Should I Renovate My Garage Door?

While a functioning garage door is essential, if you drive up to your garage and the door doesn’t look as stunning as it once did, you need a renovation. Maybe you never notice your garage door’s appearance or aren’t sure if a renovation is right for your home. In that case, you’ll need some reasons to upgrade your garage door. Find answers to why you should renovate your garage door below.

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7 Tips for Choosing the Right Garage Door Company

If it’s time to replace or repair your garage door, you might be sifting through several garage door companies looking for the one that’s right for you. Choosing a garage door company takes careful consideration. While you don’t often think about it, a garage door makes up a significant portion of your home’s exterior. You need one that makes you happy every time you come home and can stand up to wind and weather. You also want to work with a company experienced in the delicate machinery that makes a garage door run smoothly.

Whether in the market for a garage door repair or a whole new door, this guide will teach you how to choose a garage door company that’s committed to quality service and superior products.

1. Read Reviews and Testimonials

See Our Customer Testimonials

2. Consider the Local Service Range

When considering companies, one of the first steps is to determine if a company serves your area. A good rule of thumb is to look at companies with a service range that’s not too narrow and not too vast. You want a trusted company local to your community, with a small enough service range that you can get the attention you deserve. If you ever experience an issue with your garage door, you want a team that can arrive quickly to get your door working again soon.

Blankenship Garage Doors is located in Bend, Oregon, and services Central Oregon — including Bend, La Pine, Madras and Redmond.

3. Look at Certifications

A company’s certifications and memberships act as independent verification of quality service. Several certifications and associations mark a garage door dealer in good standing.

International Door Association Membership (IDA)

The IDA is the premier association for the door and access system industry. Garage door dealers, branches, suppliers and service technicians can each join the organization. Belonging to an industry association shows commitment to responsible business practices. Industry associations seek to benefit the entire industry by promoting honesty and fairness.

Members of the IDA follow the IDA Code of Business Conduct, which ensures the best of customer service and accountability. The code has eight tenets:

1. Customer Satisfaction
2. Truth in Selling
3. Responsible Conduct
4. Truth in Advertising
5. Safety Compliance
6. Contracts and Product Services
7. Sealed Bid Procedures
8. Regulatory Compliance

Manufacturer Certification or Authorization

Most garage door dealerships specialize in particular brands of garage doors. Blankenship Garage Doors, for example, is a Clopay® Authorized Dealer™. Authorization from the manufacturer means a dealer will install your garage door correctly. They will always use the right tools and procedures. An authorized dealer also upholds a manufacturer’s warranty and knows how to maintain and repair the door. So, you get peace of mind knowing your garage door will always be taken care of.

Local Associations

A local association, such as the Central Oregon Builders Association (COBA), shows commitment to your local community. Like the IDA, local associations promote ethical business practices. They also commit to providing education to their members, so you know your dealership or garage door repair company is well-informed in their trade.

4. Ask for Proof of Insurance

All garage door installers and contractor businesses need insurance to work on your home. It’s the law, and it protects you in the unlikely event something goes wrong. While an established garage door dealer has plenty of expertise, proof of insurance gives you peace of mind. A reputable garage door company will happily provide this information for you.

5. Compare Quotes

Every household has a different budget and set of needs for installation, repair and maintenance services. By collecting quotes from a few different companies, you can learn about the pricing of several companies and also how they conduct business. 

Does the company call you back quickly and ask about your unique needs before drawing up a quote? Do they offer free quotes and allow you to look at quotes for all the models you are considering? Do they discuss the quality of each of their models, or push you toward options with deep discounts? After getting quotes from the companies you’re interested in, you have a much better idea of the price you’ll pay as well as the quality you’ll receive.

6. Evaluate Services Offered

Not every garage door company will offer all the services and products you want. Every home has a unique set of needs, and it’s vital to find a company that meets those needs.

• Emergency services: A broken garage door can interrupt your day and cause a safety hazard. If a broken door or opener leaves you unable to move your car, you need a company that can be on the scene quickly. Blankenship Garage Doors prides itself in before- and after-hours repairs for these situations.
• Services for your model: If you’re looking for repairs, you’ll want to locate the best garage door company with expertise in your model. Many companies will service any brand of door. A Clopay dealer will provide premium care and excel at repair services for Clopay models.
• Quality and affordability: Every garage door company will have a range of quality and prices. Consider if a company pushes their doors at the lowest price possible, or if they focus on quality first. A quality door will have durable construction and an attractive appearance that enhances curb appeal. Look for a company that recommends the best doors within your budget.

7. Look for Guarantees and Manufacturer Warranty

The best contractors and home services companies stand behind their work. Working with a manufacturer-approved dealer will ensure you can take advantage of a manufacturer’s warranty on the products you install. The best companies will go beyond that warranty, offering a complete satisfaction guarantee. At Blankenship Garage Doors, we want you to be happy with your new garage door, installation, repairs and maintenance. We guarantee our work and will complete every job to your satisfaction.

Choose Blankenship Garage Doors as Your Central Oregon Garage Door Dealer

If you’re in the market for a new garage door or are looking for repair and maintenance services, trust Blankenship Garage Doors. As an Authorized Clopay Dealer, we’re the best garage door company to outfit your home with a quality, long-lasting garage door. Browse our collections or use our Clopay Door Imagination System to see how an attractive door can boost your curb appeal. We also provide timely, quality-guaranteed repairs, even when it’s outside regular business hours.

As a member of the IDA and COBA, we’re committed to leading the garage door industry and bettering our local community. We proudly serve Bend, La Pine, Madras, Redmond, and surrounding areas of Central Oregon. Let us find the garage door that’s right for your home, and be your dependable repair and maintenance partner. Request a free estimate today.

Contact Us for a New Garage Door

Improve the Look of Your Home With Your Garage Door

How to Improve the Look of Your Home With Your Garage Door

To many of us, a garage door is a utilitarian fixture we’d never think to replace unless it was damaged. However, updating your garage door, which can comprise up to 30% of your exterior facade, is an outstanding way to boost your home’s curb appeal. This investment, in turn, will enhance the resale value of your home, as it’s one of the first things potential buyers notice.

Whether you’re trying to bring a cohesive quality to the exterior of your home, accent an existing feature or totally transform your facade, changing your garage door is an excellent place to start. In this article, we’ll provide tips on how to improve the curb appeal of your house, which includes choosing the right color, style and surrounding decor for your garage door.

How Changing Your Garage Door Can Make Your House More Attractive

Updating your garage door — whether you’re giving it a fresh coat of paint or replacing it completely — can boost the curb appeal of your home in the following ways.

• Completing the design of your home: If you’re trying to finish or revamp the entire exterior design of your home, a new garage door could be the perfect finishing touch you’re looking for. Whether it’s a new color, design or material, it can tie the whole look of your home together or give the front of your home that extra something it needs.
• Upgrading the style of your home: If you purchased your home a long time ago, and you want to make it look a bit more modern, a new door can provide that refreshing touch you’re looking for with its material, color, texture, style and design. You can pick something that reflects your current tastes.
• Restore the original look of your home: Perhaps your home has experienced a lot of wear over the years, and you’d like to restore it to its former glory. Updating your old, worn-out garage door along with your front door can make your older home look as good as new.

As a garage door relates intrinsically to a home’s curb appeal and functionality, it has a high return on investment.

Choosing the Right Garage Door Color

Below are the five most common colors for garage doors.

• White: This is a popular, go-to shade for many homeowners and makes a door look crisp and bright. Keep in mind, however, that white will show marks much more noticeably than a darker color.
• Soft gray: In the decorating world, gray is the new neutral color. This pale, soft shade is the perfect color for various reasons — it blends with the background with many colors of bricks and keeps the focal point on your home and front door. 
• Dark gray or black: Black has always been a popular option for garage doors. While dark gray and deep black-blue have recently become trendier alternatives to jet black, the best choice for your home will depend on various factors, including the style of your home and the color of your brick. To achieve a contemporary look, paint your garage door and window trim the same color. Black window trim is particularly fashionable at the moment, and it hides dirt better than lighter doors. If not done correctly, though, it can make your home look stark.
• Taupe or beige: The color of your bricks will often determine the right color for your garage door. If the color of your brick is in the taupe/beige family, picking the same color for your garage door will help it blend in well.
• Walnut brown: If you like warmer tones in general, but are considering a darker color for your garage door, deep walnut brown is an excellent choice. When done right, walnut brown can make your door look like it’s expensive wood.

If choosing a dark brown color, be careful, as many shades of brown can make a house look dated. It is crucial to pick the right “walnut brown” color. Here are some other useful tips for choosing the right color.

• You don’t need to match the color of your garage door and front door. In most cases, it’s best to keep the front door the focal point. This statement is especially true if your front door is a bold color like yellow, blue or red. In this situation, matching white or gray is the best option.
• Choosing a garage door color that’s the same as your house can be a good idea. It can make your home look bigger and doesn’t make the garage door the focal point.
• Avoid multiple colors. This look is dated and will detract from its curb appeal.
• Get inspiration. Browse sites like Pinterest and Houzz to get ideas for how to dress up garage doors. You can also take a drive around some neighborhoods.

Choosing the Best Garage Door Style For Your Home

If you’re planning to buy a brand-new garage door, you’ll have lots of choices in terms of designs and material, and the one that’s best comes down to your preferences and tastes. If you’d like a rustic appearance, for instance, wood panels can give your home a classier, warmer look. If you’d like something more modern, on the other hand, geometric cuts and clean lines can give your home a minimalist, sleek appearance. The style you choose may also depend on how you’d like to use your garage or how you plan to decorate your new garage door. 

To help you out with your decision, we’ll cover the most common garage door styles and the impressions each type tends to make.

• Glass and aluminum: This sturdy, high-quality choice features a sleek surface and is a great option for those looking for a simple and modern look. Your door can be all aluminum or incorporate glass as well — certain modern doors feature an aluminum frame and a center of glass crossed by beams of aluminum. This choice is excellent for modern, simple tastes and, if you intend to use your garage as a workspace, keep in mind these doors allow in natural light. But even if you’re going to use your garage to park your car and keep out the elements, this garage door style will give your home a geometric and sleek appearance.
• Steel: Like aluminum, steel garage doors are sleek and modern-looking, but they’re also remarkably durable. Insulated steel is among the strongest, sturdiest materials you can pick to keep your garage safe. What’s more, it has the added benefit of efficiency. Unlike most other types of garage doors, steel garage doors help insulate your home and keep temperatures inside comfortable.
• Wood: This classy, traditional choice offers the unique benefit of authenticity and provides a rustic, rich feel other materials can’t duplicate. If your home is in a rural area and you’re looking to give it a rustic, traditional feel, a wood garage door could be a great choice. Choose a wood material and stain you like and that suits your home — just be sure to protect the doors with a waterproof adhesive sealant.
• Carriage house: This style of garage door provides your home with a look that is both sophisticated and rustic and will help it stand out in the neighborhood. You can make these doors especially attractive with side detailing, windows, handles and other accessories.
• With windows: If you’ve never had a garage door with windows, this may seem like a strange feature. However, windows can transform your home’s appearance and significantly improve your curb appeal. While windows may not be the best choice for every home, if your garage door takes up a large portion of your home’s front facade, windows can help break up the surface and add some variety. Base the location and design of your windows on those of your front windows or the windows in your front door — this will help draw the design together.

Decorate Your New Garage Door With The Right Decor & Accessories 

Once you’ve decided on the color and style of your garage door, you can continue your garage entry makeover with some other customization options.

• Greenery: You can add topiaries or potted plants on either side of your garage door. Shrubs, tall plants and other types of greenery are great ways to add an additional flourish, and you can customize the plants for each season or change them whenever you feel like it.
• Architectural features: Trim, trellises, pillars and porticos above and around your garage door will enhance its design, making it stand out. Stonework in the driveway or walls can also go a long way.
• Lighting: Lights are one of the final touches to enhance your door’s curb appeal. Not only do lights illuminate the design of your garage, but they also make the space safer and more functional — they’ll provide light for when you return home after dark and will also deter intruders. You can install lights over the garage, build them into the garage door, put them on either side or even along your driveway. A wide variety of colors, designs and materials are available as well. Just like all the other features and accessories of your garage door, the lighting you choose should complement the style and colors of the rest of your home.

Why Choose Blankenship Garage Door as Your Garage Door Installer?

If you’re a homeowner in Central Oregon, and need a new garage door, you’ve come to the right place. For over 20 years, Blankenship Garage Doors has been helping customers throughout Central Oregon pick out high-quality residential garage doors that combine durability, performance and stunning modern curb appeal ideas.

We’re a proud Master Authorized Dealer of Clopay garage doors, a brand that has been leading the industry for the past 50 years. We offer a wide range of these high-quality, award-winning doors at competitive prices, and they’re available in many designs and material options.

If you’re searching for something with a contemporary look, for instance, you can check out our selection of modern doors manufactured from hot-dipped, galvanized steels that combine subtle, distinct beauty with rugged efficiency. If you’d like a wood-look garage door, we also sell beautiful Clopay faux wood doors that emulate the warmth and beauty of authentic wood, eliminating worries about rotting or warping. These doors can also be insulated, which will keep your garage a more comfortable temperature throughout the year. We also sell garage doors made from authentic wood, doors made of glass and aluminum and many others.

If you would like a customized garage door that suits your unique style and functional needs, Clopay offers the opportunity to create a made-to-order residential garage door products. We recommend you first take a little time to browse Clopay’s Imagine FlipBooks to get some inspiration, then use the online Door Imagination System to play around with some customization options and features.

Here are some other reasons to come to Blankenship Garage Doors.

• We’ll take care of your installation. Once you’ve picked out your new garage door, we can perform a quick, flawless installation for you. Since we are a Clopay Master Authorized Dealer, we are able to install any Clopay residential garage door — and guarantee that we’ll complete the job to your satisfaction. 
• You can see our garage doors in person. In addition to browsing our online galleries, you can also get a closer look at our products by visiting our showroom. Our showroom is completely stocked and allows you to browse the complete collection of Clopay products. There will also be knowledgeable staff on hand to answer any questions you might have and provide expert guidance. With the help of our experts, you can spend less time deciding on a door and more time picking out your surrounding decor! You can contact us to schedule an appointment. 
• We sell LiftMaster garage door openers to suit your budget and needs. Blankenship Garage Doors boasts a comprehensive selection of LiftMaster belt-drive and chain door openers that feature the cutting-edge MyQ technology, which allows users to monitor and control the openers using a smartphone, tablet or computer, regardless of their location. They also come with useful features like efficient, powerful P3 motors, battery backup for power outages and several other security and safety innovations. Our LiftMaster garage door openers are compatible with all Clopay products.
• We install garage door openers. For your garage door opener to function properly and not pose a safety hazard, proper installation is a must. Our team consists of experienced, knowledgeable garage door technicians who can install every garage door opener product from LiftMaster. We also guarantee all the projects we install, so you can use your opener with complete confidence.
• We offer timely maintenance and repair services. Even products as high-quality as LiftMaster’s garage door openers require an occasional tune-up to keep them working at maximum efficiency. As your Central Oregon LiftMaster dealer, we can perform routine maintenance on your opener and also handle any repair tasks. If it’s an emergency, we can even come to your location before or after hours.

Visit our site to browse our vast selection of residential doors.

Detecting Garage Door Scams

How to Detect Garage Door Scams

When your garage door stops working, you need to find someone who can help with repairs fast. Ideally, you would be able to find a reputable repair service right away. Unfortunately, however, some people are eager to take advantage of homeowners in need of emergency repairs, so it’s important to remain vigilant when choosing a repair company.

When you search for a repair service online, it’s possible that you’ll come across scam companies designed to lure in desperate customers and overcharge for unnecessary repairs. In order to protect yourself from potentially costly charges, use this guide to detect garage door scams and identify reputable companies in your area.

Warning Signs of a Garage Door Scam

A reputable repair company wants to build positive, lasting relationships with customers. Scam companies, on the other hand, focus on tricking first-time customers. This means scam companies operate very differently from reputable services.

In your preliminary search for a repair professional, look out for these common scam warning signs:

• Generic or Inconsistent Branding: Many scam companies operate under multiple names to avoid detection. Avoid companies with generic-sounding names or that use different names online than in their advertising.

• Claims That Seem Too Good to Be True: Companies that offer low service call fees and claim their parts come with “lifetime guarantees” often turn out to be scams. Evaluate too-good-to-be-true offers carefully before calling.

• Pressure to Purchase: When you have a reputable technician over to examine your garage door, they’ll likely show you damaged parts and explain any necessary repairs. However, they’ll never pressure you to agree to their suggestions. Pressure to purchase, especially without sufficient explanation, could indicate you’re dealing with a scammer.

How to Avoid Getting Scammed

You can take several steps to avoid accidentally hiring a scammer. By following these recommendations, you can detect scam companies and hire a reputable service instead:

• Ask Questions: When you first contact a garage door repair service, ask for the name of the company and their street address and double check their answers. If the name provided differs from what you expected or if they struggle to provide this information, hang up and try contacting another service.

• Read Online Reviews: Look beyond company websites for reviews — scammers can easily falsify website testimonials. Try looking on sites like Angie’s List for reviews from legitimate users instead.

• Choose a Verified Dealer: Many disreputable companies lack certification. Search for companies with proof of International Door Association (IDA) membership and Institution of Door Dealer Education and Accreditation (IDEA) certification. You can also check a company’s reliability by making sure they’re listed on their garage door manufacturer’s website.

Find a Garage Door Repair Service You Can Trust

It’s an unfortunate fact that disreputable repair services exist across the United States and Canada. By educating yourself and exercising caution, you can avoid scams and find a reputable company to help you with garage door repairs.

At Blankenship Garage Doors, we’re dedicated to providing excellent service to our clients as a proud member of the Central Oregon Builders Association and the IDA. If you’re looking for a garage door company you can trust, call Blankenship today and learn how we can help.

Reasons You Need An Insulated Garage Door in Oregon

Oregon is one of the most scenic and temperate locations in the country to call home. But with such ideal temperatures and weather conditions, do local homeowners need to invest in additional energy efficiency products and upgrades?

One of the main reasons why homeowners are encouraged to check out insulated garage doors is for improving energy efficiency during variable climates. And while Oregon temperatures are rarely extreme with blistering heat waves or freezing conditions, average temperatures throughout the state can reach above 80 degrees or dip into the 20s. During these temperature shifts, you’ll want to ensure your indoor environments are comfortable.

The best method for enjoying endless relaxation in your home every day is with an insulated garage door. Insulated garage doors are growing in popularity for many Central Oregon, homeowners because of their attractive finishes, superior energy savings and lasting durability.

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3 Ways to Spring Clean Your Garage

3 Ways to Prepare Your Garage for Spring

Winter months can be harsh in Central Oregon, and the cold temperatures, precipitation and winds can take a toll on your home. Come early spring, you may see some wear-and-tear on your home, especially when it comes to your garage doors and the inside of your garage. Take advantage of the milder climate to restore your home’s curb appeal and make any necessary repairs.

Schedule Your Garage Door Maintenance Today

How to Prepare Your Garage for Spring

At Blankenship Garage Doors, our focus is your garage. In addition to sprucing up the appearance of your garage after a harsh winter, we recommend running maintenance checks for safety and proper functioning. Your garage door should look good and run flawlessly.

Consider your spring garage maintenance, updates and upkeep an investment. Proper care will ensure safety and longevity while keeping your home secure.

You can prepare your garage for spring in three easy steps:

1. Clean your garage, both inside and out.
2. Run maintenance checks and make repairs.
3. Consider how to best protect your garage from spring storms.

Restoring your garage’s appearance is one of the first things to check off your spring to-do list. A harsh winter can impact your home’s condition, and your garage may look quite different than it did a year ago. Clean-up and reorganization goes a long way: With the proper care, your garage door can last about 30 years.

Give Your Garage a Spring Cleaning

Giving your garage door some special attention is a good starting point. In Oregon, your garage door is exposed to all the elements — sun, rain, snow, wind, dirt, rust, oil and debris throughout the year, particularly in the winter. Build-up from residue and dirt can get into the tracks of the garage door as it opens and closes and cause mechanical issues.

Properly wash down your garage door, both inside and out, and then clean and organize the interior.

• Clean your garage door: All you need is some dish soap, a rag or soft brush, a bucket of water and a hose. First, give your garage door a good rinse with the hose. Second, dip your rag in the soapy water and start washing the door at the top-left corner. Work across and down to avoid duplicating your efforts, and then rinse with the hose again. You should also follow the same steps on the inside of the door.
• Clean the interior: Clear any cobwebs from lights and walls, wipe down all surfaces, and give the floor a good sweep. Wash the floor with hot, soapy water, or a power washer for tougher jobs, and then rinse the entire area with a hose. Adding a coat of epoxy paint to your concrete floor not only looks nice, but can also help resist water, alkali and acids.
• De-clutter: Lay out all the contents on your garage floor and get ready to purge. Divide your items into four piles — keep, sell, donate and toss. Make a list of the items you want to keep and where you want to keep them. Consider making the garage purge a family event to speed up the process and have a little fun.
• Organize: Create different zones that work for you and your family — consider zones for garden tools, car supplies, hand tools, sports equipment and kids’ belongings. Keep like items together and label any storage bins. Frequently used items should be easily accessible. Store those items near the garage door and on open shelves versus closed cabinets. Make sure to keep any chemicals in a locked storage cabinet.
• Create extra space wherever you can: The more things you can keep off the floor of your garage, the better. Consider using peg boards or slat walls to hang garden tools and other accessories. Instead of free-standing shelves, consider installing shelves on the walls of the garage. You can also hang bikes from the ceiling, mount them on walls or store them vertically.
• Certain items should be stored elsewhere: Storing paint, paper goods and pet food in the garage isn’t a good idea. Extreme temperatures can ruin paint, bugs like to hide in paper goods and pet food attracts critters. Also, a refrigerator can be a substantial energy drain on your garage and is probably better off in your basement or elsewhere. Make sure to keep propane tanks outside, as they can spark.

After you’ve cleaned and organized, you can prepare your garage door for spring by running some maintenance checks and tests.

Perform Garage Door Maintenance

Spring garage door maintenance is essential after an Oregon winter, and periodic upkeep will ensure that your garage door operates optimally for many years to come. At Blankenship Garage Doors, we recommend performing maintenance checks and tests at least once a year — twice a year if your garage door is more than ten years old. Periodic maintenance checks will save you money in the future.

Contact Us for Garage Door Maintenance

Modern garage doors like the Clopay^® systems here at Blankenship Garage Doors consist of many different pieces — springs, rollers, tracks, the opener and more. In fact, your garage door is the largest moving piece in your home. If you keep all those pieces in top shape, your system will function flawlessly for a long time.

For efficiency, we recommend you perform garage door maintenance in a certain order — check the hardware, replace pieces as needed, lubricate all moving parts and run system tests.

First, inspect the hardware for wear-and-tear. Although some of the most common garage door fixes are broken cables and springs, and bent tracks, we recommend a thorough inspection of all the items listed below. Look for:

• Broken or rusty metal parts: Metal parts can break or rust over time — it happens. Check any springs, rollers, hinges, tracks, bolts, and screws for breakage or rust. Swap out any damaged pieces with new parts.
• Damaged weather stripping: Weather stripping creates a seal between the door and the ground, keeping water and other elements from entering your garage. Make sure the weather stripping along the bottom of your garage door is in top condition. If not, replace it.
• Loose bolts and screws on the track brackets: Over time, vibrations from your garage door system may loosen bolts and screws on the brackets that hold your tracks in place. Use a screwdriver or adjustable wrench to tighten any loose pieces. By keeping everything tight, you will prevent the tracks from bending and keep your garage door operating smoothly.
• Bending in the tracks: Impact from large objects may also cause your garage door’s tracks to bend – bending can occur when a vehicle hits the door, or a large tool strikes the tracks. If you see any bending, repair your tracks immediately. If there is a lot a lot of damage, a track replacement may be necessary.
• Worn or frayed cables: Cables keep the garage door on its tracks when opening or closing. Over time they can fray or rust, causing them to weaken. Replace any weak cables right away to keep your family safe and your door operating as it should.
• Cracks or damages on the garage door: Take a close look at the material that makes up your garage door and take note of any cracks or damages. For a quick aesthetic fix, consider replacing the door panels. For excessive damage, a garage door replacement may be more cost-effective.

Once you complete the hardware checks, spend some time lubricating all moving parts — hinges, rollers, sheave bearings, torsion springs, roller tracks and locks. You can use common engine oil, WD-40 or Clopay^® Garage Pro-Lube to complete this task.

Next, run a few quick checks and tests to make sure the entire system is working together and functioning well.

• Check for hitching and jerking: If your garage door opens slowly or with any unusual movement, such as hitching or jerking, there may be a problem with a system component — possibly the opener, cable or springs.
• Do a sound check: Open and close your garage door multiple times and listen for anything that sounds unusual. You should not hear anything that sounds like grinding. Both creaking and straining sounds are normal in older doors.
• Perform balance tests: First, manually open the garage and make sure it remains secure in the open position. Next, manually lift the door up and down until it hangs in place without you holding it. A well-balanced door will stay suspended somewhere between three and four feet off the ground.
• Run reversal tests with the garage door opener: First, place an object under your garage door and close it to check that the reversing device is operating properly. Next, check your photo-eye sensor by waving an object in its path while closing the garage door. Finally, use your arms to apply resistance when the door is closing. Complete this test last for safety reasons. If it does not reverse, the force settings may not be accurate.

Once maintenance is complete, get your garage ready for the possibility of intense spring storms.

Protect Your Garage Door From Spring Storms

Although spring in Oregon typically brings more sunshine and milder temperatures, you still need to prepare for those pesky storms that bring heavy rains, potential flooding and high winds. Time is everything when preparing for severe weather — do as much as possible ahead of time so that you can concentrate on your immediate needs when a storm hits.

Invest in Wind-Resistant Garage Doors

One important way to prepare your garage for severe weather is to invest in a durable, wind-resistant garage door. Because of its size, your garage door is vulnerable to wind damage. Strong winds can create a pressure build-up, potentially impacting the rest of your home. Wind-resistant garage doors will protect your entire home during a high-wind event.

At Blankenship Garage Doors, we recommend reinforced garage doors from Clopay^®. These storm-ready garage doors need no advanced set-up as bad weather approaches. To reinforce the garage door, all you do is lock it — a huge time-saver during a high-wind event or evacuation.

Garage door manufacturers, such as Clopay^®, offer stylish options with impact-resistant windows. So, your reinforced garage doors can be attractive as well as functional. Reinforced garage doors also need to meet the wind load requirements in your region. Give us a call at 541-383-2658, and we’ll make sure you are up to code.

Prepare for Power Outages

We all know the power can go out during severe weather, so make sure you can manually open your garage door. Use the manual release lever to disengage your opener from your garage. Consult the user manual as release levers vary by manufacturer. As always, make sure your door is secure in the open position. If you have a newer garage door, your opener may have back-up batteries that will work for a little while.

Prevent Flooding

The best way to prevent your garage from flooding is to seal everything up and redirect water. Replace damaged weather stripping at the bottom of the garage door and fill any cracks in the foundation — you can find concrete vinyl patches at your hardware store. To redirect water, lay sandbags around the foundation.

Strategic landscaping can also impact how water flows around your garage. Hopefully, your lawn grade runs away from the exterior of your home and garage. If your lawn grade runs toward your garage, you can dig a dry ditch that diverts water around the sides of your home and fill it with cobblestones. If you don’t want to divide a section of your lawn in half, an alternative is to install a French drain outside the garage door that creates a runoff for excess water.

Let us know if you have any questions or would like ideas on the best ways to protect your garage from storms — we’re here to help keep you and your family safe.

Choose Blankenship Garage Doors for Your Garage Door Needs

At Blankenship Garage Doors, we’ve been helping homeowners in Central Oregon with their garage door needs for over 20 years. Maybe you want to install a new garage door, or you need replacement parts, repairs or maintenance? Whatever the case, we’ll give you a timely and personalized experience at the best price.

We’re your one-stop location in Central Oregon for Clopay^® garage doors — also known as “America’s Favorite Doors” for over 50 years. We offer a beautiful and extensive selection of high-quality Clopay^® styles and designs — whatever your preferences may be, we think you’ll find what you’re looking for when you stop by our showroom. And, if you’re interested in a custom garage door, you can look for ideas in our Clopay^® Imagine FlipBook or play around with options on our online Door Imagination System. Once you find your perfect garage door, we’ll install it for you.

We also offer and install LiftMaster^® garage door openers, which are compatible with Clopay^® Garage doors and offer exceptional functioning and durability.

Do you need garage door maintenance or repair?

Our team of technicians at Blankenship Garage Doors is highly trained and experienced. Our technicians offer a range of maintenance and repair services, both big and small, and offer prompt emergency service when necessary. We care about our customers and have performed premium garage door repair and maintenance services for over 20 years.

Blankenship Garage Doors is a member of both the Central Oregon Builders Association and the International Door Association. We’ve developed an extensive network of relationships with both customers and high-quality commercial contractors throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Contact us for maintenance, repairs, parts and installations. We have the knowledge and experience to offer you the best garage door service in Central Oregon. If you have questions or are just looking for ideas, give us a call – we’re here to help with all your garage door needs, no matter how big or small.

Contact Us for Your Garage Door Needs