. Typically, most homeowners insurance policies state:
- A garage is covered as long as it is within your property boundary.
- Your garage door is only covered if it was locked at the time.
- The cover you receive could depend on the security you have for your garage.
- Often if your garage is attached to your house it is encompassed within the same policy.
However, homeowners need to read their policies carefully. Some insurance companies include the garage as a building. Therefore, cover for fixtures and fittings but not the contents within the building. Lastly, there will also be stipulations around “events”. Things such as fires, smoke, theft, natural disaster, and floods. It is vital policy documents are checked to avoid any further disappointments.
Advice to keeping your garage safe
Prevention is always better than cure. Therefore, making some key alterations to your garage will benefit you both mentally and financially. Offering you peace of mind but also save you some money with your insurance policy. Additionally, there are certain types of garage doors that meet standards set by the Association of Chief Police Officers. Some alterations to consider could be:
- Security lighting
- CCTV cameras
- Ensuring your garage is securely locked
- Not having valuable items on view
- Identifying high-value items and adding these to your policy
West Midlands Garage Doors
Always use a reputable garage door company when repairing or replacing a door. When disaster strikes it helps to have a business, you can trust. West Midlands Garage Doors offer long-lasting, durable garage doors that suit your style. We can provide a wide range of high-strength doors to complement a home’s exterior, while simultaneously providing secure options to keep your belongings safe. In addition to added security, we can install, maintain, and repair your doors to your bespoke requirements.
Discuss your bespoke needs today with our professional team. We will conduct a free site survey and provide you with a 30-day no-obligation quote, with no hidden extras. Whether you live in Birmingham, Walsall, Staffordshire, or the surrounding regions of Solihull, Coventry, and Wolverhampton we have the solution for you. Contact us today!
Dec 10, 2021 | News
Garage safety is a top concern for homeowners who want to prevent the theft of their vehicles and the burglary of their possessions. Here we present safety tips for your garage, followed by what to look out for if you are buying security garage doors.
The first tip is to add a security camera (CCTV), which is an excellent deterrent to thieves. We also recommend either permanently lighting the area in front of the garage or using motion-activated lights, which can be wired in or run on solar if you don’t have electricity in your garage.
Automatic garage doors can be configured to close after a few minutes automatically, so activating this is beneficial. If your door has an emergency release cord, you can also fit a garage shield to protect this from tampering.
Keeping Your Garage Safe and Secure
If you are purchasing a new garage door, your choice will significantly impact the garage door security. We recommend choosing a product that has been tested to the highest standards.
Today, security garage doors can achieve a security badge of honour with the Secure by Design (SbD) denotation, indicating that the product is designed to meet police-recommended standards. The Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) also presents the LPS 1175 SR1 Rigorous Burglary Resistance Standard.
The SWS SeceuroGlide Excel security garage doors were the first to attain LPS 1175 SR1 garage security standards and also bear the Secured by Design marking.
These SWS roller garage doors achieved a Level 1 security rating, passing sustained violent and vigorous brute force attacks, including cut, push, and lift attacks.
Security features that enable such garage door safety include an automatic secure locking system, locking bottom slat, galvanised steel endplates, and vacation mode. Garage security can be further enhanced with a 90dB optional automatic alarm.
If you are looking to invest in the highest quality garage security, security garage doors from SWS might be your best choice.
Jul 16, 2021 | News, Security garage doors
Whether you are working, on the school run, or on holiday, your garage is most vulnerable when you aren’t home. If you find yourself worrying about garage door security, this is a clear sign that you need to review your garage door safety.
Follow our ten tips for keeping your garage safe while you are away, for extra peace of mind.
1. Close The Garage Door
It sounds almost too straightforward, but not closing the door properly gets overlooked far too often. Whether from forgetfulness or because you aren’t away for long, an open door can be seen as an invitation.
Many automatic garage doors have a built-in automatic self-closing feature. This doesn’t mean you have to just drive away and leave it down to the automated system. But it is a great, nice-to-have backup.
If you have access to your garage from your home, add a physical side-locking mechanism on the inside.
2. Keep Your Belongings Out Of Sight
When storing valuables or expensive tools and equipment in your garage, keep these covered or out of sight in a cupboard or lockable tool storage cabinet.
When you are purchasing a new garage door, then consider one without glazing or with frosted glass. If you want clear glazing, opt for glass panels positioned at the top to make it harder to see in.
3. Light Your Garage And Drive
Burglars and thieves don’t like being seen. So you can boost your garage door security by adding exterior home and garage lights. External lights can be connected to the automated garage door opener or use a motion sensor that turns the light on whenever someone approaches.
4. Secure Your Side Door
A service door on the side of a garage is a popular feature that allows access, often directly from your garden. You should upgrade to a secure door if yours is sub-standard, and be sure to keep this locked.
5. Protect Internal Home Entry Doors
If your garage is attached to your home, then it will likely have an internal access door. When you are away, keep this locked to create an additional barrier should someone break into your home.
6. Improve The Visibility Of Your Garage
Just like adding exterior lights, you will improve your garage door security if you trim back bushes and trees to improve visibility.
7. Hide Your Remote
Leaving your garage remote on view in your car or clipped to the visor is not a good idea. Most remotes have a design that allows you to clip them to your keychain, so you can take them with you. Don’t forget to lock your car and don’t leave your house keys in your vehicle.
8. Choose An Opener That Supports A Smartphone Connection
If you don’t like the idea of carrying a remote, then smartphone-operated openers are an excellent alternative. You can also see if your door is open or closed, 24/7, from anywhere in the world.
9. Ensure Your Garage Door Is CE Marked
Garage doors and openers made before 2000 might not be CE Marked. This is an indication that the security features do not meet modern standards.
The evolution of technology has been significant over the past twenty years. New garage doors have features such as rolling codes that change every time you use your remote and holiday modes, which disable remote access when you are away.
10. Choose A Secured By Design Garage Door
Secured by Design is an official police initiative and tells you that you are buying the most secure type of door with strong garage locks.
For more information on garage door security or a site survey and new garage door price, don’t hesitate to contact our team.
Jul 2, 2021 | News, Roller garage doors
Roller garage doors are much loved by vehicle and homeowners. They are incredibly versatile, practical, and reliable. With a range of different colours and optional glazing, they can create excellent kerb appeal, and an attractive welcome home.
The Types Of Roller Doors
Double skinned aluminium insulated garage roller doors are made from foam-filled slats. This style offers high levels of security, automated operation that is quiet, noise insulation, and thermal insulation that keeps excessive heat or cold outdoors.
Single skinned continuous curtain steel roller garage doors are your basic style and suitable where security, noise pollution, and insulation are not a significant concern. The system gives lots of headroom above the lintel, and smaller single-doors can be manually operated and spring-loaded to facilitate this. Larger and double-doors should ideally be automated with a motor and remote control.
How Does A Roller Garage Door Work?
A roller garage door is made from slats or laths, and this forms a curtain that slides up guide rails into a housing above the opening. A significant advantage of this type of opening is that the door does not swing or protrude into the driveway during opening. This allows you to park right up to the garage door, which is handy if your family has several cars or if you want to use your drive space for other jobs or purposes.
Roller garage doors are usually automated with an electric motor and a remote control. It is a good idea to have two remote controls, although many electric roller garage door manufacturers have mobile phone apps, which you can use to operate the door instead. Further features include automatic closing, so you never forget to do this, and attempted break-in alerts.
The system parts will include a wall-mounted control box, receiver unit, built-in courtesy light that automatically turns off after a few minutes, and a manual override system (in case you have no electricity).
The two main differences between roller garage doors and sectional garage doors are 1) the slats have less height 2) the slats roll into a housing above the door rather than sliding into the roof space. This makes roller garage doors a good option if headroom is limited or if you want to use the roof space of your garage for storage.
Which Manufacturer Should I Use?
It would be best if you always chose a reputable and well-known manufacturer. Garage doors may look the same from the outside, but if you want a trouble-free life, buying from a good name will pay you back many times over. Look for brands such as:
These roller garage doors use high-quality components to ensure reliability. There are many moving parts, so buying roller garage doors from cheap manufacturers is not a good idea. Also, look out for roller garage doors denoted as Secured by Design, which is the police initiative and standard that promotes safer products by design.
Are They Safe?
Your roller garage door should have the quality-assured CE mark that denotes that it meets UK safety regulations.
In terms of keeping your vehicles and valuables safe, you should again look for the Secured by Design marking. Good quality garage doors include unique security systems that hold the curtain securely in place when closed, prevent forced lifting from the outside, and prevent curtain dislodging.
What Size Do I Need?
The largest standard widths are 5,200mm for domestic residences, with a maximum height of 3,000mm. Roller shutter garage doors of larger sizes are possible, but the specifications of the slats, framework, and guide rails will all increase to ensure the system remains structurally sound and safe.
What Colour Can I Get?
Often have a choice of ten to twenty standard colours, but depending on the manufacturer, you might be able to choose any RAL colour. Woodgrain effects such as oak, mahogany, and rosewood are available on UPVC garage doors.
Glazing slats are an option, and these allow natural light into your garage space, which can be helpful.
Do They Need Much Maintenance
It is a good idea to keep the springs, door joints, openings, and moving parts lubricated. This will ensure the operation remains smooth and quiet, along with providing a long life. Maintenance primarily involves removing any leaves that collect by the door and washing the surfaces with soapy water.
For more information on roller garage doors or for a free site survey and price, please contact our team today.
Mar 18, 2021 | News
To start the year we ran a competition to win a free garage door so say thank you for everyone’s support throughout 2020.
The competition’s prize included a brand new Hörmann ribbed garage door with fitting location survey, removal and disposal of the old garage door, and the full installation of the new door by our qualified fitters. We were excited to fit the new garage door for our winner Jessica this month.
Out With The Old
Jessica had an existing grey up and over garage door and chose to upgrade her prize to a brand-new anthracite grey roller door at a fraction of the price. The roller door means there is no manual opening and closing of the door, and it takes up much less room than other door styles allowing Jessica to make the most of her garage space without fear of hitting or knocking things over when the door opens. The door was electric meaning you can save time and keep dry by opening and closing the garage door from your car.
In With The New
The new garage door is reliable and needs minimal maintenance, with no springs, gears, levers or pulleys, that could wear over time, meaning Jessica can enjoy her new garage door for many years to come. For added peace of mind, all our SWS roller doors are rated Secured by Design to keep homeowners and their belongings safe and secure.
WM Garage Doors is pleased to be able to continue to safely serve the residents and businesses of South Staffordshire and the West Midlands, including Wolverhampton, Lichfield, Coventry, and Cannock throughout 2021. If you would like a new garage please get in touch.
