Can I Repair Myself?

Identifying whether you can successfully repair a dent is somewhat subjective, but we have a couple recommendations. If the dent is NOT at the seam of two panels and is smaller than the diameter of a quarter, you should be able to repair yourself. There are exceptions including a “through and through” – the interior of the door is cracked or extends into the seam of two panels.

Should you notice the dent falls into one or both of those exceptions, you will require professional service as the structure of the door is likely compromised. Luckily, we’re able to assist. Give us a call today for service! 

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Takeaways

Key things to keep in mind would be to identify where the dents are located and identify the severity. “Through and through” dents, dents along a seam, and dents larger than the diameter of a quarter would require a professional. All others, you should be able to repair from home. As mentioned, give us a call today if you cannot repair yourself or are not comfortable doing so. 

Having other issues? Look at our other resources for potential help

The post Got Dents? A Guide To Repairing Garage Door Dents appeared first on Today Garage Door Services | Serving Chandler, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Arizona.

Garage Door Sensor Issues

Occasionally your motor will beep when one or more sensors are blocked. Simply ensure both are free of blockage, where both have a clear line of sight to one another, and clean any debris from the sensor’s surface with a damp towel. It’s important to remember to never spray any chemicals directly onto the sensor as fluid can seep into the electrical components. 

Still Beeping? You likely have an electrical issue with one or both sensors and likely require a replacement. Luckily, we can take care of this! Give us a call today for a sensor replacement the same day you call us! 

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Low Motor Battery

Another culprit of your beeping motor could be a low battery. Replacement is usually very simple and won’t require a professional to replace. Most motors have a similar battery placement and we’ll walk you through a quick step by step guide on how to change out the battery. 

NOTE: To order a replacement battery, you can find your exact model on either the manufacturer’s website or Amazon.

1. Disconnect the power
2. Locate the cover that holds the battery (usually on the backside of the motor)
3. Grab the appropriate Phillips or flat head screwdriver to remove the cover
4. Carefully slide the battery out and disconnect the wires
5. Grab your fresh battery, connect the appropriate positive/negative wires, and slide the battery in the same way as the one you removed
6. Reattach the cover and reconnect the motor to the outlet

Following these steps should stop the beeping if a low battery was the issue. If the beeping continues after you checked/cleaned the sensors and replaced the battery, give us a call and we’d be happy to come out and assist. 

Having other issues? Look at our other resources for potential help

The post Why is My Garage Motor Beeping? appeared first on Today Garage Door Services | Serving Chandler, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Arizona.

Extension Springs

Typically, extension springs should last roughly 10,000 cycles. Typically these springs will last between 2-5 years depending on usage. This also falls in line for the life expectancy of the coiled steel that is used to make these springs.

When extension springs are installed, they must have equal force being exerted on one another as there is a spring on each side of the door. Otherwise one will be under increased stress – thus shortening your spring system’s life expectancy.

Poorly installed extension springs can drive the lifespan down to 1-3 years, which is why it’s important to have a true industry expert do the install, like us here at Today Garage Door Services. 

Torsion Springs

While more expensive, torsion springs last much longer – typically between 15,000-20,000 cycles or 5-10 years. We highly recommend going with torsion springs over extension springs due to the increased life expectancy, but they also are much easier to install above the door and ensure equal force is being exerted on each side.

In addition, there are both standard and oil-soaked springs. Oil-soaked springs typically require less frequent maintenance as they tend to stay lubricated longer than the standard springs. Similar to the extension springs, the install can affect the life expectancy.

While torsion springs are installed as one system above the door, ½ the system focuses on the left side and the other ½ focuses on the right. Both must have equal force being exerted on one another otherwise this system will fail much sooner than the 15,000-20,000 cycles. 

Maintenance

Ideally, we recommend lubricating extension springs quarterly or semi-annually depending on usage and recommend lubricating torsion springs semi-annually or annually. In addition, we recommend having a professional come out for the maintenance, but if you self perform, make sure you use white lithium grease and avoid any water based products at all costs. Give us a call today to schedule maintenance. 

Whether you have extension or torsion springs, the typical lifespan is simply a range and can be impacted due to the factors we listed. Key takeaways would be to ensure you are having regular maintenance performed (depending on the style of your spring system and that your usage will directly impact the system’s lifespan. With installs, ensure you are having a trusted professional perform the work and with maintenance, we recommend the same to ensure you’re adhering to the maintenance schedule + ensure proper lubrication. Give us call today for a spring install, upgrade, or install! 

Having other issues? Look at our other resources for potential help

The post How Long Do Garage Door Springs Last?  appeared first on Today Garage Door Services | Serving Chandler, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Arizona.

Extension Springs

Extension springs are older and many garage door experts have recommended against these in modern garages for a few reasons. These springs are located at the top corners of the door and are tightly wound to assist each side with opening/closing evenly.

They are under intense strain consistently both when opening the door as well as when the door is closed. These tend to stretch out much quicker as a result of the constant strain at both ends. While cheaper and seemingly easier to install, extension springs may end up being more of a hassle in the long run as you likely will need more frequent maintenance or replacement. 

Torsion Springs

Torsion springs are the way to go in 2025. These springs last much longer than extension springs and are located discretely along the top of the door – distributing equal force to each side of the door while encased in a single piece of equipment. These springs will last much longer, usually 5-10 years depending on use, with only occasional maintenance needing to be done.

In addition, these are much safer as the springs are built around a shaft that will make sure there are no fragments dispelled in the event the spring fails. Extension springs tend to be a hazard in the event of a spring failure as they are not built to contain the metal fragments when they fail/explode. 

Overall, torsion springs are the way to go as they are safer, more cost effective in the long run, and more discrete. Here at Today Garage Door Services, we will never recommend extension springs due to the hazard they may become when they fail and are not the better long term option. 

Need Assistance?

We have additional information on how to determine when to replace your springs as well as what a replacement looks like. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your current spring system or need routine maintenance performed we’re here to help! Give us a call 

Having other issues? Look at our other resources for potential help

The post How Do Garage Door Springs Work? appeared first on Today Garage Door Services | Serving Chandler, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Arizona.

Decreased Wear and Tear

Springs, rollers, and hinges each require proper lubrication in order to extend their life span. Each component is in use every time you open or close your door. Both the springs and hinges are made of metal that are usually soaked in oil during the manufacturing process and will dry out without being consistently lubricated.

Rollers with bearings will require lubrication, and if you do not have these currently, we recommend upgrading to either steel rollers with bearings or ideally nylon rollers with bearings to reduce the frequency of replacement. 

Smooth Operation

Un-lubricated components can cause operational issues including loud noises and excess force being exerted on the motor. In addition to decreasing the wear and tear of your equipment, proper lubrication will ensure your door operates quietly and efficiently – reducing the likelihood you experience a lopsided door or broken component.

Signs it may be time to lubricate your components include a loud screeching noise when opening and closing, usually from the springs or hinges or a grinding noise coming from the rollers. 

What Shouldn’t I Lubricate?

Really the only piece of equipment that is regularly in use that you SHOULD NOT lubricate would be the door tracks. If you lubricate the tracks themselves, the lubricant can cause a build up of debris as well as solidify if there is excess lubricant built up in one area.

Instead, just make sure to clean the tracks with a damp towel or rag and fully dry as well. We recommend cleaning the tracks when you lubricate the other components or on an as-needed basis (whichever comes sooner). 

How Often Should I Lubricate?

At minimum, we require lubricating your components twice a year. Lubricating every 6 months is the industry standard, but don’t hesitate to bump that up to every 4 months (3 times a year) if you have older equipment or the door is getting increased use. 

What Should I Use To Lubricate?

Before recommending the best lubricant, let’s go over what NOT to use. Likely you may assume WD-40 is the answer for lubrication, but in reality, you should never use this product on your door. WD-40 is actually meant for cleaning rust off metal and will strip the components of any lubrication, causing metal and metal contact. There are many garage door lubricants out there, but the best would be white lithium grease. Industry wide, this is the most recommended product for lubrication of garage equipment. 

Overall, lubrication is essential in extending your equipment’s lifespan and having a quiet experience. Key takeaways include: 

1. Lubricate at least every 6 months with white lithium grease
2. Never lubricate the door tracks. When you clean them, make sure to dry completely. 
3. Never use WD-40 on any components

Need lubrication assistance? Give us a call today!

Having other issues? Look at our other resources for potential help

The post Lubrication – A Guide To A Properly Lubricated Garage Door appeared first on Today Garage Door Services | Serving Chandler, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Arizona.

Response Time

We are always on standby for a call or text from someone requiring a garage repair, thus you can expect getting someone on the line immediately. If you submit an online request through our Google Business Page or through our website, same idea. We get notified immediately and will respond as we receive it. With other companies, they may have non-garage experts handling the request from the office which may lead to your questions not being answered or you getting transferred multiple times before getting an appointment set or your question answered.

As mentioned, with TGDS you will get an expert on the line the first time who will be able to set an appointment around your schedule and answer any questions or concerns you may have beforehand. TGDS is unmatched when it comes to response time. 

Flexible Scheduling

It’s in our name! TODAY Garage Door Services. We can get out to you the same day you require the service. Most other companies require you to schedule in advance for a future date which can be frustrating considering most issues arise completely out of the blue. We also have the flexibility to schedule you for a future appointment if your need is less urgent, such as routine maintenance, upgrades, and enhancements. 

Our goal here at TGDS is to be ready to assist you both TODAY and TOMORROW! Give us a call today to schedule routine maintenance or a repair. 

Fair Pricing

Pricing is likely one of, if not the most, important factor when choosing someone for your garage door repair/maintenance. We are 100% transparent with our pricing up front and will NOT recommend unnecessary upgrades or charge more than a fair price for labor. Most other companies have an excessive amount of overhead and tend to offset that amount at the expense of the customer with egregious labor costs, inflated material costs, and long repair times. 

Recently, we completed a job for a customer after another company attempted to complete a necessary repair. The company had charged 4x the amount we would have AND made the repair incorrectly where we had to come out and fix the issue.

Save yourself the trouble and give us a call to ensure the work is done right the first time and is done at a fair price! 

Quality of Service 

When it comes to service, Today Garage Door Services is outmatched. From the moment you reach out through the end of the job, you can expect top notch service. Don’t just take it from us! Read from our happy customers:

We’re Here to Help

If you recently have had an issue with you garage door or think you might have a similar issue, give us a call or fill out a form for a spring and or drum replacement today! We can help get your garage door back to working condition. Need another service? We also offer multiple other garage door repair services and can help get your door repaired the same day you give us a call!

Having other issues? Look at our other resources for potential help

The post Why Choose Today Garage Door Services?  appeared first on Today Garage Door Services | Serving Chandler, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Arizona.

Garage Door Spring Job Backstory

We received a call from a customer who was experiencing a broken garage door spring system that was causing counterbalance issues with their garage door. This is a common call we receive here at Today Garage Door Services and in this case, we were able to successfully replace the broken Wayne Dalton Torquemaster with a high cycle standard torsion shaft with external springs. 

Before Garage Door Spring Replacement

Cable Under Pressure

When we got to the location, the garage door cable was under intense pressure and so much so that it became unwound. When this happens, it can be extremely dangerous as garage door spring can “explode”, acting as a metal whip flying through the air potentially causing damage or hurting those that are in the garage at the time.

Right Spring Failed

We also realized that the original door did not have a centralized spring system which caused the individual right side garage door spring to fail as the door was not properly counterbalanced. When garage doors aren’t properly counterbalanced, it causes one side to experience more “weight” causing it to wear faster and eventually break or need replacing.

Right Drum System Failed

When all of the above happens, it causes the right side drum system to fail and then caused the cable to spin around the horizontal bar, no longer tightly bound and unable to help lift the garage door back in place.

After Garage Door Spring Replacement

Centralized Spring System Installed

Once we got to work on the garage door, you can now see there is now a centralized spring system along with the properly wound drum systems on the left and right. The door is now properly counterbalanced with equal tension on both sides of the door allowing both sides to lift the door “equally”.

Cables Perfectly Wound

You can see an oversized right side drum that has the cables perfectly wound around it. The inside and outside rings are larger than the spool which will help keep the cables tight and decrease the chances they unwind.

Properly Counterbalanced Door

This is the centralized high cycle spring system. This is paramount in keeping the door properly counterbalanced as it distributes equal tension to both sides of the door. 

We’re Here to Help

If you recently have had an issue with you garage door or think you might have a similar issue, give us a call or fill out a form for a spring and or drum replacement today! We can help get your garage door back to working condition. Need another service? We also offer multiple other garage door repair services and can help get your door repaired the same day you give us a call!

Having other issues? Look at our other resources for potential help

The post What Does a Garage Door Spring Replacement Look Like?  appeared first on Today Garage Door Services | Serving Chandler, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Arizona.

Smart Garage Door Opener

There are various brands out there that offer smart openers, but there are two that we here at Today Garage Door Services recommend above the rest. Those two are the Chamberlain myQ Garage Smart Control and the Genie Openers with Aladdin Connect. 

myQ Opener

The myQ openers by Chamberlain are a great tool to have access to your garage wirelessly from your phone or car. Features include guest access for up to 5 people, allow you to give access to delivery drivers, ability to use the opener in your vehicle, and ability to control lighting and or cameras in or around the garage remotely.

Aladdin Connect

Genie’s Aladdin Connect has fewer features than the myQ and is great for users who simply need remote access from their phone including the ability to set specific times to have the garage door open or closed. You’ll also be able to grant guest access for family and friends as well as for delivery drivers

Wireless Amenities

Just like your home, garages can be equipped with various smart features including a digital thermostat and lighting. The most common wireless thermostat we see and recommend would be the Google Nest as it’s fairly easy to install + connects to the very user friendly Google Home app. For lighting, Chamberlain offers myQ Lighting which is what we recommend, especially if you already have a myQ opener as the lights can be controlled with the same app. In addition, Chamberlain offers cameras that can also connect to devices that are logged into your myQ account.  

Both products are extremely user friendly and will save you $ in electricity as you can set custom schedules when these features are running while being able to manually control when you’re away from your garage. 

Entertainment

Depending on the size of your garage, you may explore different entertainment options. Whether you like to kick back and relax in your garage or have enough space to work on your own vehicles, we have a couple recommendations to upgrade your garage. 

Television

If you plan on spending extended periods of time in your garage, why not have a TV inside? The specific brand and size would depend on your personal preference. If you’re going to mount the TV, make sure you or a professional installer fixes the mount to a stud in the wall to eliminate the risk of the mount dismounting from the wall. In addition, make sure you get a TV that can withstand the temperatures inside the garage, especially if you do not have control of the interior temperature. 

Sound

On the same token as the TV, many people enjoy having a sound system in their garage. We recommend installing a fixed shelving system for each speaker, again, fixed to a stud if possible. Having the speakers spread out in the garage is always recommended to enhance the listening experience, with most people having 1 in each corner for a surround sound experience. Same as the TV, the size and brand will depend on personal preference, just make sure the speakers are kept within the correct temperature range according to the product manual. 

Appliances

If you already have or plan to have a television and or a sound system, you may want a fridge and or freezer as well. If you plan on using a fridge/freezer regularly, we recommend getting a dual-use product that will satisfy both needs. If you only need a freezer for excess storage, we recommend an open-top chest freezer which may take up less space compared to a fridge/freezer hybrid. With either option, make sure you get one that’s in line with your garage’s electrical capacity. 

We’re Here to Help

If you’re looking to upgrade your garage, we hope you found this article helpful. While we here at Today Garage Door Services specialize in garage repair and maintenance, we see more and more garages equipped with various smart features and entertainment so we thought we’d share the most common products. We always recommend to ensure any necessary repairs and routine maintenance have been completed prior to addressing any upgrades or enhancements to your garage space. Due for maintenance or need a repair? Give us a call today! 

Having other issues? Look at our other resources for potential help

The post Top Common Garage Upgrades appeared first on Today Garage Door Services | Serving Chandler, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Arizona.

3 Signs it’s Time to Upgrade Your Garage Door Motor

Shuts Off Completely

Slow or Weak Pull

You may notice a screeching or grinding noise when opening and closing your garage door which normally happens when there is excess demand on the motor, which will cause the door to open and close slowly. Eventually, the excess strain on the motor will cause the motor to shut off and not work at all. This could be incredibly dangerous if it shuts off during a cycle as it could collapse causing injury or damage which we always want to avoid. Should you notice a slow or weak pull by the motor, or any peculiar noises, it may be time for an upgrade as this is a sign it’ll likely shut off completely soon.  

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Flickering Lights When Using

In addition to a slow or weak pull, your garage door motor lights may flicker when the motor is under increased stress from working to lift the door or lower it slowly. Both the light for the garage, as well as the small light(s) on the back of the motor may flicker. This should be an immediate warning sign it may be time for a motor replacement. The longer the flickering continues, the higher the chance of an electrical or mechanical failure.

Conclusion

We’re Here to Help

We hope we were able to assist in helping determine the source of the air leak. We understand it is frustrating having an issue that isn’t able to be identified easily. Again, should you determine you need a seal replacement or total door replacement, give us a call today! 

Having other issues? Look at our other resources for potential help

The post Should I Replace My Garage Door Motor? appeared first on Today Garage Door Services | Serving Chandler, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Arizona.

4 Reasons Why Your Garage is Cold

Broken Garage Heater

Compromised Door Seal

Damaged or compromised seals can cause temperature regulation issues with your door. We wrote a blog about specific reasons why your garage door seal might be compromised, it might help with diagnosing the problem a bit more closely.

In summary, inspect the seal both when the door is wide open and closed. Check for cracks, holes, any spots where it’s uneven, etc. If you notice any issues with it, it may be time to replace that seal, which we can change out for you, just give us a call! 

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Compromised Window Seals

Many people forget the windows on their garage door have seals, which just like the door seals, can eventually become ineffective. In rare cases, the seal around the windows can cause air to get through the border of the window.

To check if this is the issue, close the garage door and run your hand along the back of the window. Should you feel air coming through, you likely will need the window or windows replaced. We don’t specialize in garage door window install or replacement, so we’d recommend calling the door manufacturer directly and ask what they recommend for glass replacement. 

Crack in Door or Foundation

Hopefully this isn’t the cause of your garage not staying temperature regulated, but it is possible. Physical cracks in the door or foundation definitely can lead to major insulation issues. Once you determine your heater is functioning (if you have one) and make sure the seals are not compromised, inspect every spot along the door, walls, and ceiling for any cracks, soft spots, or holes. If you notice an area or areas where you can feel cooler air coming through, you will likely need that spot patched, insulated again, and sealed off.

We recommend finding a certified contractor for any work involving the drywall, foundation, or ceiling. For the door itself, head to your local home improvement store and an associate will be able to assist. Let them know you’re looking to seal a crack/hole in your door plus the door material and they should be able to assist. 

We’re Here to Help

We hope we were able to assist in helping determine the source of the air leak. We understand it is frustrating having an issue that isn’t able to be identified easily. Again, should you determine you need a seal replacement or total door replacement, give us a call today! 

Having other issues? Look at our other resources for potential help

The post Why Won’t My Garage Stay Warm? appeared first on Today Garage Door Services | Serving Chandler, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Arizona.