How to Level a Garage Door

An unbalanced garage door is not only an eyesore, but it can be dangerous too! Unbalanced garage doors can often close too quickly making it a hazard for pets and young children and can put stress on various related parts.

What’s the most common reason for an unlevel garage door?

Typically, the torsion springs (the overhead springs). Each spring is made of tightly wound metal to ensure the door can open and close properly. They wind and unwind to pull the garage along its track and if they are damaged will cause the weight to be unevenly distributed. If left unchecked, the problem could affect other parts and require a new door completely.

Signs Your Garage Door is Unlevel:

– The door looks uneven when opening or closing

– The door hangs slanted or sags when fully open

– The door makes unusual sounds when opening or closing

– The door takes longer than usual to open or close

– The door won’t budge at all

Here are a few tips to level your garage door so it looks as good as the day it was installed!

1. Keep the Garage Door Open
Take pressure off the garage door by using a stool or ladder to prop it open a few feet.

2. Adjust the Spring Within Track Hanger
Make sure the springs are free of any tension before you remove them. If the door is closing too quickly, move the spring over to the next hole that you see on the bracket. If it was opening quickly then you’ll move it to a lower hold. Do the same for both sides in the same way.

3. Make Sure the Door Closes Evenly
Close the garage door and use a level tool to make sure both sides are touching the ground evenly. If it still doesn’t, adjust the spring tension on both sides until it does.

4. Adjust the Lift Cable
Finer adjustments to alignment can be made by lifting the cable and not the spring. The cable can be found attached to the S-hook which attaches to the track support. Keep the door open, then take the S-hook out of the built-in support mechanism to tighten, or you can loosen the cable as required. You will want to do this in a very minor way.

If you need help aligning your garage door or if you think you might need a replacement, get in touch! Our experts will help you problem solve your way into the perfect solution.

5 Affordable Garage Door Upgrades

It’s no surprise that garage doors hold a key to curb appeal. They tend to be a major focal point of the home and even if your home has been freshly painted and remodeled, a forgotten garage door will bring the overall look down a notch.

If you need to give your garage door some love, but you’re not ready to purchase a brand new one, here are a few ideas!

1. Focus on the Trim

If the trim around your garage door is worn, give it a good sand down and new paint.

2. Add Accent Lighting

Lighting can accent the good and sometimes even disguise the old. Exterior lighting can be purchased for as little as $60 a light so you can highlight the garage door for minimal cost. Install lights above the doors, beneath windows, or alongside other accents.

3. Update Landscaping

Landscaping also plays a huge role in curb appeal and while you can certainly break the bank with a full yard remodel, it’s easy to grab a few nice plants to hide flaws or accent a walkway. Frame your garage with bushes, flower beds, or a nice potted tree.

4. Upgrade Garage Door Hardware

Hardware can make a powerful statement. Simply updated generic door handles or visible hinges can make a huge difference!

5. Add a Pop of Color or Fresh Paint

Make a bold statement or stick with something more subtle. But a fresh coat of paint can do your door a lot of good for a minimal investment. Check out this article on the correct way to paint your garage door.

Wherever you find yourself in your garage door journey, we’re here to help! From recommending the right doors to helping you safely maintain or upgrade an old one, our experienced team will help ensure your garage door curb appeal. Get in touch with us today!

Tips for a Successful Garage Sale

Whether you’re looking to make some extra cash or looking to declutter, garage sales are a great way to clean up and clean out your home! While they may seem overwhelming with all the logistics involved, if you plan ahead they can be successful and maybe even fun.

For starters, get cleaning. A great rule of thumb is to ask yourself, is it beautiful or useful? The fact is there are some things in our house that might not “spark joy” as Marie Kondo says, but we still need it. Clean out the closets, the cabinets, the attic, the storage, under the beds, and outside in the sheds!

Step two. Get sorting. Before you start with prices, put everything into three piles: keep, sell, trash. The main goal is to get rid of the junk and find a permanent home for what you’re going to keep.

Step three. Name your price. Don’t be too sentimental about your stuff. If you’re struggling, ask a friend to tell you what they’d pay. Also considering bulk pricing for items like books, CDs, or other similar items. Make those prices visible and expect some negotiating.

Here is a good general rule of thumb for garage sale items:

Baby Clothes
    $1 to $3 for gently used/good condition

Adult Clothes
    $3 to $5 (more if the item still has tags on it)

Shoes
    $3 to $7

Coats
    $5 to $15

Jewelry
    50 cents to $2 (but if you think the jewelry is valuable, have it appraised first)

Books
    $1 to $2 for hardcover and 25 to 50 cents for paperback

Blu-ray Discs, DVDs, or CDs
    $3 to $5

Toys and Games
    $1 to $3 each

Home Décor
    $3 to $5

Furniture
    $10 to $30 for low-quality furniture but no more than one-third of the price for high-quality pieces

Pro Tips:

1. Have some change on hand

Don’t lose a sale because you don’t have change! Make sure to have enough change to get through the sale and make change for your customers.

2. Two days are better than one

The earlier you can get started, the better. Hardcore garage sale goers get up bright and early to get the “worm” and most sales will wind down before noon. Having the sale over the course of two days will help you sell more!

3. Make it appealing

If you want to make the sale, make your stuff look nice. Pump up the bike tires, dust off the appliances, and display everything in an organized and appealing way.

4. Consider a multi-family sale

Multi-family sales are great for a number of reasons. Maybe you don’t have enough for an entire sale on your own or maybe the task seems too daunting to do alone. Getting together as a neighborhood often gains more traction with buyers and more work can be spread out amongst families.

Whether you’re hosting a garage sale or not, this is a great opportunity to assess your garage and make sure it’s in tip-top shape. Clean off those shelves, organize the tools and make sure all the parts are working properly. As always, Champion is here to make sure your garage doors are in the best shape possible. Let us know how we can help!

6 Steps for Securing Your Garage Door for Vacation

Summer is here and people around the world are planning vacations left and right to make up for the lost time. But what about the home you leave behind? Do you have the peace of mind that it’s being kept safe?

Here are a few tips for garage door security to keep your home safe so you can enjoy your vacation stress-free.

1. Secure your garage door opener

Securing the opener is an easy way to protect your home! Many openers have a “vacation mode” setting which disables remotes and prevents the door from being opened from the outside. If yours doesn’t have that setting, you can simply unplug it. Just make sure to check your owner’s manual for instructions!

2. Lock your garage door

While locks aren’t necessary if you have electric openers, it’s a good idea to engage the lock if you have one. If your opener is older, check yourself to see if the door can be opened from the outside and consider adding a lock for extra security.

3. Motion lights and security cameras

Motion lights detect moving objects and illuminate the surrounding area which deters intruders who are less likely to approach a home that is well-lit. You can also consider adding security cameras to your property. Most systems are connected through an app so you can keep an eye on things from wherever you are.

4. Invest in a smart garage door opener

Most smart garage door openers allow you to control and monitor your garage door and lights from your phone, from anywhere. Some apps also let you allow others access to your garage – these users, such as dog walkers or babysitters, can even be set to access your garage at certain times only. A smart garage door opener gives you the most control over your garage and helps keep your home safe!

5. Secure your keypad

Garage door keypads are typically easily accessible, so you should turn them off to secure them against anyone who may try to crack the code. You can turn off its circuit breaker, find vacation settings or remove the device’s batteries.

6. Secure Garage Entry Door

In the event that an intruder is able to gain access to the garage, making sure the door that enters your home is locked will be one extra barrier.

While garage doors can be an easy access point for potential intruders, most of them are less likely to go through multiple steps and barriers. The more barriers, the better off you are and the more peace of mind you’ll have! And when it comes to keeping your garage door safe, we are here to help. Whether you need help locating vacation settings or you’d like someone to help you walk through securing your door, get in touch with our experts for a chat!

4 Reasons to Choose Champion Overhead Doors

If you start Googling “buy a new garage door” or “garage door companies near me” it’s inevitable that you might get overwhelmed. Making a decision on which garage door to buy can be difficult enough but finding the company to help you make these tough decisions should be easy.

That’s what we’re here for.

Here’s what you get when you work with Champion Overhead Doors:

1. 20+ Years of Service

As a family-run business, our mission is to provide our customers with the best garage door and automatic opener products and services available. We’re committed to offering the highest quality customer service in the southern Vermont, southwestern New Hampshire, and Franklin County, Massachusetts areas. We take great pride in the work that we do and the way in which we conduct our business and ourselves.

2. Wide Variety

Our current product line offerings include garage doors, overhead doors, openers, and related supplies from C.H.I. Overhead Doors, General Door, Artisan Custom Doors, HAAS, Wayne Dalton, Amarr, Door Systems, Inc., and LiftMaster Products. Why is this important? Because not only do we serve both residential AND commercial clients, but we work with a wide variety of suppliers to guarantee you the best price possible. 

3. Same Day Service

This point really says it all. When emergencies and accidents happen, Champion is there to solve the problem.

4. Experience and Dedication

When you do business with Champion Overhead Door, you’ll find that our employees adhere to the highest standards of ethics and professionalism. Our experienced sales representatives help walk each client through the entire process. If you – our valued customers – are not happy with the products or services we provide, we want to know about it so we can make it right. Your satisfaction is our goal above and beyond anything else.

Hear it straight from some of our customers: 

“These folks really rate more than 5 stars. Superior service – honest appraisal of situation and costs. Totally refreshing to be treated with such care. They set a wonderful example of excellent customer service.” – Deborah

“Very satisfied with Champion Overhead Door. I first called them at 3:30pm on a Wednesday and by 10:30am the next morning, my new garage door opener was installed and working perfectly! The installer was very professional, courteous, and did a very nice job. Highly recommend!” – Tim

“Though another company had told me it would cost me much more than I could afford to install an opener on my existing garage door, the guys at Champion were able to find a solution and I now have the security and convenience I was looking for. They installed it in less than two hours and it works like a charm. Highly recommended!” – Karen

Get in touch with us today to experience our 5-star service and quality garage doors!