B&D Maintenance
12
Aug
Garage doors archives

Preventative maintenance tips for your bd garage door

Posted on by WGD Team

When you purchase a B&D Roller Door, you want it to last as long as possible. You must watch for any potential problems and fix them immediately upon noticing them. Immediately fixing problems with your garage door will help prolong its lifespan and help it last as long as possible. The last thing anybody wants is an expensive garage door repair bill! The following are some basic preventative maintenance tips that will help you get the most out of your B&D garage roller doors and Panelift doors.

B&D Maintenance

Keep Bolts and Basic Brackets as Tight as Possible

Your garage door goes through a lot daily. It is constantly opening and closing. All that movement puts strain on the bolts and brackets that hold your garage door in place.

Regularly, typically every four to six months, it is a good idea to check all bolts and brackets on your garage door. Check to make sure the bolts and brackets aren’t loose. If they are, you can use a basic socket wrench that is found in almost any toolbox to tighten them back up.

If you are uncomfortable with tightening the bolts and brackets yourself, a professional garage door repairman can do it for you. It will cost a small fee, but it will help you avoid a garage door repair bill, as you won’t have to replace the entire garage door.

 

Monitor the Weatherstripping on the Bottom of the Garage Door

The weatherstripping on the bottom of B&D garage roller doors and Panelift doors is pretty durable, but it isn’t immune to problems. Over time, it could become cracked or start to show signs of wear and tear. When this happens, it is important to make sure you replace the garage door seal. This is a very cheap garage door part to replace, so no need for an expensive garage door repair bill!

Cracked or broken weatherstripping might not cause problems for your garage door, but it will cause problems for the items inside your garage. When the weatherstripping is broken, water may come into the garage during a storm. If this happens, it could damage your stored items inside the garage.

If you have water ingress in your garage, you might also want to consider a garage door floor seal.

 

Look Out for Problems That Require A Garage Door Repair!

When there is an obvious problem with your garage door, you will typically notice it. Pay close attention when your garage door opens or closes, and watch for any problems.

Some problems to watch for include the door not opening or closing as smoothly as it used to, the door opening or closing faster or slower than previous times, or the garage door making squeaking or clunking noises. All of these are signs that there may be a problem with your garage door. You can eliminate groans and squeaks with simple lubrication once a year. Check the rails for foreign debris then spray lubricant on the chain and springs. These simple tips can help prevent a costly garage door repair bill.

B&D roller doors and Panelift doors are built to last, as long as you perform routine maintenance on them. B&D is one of Australia’s top garage door brands.

We stock a wide range of B&D roller door openers and garage door remote controls, plus we ship Australia-wide! Contact Wholesale Garage Doors today to discuss your garage door requirements.

When To Replace An Old Garage Door
01
Aug
Garage doors archives

5 signs that it’s time to replace your old garage door

Posted on by WGD Team

Garage doors are durable and built to last, but that doesn’t mean forever. So, how do you know when it is time to replace your old, existing garage door with a new garage roller door or sectional garage door?

When To Replace An Old Garage Door

If you are paying attention, there are often signs that it may be time to replace your current garage door. The following are some of the most common signs that we see in the garage door industry.

Sign #1 – Extremely Slow to Close or Open

When you operate your garage door with an automatic opener, it should run smoothly and efficiently. Signs the garage door opener is struggling includes increased operation noise from the powerhead. If your door has not been serviced lately, the garage door may be unbalanced. This can greatly shorten the lifespan of your garage door opener. This will result in you waiting longer each time you press your garage door remote for the door to open.

Whilst calling the garage door repairman to service the door can help, over time this will become less effective.

 

Sign #2 – You are Afraid to Open the Garage Door as it is Too Noisy

Garage doors should open and close with minimal noise. In fact, people in your house should barely hear the garage door opening. The Merlin MR855MYQ roller opener is normally just louder than the garage door when installed by a garage door repairman. Rated at 57DB, this is just below normal conversation levels (60DB).

If your neighbors can hear the garage door opening or closing, it’s a clear sign the door is struggling. Newer Taurean and B&D roller doors have special features that allow them to open and close without making any noise.

 

Sign #3 – Current Garage Door Appears Worn and Torn

Garage doors are put through a lot. They must withstand harsh changes in temperature, high winds, rains and even floods, not to mention operating thousands of times. Over time, this could cause your garage door to appear old, ragged and worn down.

If you notice your garage door starts to appear worn and torn, it may be time to upgrade to a newer make and model. While you could paint it or purchase replacement parts, over time the garage door will just keep falling apart. This can lead to a vicious cycle of constantly buying replacement garage door parts, with spiraling costs. Constantly calling the Garage Door Repairman can quickly lead to spending more than what a new door costs. It is financially better to purchase a new one when you notice the door is starting to wear down.

 

Sign #4 – Lacking in Modern Safety Features

A lot has changed over the years in terms of safety features for garage doors. There are now better, more secure locking mechanisms, such as the B&D Auto-Lock, as well as protective barriers that enhance the stability of the door. All Panelift garage doors are fitted with safety features such as Pinchfree hinge designs and protected wheel tracks to prevent fingers being trapped.

Taurean Novataur doors feature the TauraEdge roller door track, which are the safest roller door tracks in Australia. The rolled over design of the door tracks ensure your pets or children will never cut themselves on the metal.

Older garage doors may not have these safety features and it can be difficult to retrofit parts. Upgrading to a new garage door, like the Panelift Icon, will enhance the safety and security of your home.

 

Sign #5 – Constantly Needs to be Repaired

Routine maintenance is normal on your garage door, as most manufacturers recommend an annual service for warranty. However, if you notice your garage door is constantly breaking down, it may be time to replace it. Replacing your garage door will save you money, as you won’t have to keep calling the Garage Door Repairman.

After looking at these signs, if you believe you are in need of a new garage door let Wholesale Garage Doors help you. We sell all major brands of roller doors and panel lift doors at wholesale prices. Call Wholesale Garage Doors today to learn more about our garage door products or to receive a free quote.

Taurean Sectional Panel Lift TIlt 4
25
Jul
Garage door opener archives, Purchasing Guide

How to choose the right roller door motor

Posted on by WGD Team

Technology has certainly changed the way we see garage door openers. No longer are they used just to open and close your garage door. With such a wide variety of roller door motor’s on todays market, it can be hard to decide which to choose. We’ve written this blog today with our entire staff, with over 200 years of combined garage door experience!

Wholesale Garage Door Panel Lift Door Display Home

Choosing the right garage door opener is almost just as important as choosing the right garage door for your home. Below we compare the Merlin and Auto Opener brands of roller door openers, with our recommendations and thoughts. Taking these things into consideration will help you find the right roller door motor.

Merlin – SilentDrive Elite MR855MYQ

The SilentDrive Elite is from another well-known automation brand, Chamberlain Merlin. The SilentDrive Elite (MR855MYQ for short) also includes two remote controls for your keyring, as well as a dedicated wall button. The MR855MYQ also has LED lighting, with the ability to suit slightly larger doors up to 18m². This works out to 6m wide x 3m high.

The MR855MYQ also has some optional accessories available, including a battery backup, MYQ Connectivity Kit and PE Safety Beams. No camera is available for this opener at the time of writing, however, you can get one with the iSmartGate kit which is compatible with the MR855MYQ.

View in Online Store

 

The Fine Print

For your warranty, Merlin also offers a 7-year warranty, or 15,000 cycles.

As far as keeping your warranty valid, Merlin requires the opener to be installed by a Professional Dealer authorised by Merlin and serviced in the third year of operation. Whilst Merlin only requires one service, there are a few hidden points. Your door cannot exceed 20kg of lifting weight at any time, cannot stick or bind at any point and must always be balanced. If it is not balanced or is sticking, you cannot use the door until it is serviced. No definition for what is ‘In Balance’ is given in the warranty manual.

Staff Thoughts on the MR8855MYQ Roller Door Motor

Warranty oddness aside, the MR855MYQ is a solid opener. The remotes look and feel good and we haven’t had an issue with one of the SilentDrive openers for a few years. Would recommend it if you are getting the motor installed for you and you are not wanting to DIY install it.

Auto Openers – Door Master

Finishing the round-up is the Auto Openers Door Master. Auto Openers is the only Australian-owned company here today, as Merlin is American-owned.

The Auto Openers Door Master (AODM for short) has three remote controls for your keyring, as well as an included wall holder/visor clip. This little clip has pre-fixed holes, so you can easily mount the holder to the wall. You can then use it as a wall button, or take it out of the holder for visitors to have a keyring remote. You can also it on your car visor in case you want to avoid something else on your keyring. It comes with a metal clip that slips over the visor to hold it in place.

The AODM also has very bright LED lighting and is also able to suit slightly larger doors of 18m². This works out to 6m wide x 3m high.

The AODM also has some optional accessories available, including a battery backup, Smartphone Kit, Smart Camera and PE Safety Beams. If you’re wanting to wire something into the opener, the green wiring terminal plug can be removed from the opener. You can then safely wire up your alarm or accessory on the ground, rather than being on a ladder!

View in Online Store

 

The Fine Print

Auto Openers offers a 5 or 10-year warranty, with no cycle limitations.

For your 10-year warranty, Auto Openers requires the opener to be installed by an Auto Openers Accredited Dealer. The motor then needs to be serviced yearly by an Accredited Dealer.

If you are planning on a DIY installation, Auto Openers also offers a 5-year warranty. This is the only DIY-supported warranty roller door motor that we sell. Your door just needs to be in good working condition, freely moving without sticking or binding before installation. There is only one required service, again in year 3.

 

Staff Thoughts on the AODM Roller Door Motor

As far as DIY solutions go, it’s the only one but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Auto Openers released a video showing the AODM installation with one of their techs. The motor’s price point is also much cheaper than Merlin, but it’s got all the same features and specs.

Highly recommended for both Professional and DIY installations.

Conclusion

Professional Installation: Merlin MR855MYQ or Auto Openers Door Master
DIY Installation: Auto Openers Door Master

It’s a bit of a read, but hopefully, you have a greater understanding of what roller door motor you want to purchase. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact us and we’ll be happy to answer them.