Springs: A Garage Door's Best Friend

Springs are the main operating system for the garage door. People often wonder how a 1/2hp motor can lift a 150- or 200-pound garage door, and the real answer is that it probably couldn't--not without a little help. This is where your garage door's springs come in. These springs are wound with an incredible amount of required tension, and it's this tension that does the majority of the work when your door is opening or closing. Maybe you like to leave your door cracked open to let in some air? That's the springs at work again. Or maybe you've opened and closed the door manually, and with surprisingly little effort. That's the springs at work for you one more time.

A broken garage door torsion spring.

We last wrote about springs over a year ago, and we think that post covered some very important information. You can view the full post here (and we recommend you do), but we'll recycle some of the key points below.

• Springs don't usually shatter into pieces when they break, so it's not immediately obvious that a broken spring is causing a door not to open. Due to the incredible tension we talked about above, however, you are likely to hear a loud BANG when they break, and it would be very difficult or impossible to open the door manually.

• A broken spring is one of our most common service calls.

• In addition to inconvenience, broken or old, rusty springs can create a safety hazard for family members and pets that may be passing under an open door. For this reason, checking and properly lubricating springs is always on our checklist during all service calls.

• Springs are made to fit your unique garage door. We keep a large number of common sizes in stock, and we can also custom make some sizes in our shop. In most cases, we're able to replace broken springs the same day, and we're always able to get you up and running with a safe, temporary fix, should a special order be necessary.

Much like garage doors and nearly everything else, springs face extra pressure due to our warm, salty air. For this reason we use only the highest quality high-cycle springs, and we stand behind this quality with our own 3-year warranty.

To close out another great year with you all, we're offering our biggest savings ever on spring replacements. During the month of December 2016, save $50 off of any single-car door spring replacement, and save an incredible $100 off any double-car door spring replacement! Whether you have a broken spring or preemptively want to replace an old pair, use code word SPRINGS to take advantage of this great deal when calling 871-8888 to schedule your appointment!

Giving Thanks

We may not always remember it, but Thanksgiving is more of a Hawaiian holiday than we might imagine. Before Plymouth Rock and what most people think of as the meaning behind Thanksgiving, Native Hawaiians already had a festival of thanks, celebrating a successful harvest for an entire season. In order not to compete with the existing November holiday of La Kuokoa, King Kamehameha III declared December 31 a national holiday of Thanksgiving, making it a national holiday 14 years before Lincoln declared it as such (we now of course celebrate in November alongside our mainland neighbors). What does this have to do with garage doors? Well, nothing directly, but this month we're giving thanks and remembering some of our own history.

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One of the things we're most thankful for is our rich history here on Maui, and the opportunities that led to us being Maui's oldest garage door company. It takes a long time to earn trust, and we take that responsibility seriously, dating all the way back to when we were Maui Doors, in 1975. Fast forward to 1985, when Javan is fresh out of high school and working as an employee of Maui Doors. Over the course of five years, Javan worked tirelessly and grew the garage door portion of the business to its own enterprise, eventually assuming ownership in 1990, when we officially became Maui Garage Doors. 

Javan & Keri Quinsaat, Owners

Today, we're still the same family-owned-and-operated business we've always been, but we've continued to grow and build on the trust of quality service we've worked to establish throughout our history. We maintain a physical location and showroom, are fully accredited, a member of the Better Business Bureau, and an active member of the International Door Association. And we couldn't have done any of it without you all, or without the dedication, professionalism, and expertise of our incredible staff. So from the bottom of our hearts: THANK YOU, MGD O'HANA!

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To express our gratitude, we're offering 10% off any service or repair calls in the month of November. Mention promo code THANKFUL when calling 871-8888 to schedule your appointment. Please also feel free to share something you're thankful for this month. We look forward to hearing from you!

$ave Safely During National Garage Door Safety Month

It's June, and that means it's once again time to celebrate National Garage Door Safety Month! We've talked before on the blog about the importance of preventative maintenance, so we won't say more here than the fact that a large number of issues with your door and operator are avoidable and detectable with regular, routine maintenance (hint: service plan!). Instead, this month we'd like to look at the importance of garage door safety and provide you with some good tests that you can use on your own. Although this knowledge can help to save you some money, we still have a great promo for this month for when you do need a service call.

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Last year we mentioned that the garage door is the heaviest moving object in your home, and how 70% of homeowners use the garage door as their primary entrance to their home. These stats are still true today, and that means that it's still just as important today as ever to make sure things are running smoothly. Not all problems are obvious, and that's why each time we visit your home we have an extensive checklist to check on the integrity and operation of all of the moving parts. The garage is a natural gathering place for us here on Maui, and National Garage Door Safety Month is a great opportunity to get a questionable door back in order or replaced.

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Luckily, you don't have to be a technician to do some very basic checks on your own. Check out the video, provided by LiftMaster, below for some great tips that you can utilize at home. Keep in mind that these checks are intended to test the operation of a properly functioning door. If you suspect any issues or have been having any trouble with your door, please do not perform these simple tests. The theme of this month is safety, afterall, so please, please call us before putting yourself or your family or pets at any risk!

Did any of your tests not pass? If so, give us a call to schedule an appointment immediately. During the month of June we're excited to be offering $20 off the cost of any service call, PLUS a FREE kids safety coloring book! Use promo code SAFETY when calling 871-8888 to book your service appointment. 

Why We Use LiftMaster

There are a lot of commercial and residential door and automatic gate operators on the market. We have accessories, parts, and the expertise to maintain nearly all of them, but when we need to replace an operator or are furnishing a brand new door installation, we install LiftMaster. There are a number of reasons for that decision, and they include LiftMaster's longstanding commitment to quality, as well as their continued dedication to innovation and full range of solutions. It's for these same reasons that we are proud to be Maui's only Authorized LiftMaster Dealer.

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LiftMaster has been the industry leader for residential, commercial, and gate operators for over 45 years. With this long history they've developed and maintained important advancements in safety, quality, and innovation. Nearly all of their operators include a lifetime motor warranty, as well as an additional 1-5 year warranty on parts, depending on model. Their patented P3 motors also include the latest safety features, including optional battery back-up on select models, ensuring safe operation for your family, pets, and guests.

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Not content with having some of the safest and most reliable operators, LiftMaster recently introduced their MyQ technology. We've discussed this technology some previously. MyQ brings full connectivity to your garage and home to your smartphone, tablet, and computer, allowing for ease of use and peace of mind. From anywhere in the world, you can know whether your door is open or closed, and even operate the door remotely to allow for package delivers or the entry of a guest. For additional information on LiftMaster's history, products, and future innovations, please visit their website.

In celebration of our partnership with LiftMaster, we're offering $50 off of ANY LiftMaster operator and installation package, as well as 10% off of ANY LiftMaster accessory. Use promo code LIFTMASTER when you call 871-8888 for additional information and to schedule your free estimate!

An Ounce of Prevention...

Few sayings are as consistently true as "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," and the average double-car garage door weighs in at around 280 pounds! There are a lot of parts that work together to bring that weight safely up and down multiple times per day, and the affordable, routine maintenance offered by our service plans helps to ensure they all remain in perfect operating condition. In addition to the discounted service pricing you receive as a member, when any part shows enough wear to warrant replacement, you'll receive a discount on the labor necessary to replace it.

Residential door installed by Maui Garage Doors

One size rarely fits all, and that's why we offer two service plans: semi-annual and annual. Both plans offer the same comprehensive maintenance, but heavier and custom doors, as well as doors in areas that experience higher winds or rainfall, can benefit from the more frequent monitoring offered by the six-month semi-annual plan. Commercial customers are also covered, with unique commercial service plans offered to keep industrial doors in equally impeccable order. Residential or commercial, big or small, we keep all member door and operator details in your personal file, and you never need to remember when you're due for service: our office staff will call to schedule when it's time.

Commercial shutters installed by Maui Garage Doors

At each visit, our professional technicians will: inspect and lube the operator and shaft, removing the motor cover and cleaning the unit; check the door sensitivity and clean sensor eyes; test any remotes and wall mount; lubricate and inspect track alignment, cables, rollers, spring tension, hinges, and screws; tighten all nuts and bolts; inspect and lubricate limit switches and gear drive; and check the door panels for deterioration. This comprehensive evaluation can find and eliminate problems that may later lead to significant and costly problems. 

Our awesome technicians!

As a special promotion for the month of November only, sign up and pay the members' rate at your next service call, in addition to the peace of mind afforded only through the regular upkeep of your garage door and motor. Call 871-8888 for additional details and to sign up today!

Door Won't Open? Check the Springs.

On any given day, we receive at least one call for a broken torsion spring - the unsung and unknown heroes of the residential garage door that do nearly all of the heavy lifting when you open or close your garage door. Because the torsion spring doesn't typically shatter into pieces when it breaks, it's not immediately obvious that it's the cause of the malfunction, but the signs are easy to spot: the door only opens a few inches (if at all) before shutting; the door is very heavy and maybe even impossible to open manually; and finally, the visible break or crack in the springs coiling. A story we've heard on too many occasions is that of someone hearing a loud BANG, unable to place the source of the noise, only to later discover that they can't get their garage door open. Invariably, their torsion spring has snapped in one or multiple places, and due to the tremendous, necessary pressure wound into the springs, it makes a loud noise.

A broken torsion spring.

In addition to the inconvenience of a broken spring, old or rusted springs can create a safety hazard for children, pets, or adults that may be playing near or passing under a partially open door. Ever wonder how a 1/2 or even 1/3hp motor can open and close a heavy door, or how you can manually open it without too much effort? We're all superheroes to some extent, but the truth is that the torsion springs are doing the majority of the work, and when they snap, the full weight of the door can come crashing down. For this very reason, checking and properly lubricating your springs is always on our checklist during service calls. Unfortunately, you can never know when exactly a spring will snap, but routine maintenance and replacement of visibly worn springs is a great way to potentially avoid injury and any added repairs from the door slamming shut.

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Much like each model of garage door is slightly different, torsion springs are made specific to the dimensions and weight of each garage door. Maui Garage Doors keeps a large selection of the most common sizes in-stock for same-day replacement, but even if we don't have your specific spring in stock, in nearly all cases we can get you up and running that day with a temporary fix. We stock and order only the best springs, and as a result we're able to offer every spring we replace with a three-year warranty. Due to the pressure of the spring and the dangers involved in installing, it is also very important to only have these installed by a professional.

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Have a broken spring or want to preemptively replace an old rusty pair? Throughout the month of October, we're happy to offer $20 off a single spring replacement and $40 off the cost of a double spring replacement. Call 871-8888 today to schedule your next service appointment! One of our professional service technicians will take a good look at your springs and inspect the rest of your door's hardware as well.

Forget to Close the Garage Door? Double-check from the Beach.

Have you ever been driving and had the thought, "Did I close the garage door?" Trust us, you're not alone. To ease the minds of garage door and gate owners everywhere, LiftMaster has developed a new line of accessories called MyQ, and we're celebrating with an August promotion of 10% off any accessory! Whether your connecting a MyQ-enabled LiftMaster operator or that of another brand, there are easy-to-install and easy-to-use accessories available to upgrade nearly any operator. 

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MyQ technology works in conjunction with your home router and smartphone to enable the operation and monitoring of your garage door, gate, and select home lighting from virtually anywhere. And setup is easy: connect the Internet Gateway (828LM) to your router, create a free account on www.myliftmaster.com, download the LiftMaster MyQ Home Control app on your Android or iOS smartphone, and connect your MyQ devices via the app. From there, you're able to receive alerts directly to your phone when the door is opened or closed, check on status of your garage door or gate, and even open or close your garage door and gate from remotely.

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The applications for use are nearly limitless with this technology, and we're excited to be your on-island experts. In addition to being an incredible asset for home security, MyQ technology offers peace of mind and convenience. Having a scheduled delivery but can't leave work? No worries. Open the garage door from the office to have the package securely stored in the garage. Appointment with the cable company between 8am and 4pm? Buzz 'em in via your phone when the technician calls. Safety won't be an issue, either: when operated remotely, your garage door operator will flash and beep before closing. Watch the quick video below for more information:

As Maui's only authorized LiftMaster dealer, we're thrilled to be offering 10% off the purchase of any MyQ accessory through the month of August 2015. Call 871-8888 or visit our showroom and mention the blog to save 10% off of your purchase today!

Celebrate National Garage Door Safety Month with Savings!

Every June we take a moment to reflect on something that many of us might not give much regular thought to: on nearly every home, the garage door is the largest moving object. It is, essentially, a full wall that is lifted up and lowered down multiple times per day. One of the largest door operator manufacturers, LiftMaster, cites that up to 70 percent of homeowners use their garage door as the primary means of getting in and out of the home.

The "new front door."

For National Garage Door Safety Month (June), we take particular note of what is required to keep this moving wall operating smoothly and safely. Careful and consistent maintenance allows a garage door to be a convenience, instead of a worry. On Maui, our weather provides unique challenges to garage doors: high winds, high humidity, salty air, and heavy sun. This added wear on the door and its parts makes regular maintenance particularly crucial.

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In addition to maintenance, it’s also important to recognize the garage door as a potentially dangerous object, particularly for pets and children. Although sensor eyes provide a safeguard in most operators, it’s best to keep the little ones away from the door when it’s operating or left open, and to have them always play away from the door. A properly functioning garage door is of little danger, but a door that has gone without maintenance or is not functioning correctly can result in serious injury.

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In celebration of National Garage Door Safety Month, for a limited time Maui Garage Doors is offering $20 off of a service call! Call today at 871-8888 and mention “SAFETY” when making your service appointment!