Tag: garage

by James Adam

Garage Door Stats & 8 Facts That Will Make You Glad to Have a Garage


Homes

Having a garage on your property is an incredible convenience and the ultimate peace of mind. Whether you have a residential garage or an industrial garage, you always know you have somewhere safe to park at home or work.

You can install garage doors with remote access, or you can go for a good old fashioned manual garage door. Whichever way you look at it, garages are great and you’re probably not the only one who thinks so.

In fact, when you read these stats and facts, you’ll either be glad you already own a garage or you’ll want to book a garage door installation service straight away!

8 Facts about Garages, Cars, Parking, and Garage Door Installations in Australia

The following facts range from outlandish to amazing, from worrying to reassuring – but they will all make you glad to have a garage door of your own. 

  1. We’re a Country of Drivers

In Australia, a whopping 92% of us drive and 92.5% of all households have at least one car. That comes out to 1.8 cars per household on average.

With street parking becoming a bit of a rarity across our suburbs, it’s great to have a garage door that you can keep your vehicle behind.

  1. Parking Your Car Will Cost You a Small Fortune!

Australia has the unenviable position of being the most expensive country in the world for car parking. This data has been measured in absolute terms, meaning you’re paying more dollar for dollar when you drive to an Aussie location and use paid parking services.

Australia unfortunately leads the way in both the cost of long-term parking and short-term parking. When you look at our cities, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are the top three in each of these categories, with Sydney topping the list for most expensive in both areas.

Paying for parking might be the norm, but with a garage at home, and especially at work, you can cut some of those costs. Either way, after a day of paying for overpriced parking, it feels great to come home to your own personal garage.

  1. People Are Feeling the Pinch When It Comes to Australia’s Car Parking Situation

Those expensive parking prices haven’t gone unnoticed according to the National Roads and Motorists’ Association. A ringing majority of NRMA members believe that car parking is too expensive (77%), while an incredible number also believe that there’s not enough car parking around (69%). I bet those people wished they had a private garage wherever they went, but you can at least install one at home.

So, are people willing to share the love when it comes to parking shortages? A total of 26% of NRMA members would consider making their home parking space available when they’re not using it themselves.

  1. Just When You Thought Car Parking Couldn’t Get Any More Expensive…

Before you complain about parking in a commercial car park, think about just how far some people would go to secure a park.

In parts of the country, you can buy and sell single car spaces. In fact, a parking spot in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs has been known to sell for $200,000. If you could rent out your garage for that much, it might just be worth it!

  1. It Turns Out Keeping Your Car Safe Is Pretty Important

In Australia, a car is stolen every 10 minutes on average, according to statistics. That’s a lot of cars, a lot of police reports, and a lot of heartache. For 28% of people, that car is never recovered.

You might be wondering, when does this happen, where does this happen, and how does this happen?

Well, Friday nights between 4 pm and 10 pm have been identified as a car theft hotspot. Around 37% of car thefts are due to stolen keys and around 23% of all Australian car thefts come from NSW.

And the car that gets stolen the most? The Holden Commodore has topped that dubious list.

  1. Why Have a Garage When You Can Have a Sky Garage!

You might be wondering, “what is a sky garage?” Well, it’s about as ridiculous as it sounds.

A sky garage is a glass box that’s adjacent to your living area where you can sit and marvel at your wonderful vehicle. You park your car in a parking lift and it’s taken up to your impressive display.

You could get your own sky garage in New York, Singapore, or Dubai, or you could just take a trip down to Melbourne. That’s right – Melbourne’s Neue Grand contains 18 apartments that take up a full floor each, and every apartment has a two-car sky garage.

  1. Want to Add Value to Your Property? Try a Garage!

We know that paying for a private car park can get expensive, but having a garage of your own can actually generate you a lot of money. Experts say that building a garage at home can add tens of thousands of dollars to your property value, which could be a lifesaver when it’s time to sell.

When it comes to building a second bathroom or a garage, experts say that a garage is best to boost your property value.

  1. Garage Safety – We’re All in This Together

When it comes to keeping your family safe around the garage, we all have to work together. Statistics from the US say that the majority of garage door accidents occur due to human error. For this reason, it’s important to teach your family how to act around the garage and to go through all the safety features.

As well as this, it’s important to partner with a trusted garage door company for design, manufacturing and installation. You can also enquire about a range of safety features when it comes to your garage door installation service.

Don’t Have a Garage of Your Own? Now Might Be the Time!

Now that you’ve read these incredible stats, you’re either glad to have a garage or you’re ready for your own garage door installation service. Look for a garage door expert who can help you with residential and industrial doors, as well as door openers and accessories. As well as installations, your garage door professional should also be able to assist you with servicing and repair requests.

With the right professionals on your side, you too can own a garage and smile along with these 8 incredible garage facts!


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by Incredible Planet Staff

5 Signs you need to replace your garage door


Homes

Your garage door does more than just providing access to your garage. It provides an amazing level of utility, enhances the curb appeal and increases the value of your home. But that can only be true if it’s well maintained and updated.

If your garage door is throwing off your home’s design, inconveniencing your operation, or simply not up to standard, it might be time to replace it. Here are top 5 signs you should get rid of your old garage door.

1. Noise level

Sometimes increased noise levels might just mean certain garage door parts need replacement or repair. However, you should not ignore these noises, because they’re more than just an inconvenience. A garage door in its proper working condition should run smoothly with minimal noise. If your door develops sudden new sounds in form of grating, squeaking, banging and grinding, it’s a clear sign you need to replace it.  

A common factor that can cause for increase noise is unlevel track.  Over time it’s possible that your garage door could fall off track and require repair.

2. Sagging

Roswell GA Garage Door Replacement and Repair

Sagging can be a really big issue, especially with wooden garage doors. If a wooden door is not well maintained, it can sag from decomposition, rot and overall deterioration. And even if your door is not wooden, any garage door showing signs of sagging means there is a major serious underlying issue. It’s recommended that you talk to Garage door installation and repair professionals to have a new door installed is you it shows noticeable signs of sagging.

3. Safety and security

Garage doors are known to cause injuries and sometimes even death if they shut unexpectedly. If your door doesn’t close the whole way, or the automatic reverse mechanism isn’t being triggered as it should be, it’s dangerous and may require garage door maintenance services. These issues can hurt your loved ones and pets, as well as damage your home and leave it exposed to anyone determined to break in.

4. Aged Design

A vintage, old-fashioned or antique design is nice if it matches the overall design and looks of the rest of your home. However, if your garage door has been beaten up by weather elements over the years and now it simply looks outdated rather than classic, it’s time to replace it. Doors generally fall apart, fade or rust, and this makes your home look bad, considering it’s one of the largest features on your house. Replace your old garage door with a modern, new design to upgrade the look of your house.

5. Repeated Breakdowns

Occasional garage door breakdowns are normal and can easily be fixed by garage door repair experts. However, should you notice repeated breakdown from abuse, age or normal wear and tear, start thinking about replacing the door. Instead of spending money on constant repairs, think about diverting it towards a new garage door installation. If you decide to stick with your old troublesome door, soon or later the cost of repair will outweigh the cost of buying a new door.

Bottom line

If you notice any of the above-mentioned signs with your garage door, do not make assumptions or ignore them. Call in professional garage door experts to thoroughly inspect every component. If you decide a new garage door installation is the way to go, do so as soon as your time and budget can allow in order to prevent any potential accidents and injuries.

by Rod Diamond

5 Tips for Inspecting a House Before Buying


Homes

Is purchasing a house something you envision for your future? Then get ready — this is one of the biggest investments you will make in your lifetime, so it’s a must to go about the property-shopping process meticulously and make sure that you get a great deal.

Having a house inspection done is one reliable way to determine whether a house’s value is consistent with the asking price or not. This is not just a smart strategy that buyers like you should adopt — it’s also required by Australian law.

Early observations

To ensure the thorough inspection of a house you are seriously considering buying, hiring the services of professional home inspectors is the recommended action.

But while you are still in the early stages of checking out properties that could potentially be included in your shortlist, you could practice doing some basic inspecting yourself. This is especially true if you are still only casually looking through properties through an open house.

So, if you are visiting different properties with your realtor soon and you want to get a solid idea of ways to check the structural and functional integrity of the property, here are five tips to help you out.

1.     Inspect certain rooms more thoroughly than others.

The attic, bathrooms, kitchen and garage require more of your attention when you come by to see a house.

Why?

The attic and garage are the areas where indoor heat is typically lost. They are also prone to pest infestations. Meanwhile, the kitchen and bathroom both have plumbing provisions installed. You will want to make sure that there are no leaking pipes, blocked drains and other plumbing issues.

If there are such issues in a house that you happen to be seriously interested in buying, the seller should be informed about them so they can have those fixed by a professional plumbing service. Alternatively, you might want to negotiate a new deal for the property if the seller fails or refuses to take care of repairs.

And speaking of negotiating a better deal for the house, an outdated kitchen entails lengthier discussions. If you will be needing a full kitchen renovation for the improved overall function of the space, this presents an opportunity to work out a more reasonable price.

Seasoned property buyers generally avoid paying top-of-the-market rates for an outdated property; you should be aware of this fact and take heed, too.

2.     Include the ceilings, walls, floors, doors and windows as well.

The condition of all these house features will have a reasonable impact on the quality of life you will experience if you were to move in.

For instance, check if doors and windows are broken or loose. If they are, that means the house’s HVAC system could be working extra hard (and failing) to regulate the indoor temperature, and consequently using more electricity than necessary. You will not like the monthly energy bill you will receive while living in a house in this condition.

Ceilings, walls and floors, on the other hand, shouldn’t have stains. Keep an eye out for wallpaper with bubbling or loosened areas. These signs indicate moisture issues in the house which may be caused by damaged plumbing. Pinpointing the exact source of the damage can be tricky, so you will need an experienced roof plumber for the job.

What’s more, if there is excessive moisture in the house, there could be a mold problem hiding somewhere as well. Certified building inspectors will tell you that molds are a serious problem that require professional removal. Plus, where there are molds, there are usually pests as well.

3.     Look over the exterior structures as well.

Step outside the house and have a look at the drainage systems, including the gutters. Also, check out the foundation and landscaping to make sure that everything is leveled and there is no growing vegetation that could affect the stability of the structure.

4.     Get an overall first-hand feel of the house.

A house should feel comfortably dry in its key areas. It should have a properly functioning HVAC system that maintains the ideal interior climate. Humidity should be low because a “moist” house, as previously mentioned, presents a lot of problems not only regarding the structural integrity of the house, but for the well-being of the residents as well.

5.     Ask about the year the house was built.

Many homes built before the 1980s contain asbestos. In such houses, asbestos would be present in old floor and ceiling tiles, shingles and flashing, insulation and other home components. Unfortunately, the presence of this naturally occurring fibrous mineral can lead to serious health risks for anyone exposed to it.

If an old house retains several “vintage” elements, there is a high likelihood that asbestos is present. If you are interested in the house, you could talk to builders or other professionals who are trained to handle asbestos during home repairs or renovations to gain more insight into its potential impact on your purchase. Otherwise, you could consider passing up that particular house and look for a newer and safer one.

You need to be dedicated and discriminating when looking for a home to buy because the purchase will provide you a truly valuable asset. As such, aim to actively learn what to keep an eye out for, and invest in hiring building and plumbing professionals to help you inspect the property you like the most. This way, you can be more confident that you’ll be making a truly informed buying decision.

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by Incredible Planet Staff

What you need to know about basic garage door maintenance and repairs


Homes

When it comes to your garage, keeping your garage door in a well-functioning manner is indispensable. Due to the frequency of its use, the garage door runs the risk of the constant wear and tear taking a toll on its functioning.

That is why you need to carry out routine maintenance and take appropriate steps when you detect any problem. You may opt to perform the basic maintenance tasks yourself or hire a professional to do the job on your behalf.

But beyond the basic maintenance, it is best to trust a professional to fix the problems and carry out garage door repair jobs. This article provides you information on common garage door maintenance and repair issues.

Routine garage door maintenance checks

By carrying out these routine maintenance checks at regular intervals, you can extend the life of your garage door.

  • Make sure that the door tracks are free from any dent or damage. It is possible to get rid of minor dents by using a rubber hammer. But a major damage to the tracks can require a replacement.
  • Check for the level and alignment of the tracks. If you find any mismatch in the level or alignment, you need to work on them till they become aligned to each other.
  • Ensure to keep the track clean. Clear off any debris accumulated on the tracks with the help of a paintbrush and a household cleaner.
  • Inspect the nuts, bolts, and fasteners. If you find anything loose, tighten it immediately.

Common garage door repair problems

There are some common issues that can arise which are directly related to your garage doors, springs, and openers, such as:

The twisted door

You face the twisted door issue when your garage door does not close completely. This often happens due to the malfunctioning of the mechanism that controls the door’s movement. This problem may require a replacement of the door or some parts of the mechanism.

The blocked door

A blocked door or a jammed door creates problems in opening or closing of your garage door. This issue often occurs due to the malfunctioning of the door springs or the door opener. It can also be caused by a bent track or a damaged cable.

The banging door

When you find that your door closes with a loud bang even when you haven’t used much force, chances are that broken springs are causing the problem.

The open door

It can be quite frustrating to discover that your garage door opens but does not close. A common cause for this problem is a dirty photo eye that prevents the door from closing.

The squeaking door

With a squeaking door, you get to hear squeaking noises when you operate your door. More often than not, the cause of this problem is dry hinges, bearings, and/or rollers.

If you are faced with any of these issues, you should contact an expert garage door service provider, such as the  Garage Door Pros of Ann Arbor; providing repair and installation services of garage doors and openers they will get the job done efficiently. A professional service provider will be able to offer you the best solution and save you future problems related to the issue.