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Is It Time For A New Garage Door Opener?
Call Paul Vogel and get a Properly Done Installation at a Great Price
916-536-9619
WHY PAUL ?
1.) Job Done Right
2.) Reasonable Price
3.) No Scams
4.) Dedication to my customers needs
Let's talk about "Why Paul". Number 1 is Job Done Right, for a reason. Most of the door openers that I see are not installed properly and a large percentage of them were professionally installed. The installation instructions that come with a door opener are very specific about how the door opener should be mounted, although the instructions do not explain why it should be done that way. I will go through the mounting process and explain why it should be done that way.
First, if you open the door just far enough to where the top roller is right at the top
of the curve in the track, this is the point where the top edge of the door is at it's
highest point. The instructions say to use a level to mark a horizontal line on the wall
2" higher than the top of the door when it is in this position.
Looking over the top of the door, raised to its highest point.
If you then close the door
and mark a vertical line that lines up with the center of the door and crosses the
previously marked horizontal line, you have located the point where the wall bracket,
or header bracket as it is called, is to be mounted. This bracket is the one that mounts
the front end of the door opener rail to the wall. This position insures that the door won't
run into the rail when the door is opened and at the same time gives less than 2" of
clearance when everything is mounted in it's final position.
Good.
Second, when the door is all the way open, the door opener should be mounted to the
ceiling so that there is less than 2" of clearance between the door opener rail and
the top edge of the door but not so close that the chain drags on the door. About 1"
to 1 and 1/2" clearance is optimal.
Bad.
Third, the bracket that goes on the door should mounted where the pin that attaches to the
J shaped bar is roughly in line with the top rollers on the door.
Proper door bracket position and J bar angle.
This bracket also needs
to be located such that when the door is open the curve in the J bar goes around the
top strut on the door (the brace that goes all the way across the top of the door).
There is a hole in the vertical center part of the door that is where the bottom hinge
mounting screw would go if the door had another section on top of it. The top hole in
the door bracket should be attached to this hole and then the other bracket screws installed
where ever they fall. This location is the best compromise of the first two stipulations of
this paragraph.
Finally, the J bar gets assembled. The curved part should be attached to the door bracket and the straight part should be attached to the "trolley" (the part that moves along the rail), usually with the solid part at the top and the row of holes at the bottom. The choice of holes in the J bar parts allow you to adjust the length of the bar, and consequently the angle that the bar pulls on the door at. If you draw an imaginary line from the pin in the door bracket up to the pin in the trolley you would want that line to be at the same angle that the track is (tangent to the curve) at exactly where the top roller is located. This way the door opener is actually pulling on the door in the same direction that part of the door is actually moving. Usually the top hole in the curved part will line up with one of the top three holes in the straight part and the straight part will be very close to vertical (straight up and down) with the door in the closed position.
The roller can only follow the track.
It doesn't matter about the shape of the J bar because it is a rigid piece when properly
bolted together. The direction that it actually pulls or pushes is from the one pin to
the other. If the J bar is set up too long, then it is trying to lift the door by pulling
back at an angle while the part of the door being pulled on has to move nearly vertical
(because the rollers can only move in the direction that the track allows them to).
If the rail of the door opener is mounted higher than the previous discussion of "less
than two inches", then the pin to pin angle when the door opener is attempting to close
the door is pushing down on the door while the door has to go the direction that the tracks
are going (horizontal). Both of these situations can severely damage the door if anything
causes the door to stick or jam. We're talking about bending the door in the middle and
I've seen them folded all the way from the top to the ground just because someone locked
the door and then someone else pushed the wall button to open the door. I've also seen
where the top two sections of the door needed to be replaced because the door closed
on something and the J bar was pushing down (because the rail was mounted too high) while the door was moving forward.
Sorry about this wordy diatribe but, as you can see, having someone install your door opener that never read the instructions or doesn't care could cost you a new door. So, getting the "Job Done Right", especially at a very competitive price is a real no brainer.
I can supply a Liftmaster door opener for a 7' high door, with 1 remote, for $270 installed, OR I can install one that you purchase for $120. I can also supply extra remotes or a wireless keypad at reasonable prices. If you are buying the door opener I recommend that you purchase a Chamberlain chain or belt drive unit from Lowe's or Home Depot or the Craftsman chain or belt drive from Sears. All three of these, Liftmaster, Chamberlain, and Craftsman are made by Chamberlain and with the same features are identical units. I like these door openers because they always work right out of the box, and they will give you the longest trouble free service life. Also, Chamberlain has always been good about keeping parts available for that far distant time when you do finally wear the thing out. If you check online for sale prices you may be able to save a little money by just having me install your door opener. For some of you the convenience of having me supply everything is the motivator. Either way you will get the "Job Done Right".