Author: David Nolasco

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Why Your Garage Door Material Is Important

Choosing the right garage door material is important for more reasons besides the aesthetic.

You can find garage doors in a number of different materials like wood, steel, fiberglass, and aluminum. Each option has it’s pros and cons, especially when it comes to your budget and climate. With Affina Door Company, we can give you valuable insight into which type of garage door material is right for your home. 

Wood

Wood garage doors are a great option if you’re interested in a more unique or rustic look. While beautiful, it’s also one of the pricier options and requires maintenance and upkeep in order to preserve the look. These types of garage doors are best for mild climates since severe temperature changes, rain, and humidity can warp or rot the wood. 

Steel

Steel garage doors are one of the most popular choices on the market. These doors are light-weight and durable, and one of the cheaper options available. You can find them in a number of design styles and work well in all climates. However the bottom of the door can rust over time and it’s not a good insulator. 

Fiberglass

Fiberglass garage doors are perfect if you want the look of a wooden door without the hassle of cost and upkeep. These types of doors won’t warp or rot like wood, so they’re a great option for warmer, humid climates, except for those with high winds.

Aluminum

Aluminum garage doors are very light-weight and fit best with more contemporary and modern homes when paired with glass. They work well in any climate, but aluminum isn’t the most durable option and can dent easily. It’s also low-maintenance but severe damage will require a specialist to fix it.

Our team at Affina Door Company has the knowledge and experience to help you understand the best garage door options for you. You can contact us for a free quote and consultation whenever you’re looking for garage door service and/or installation.

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Get a New Garage Door This Spring

The bad boys that do the heavy lifting and stabilizing of your garage door are the torsion springs.

They’re critical to the process, and they can be a little bit temperamental. We recommend an annual maintenance of your entire system to keep opening and closing a smooth process. Here’s a little question and answer session from us at Affina Door Company to help you take care of those springs.

• I have a broken spring. Can I replace it myself? Possibly, but not recommended. It’s a big job for all but the most experienced DIYer, as it involves the springs, bearings, and the proper tension. Best left to the pros at Affina.

• How do I know a spring is broken? You can’t always see the break at first glance. Most doors weigh between 150 to 250 pounds and without working springs, the garage door opener cannot lift the door. Attempting to use a garage door opener to lift a garage door with a broken spring can cause numerous parts on the opener to break. Whenever a spring breaks, the door will not go up. And that’s when you call Affina.

• Is the spring at risk when it’s opening the door? Garage door springs have the most tension with the door in the down position.

Problems? You know who to call. It’s Affina Door Company!

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Things You Should Consider Before Installing A Garage Door Yourself

Garage doors are tough and strong, but that doesn’t mean they can go without a little love and care.

With a motor, springs, and rollers, your garage door and opener comprise a mechanism that hoists and lowers upwards of 225 pounds for a double door with the click of a button. Like any similar device, a garage door and motor require maintenance – the kind of maintenance and attention you get from Affina Door Company and its professional staff.

Your door and motor should be serviced twice a year. Lubrication of rollers, hinges, and springs keeps parts moving smoothly. The weather seal and bottom seal also need a periodic look. And we’ll make sure your gear drive is doing its job moving that door up and down, while paying attention to the belt or chain

When the system needs some TLC, you will likely know it. If the operation of the door is no longer smooth or unusual sounds catch your attention, it is certainly time for a look-see by our experienced and qualified technicians. Other problems can emanate from an unbalanced door and failure of the automatic reverse. We’ll make sure the door operates properly and at the right speed.

Our knowledge and experience, along with our dedicated team, is what sets Affina Door Company apart from our competitors. We would love to work with you the next time you are looking for service and/or installation of garage doors and gates. Contact us for a free consultation and quote.

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Should I Replace My Garage Door?

Here’s something you don’t hear often: If you do this right, you will probably never have to do it again.

What are we talking about? Replacing your garage door.

Most people don’t pay a lot of attention to their garage door as long as it opens and closes at the push of a button. What a great convenience these automated systems have become and what a pleasure it is to have safety and security at one’s home. But sometimes a new door is necessary.

A quality garage door can last for many years. It should be strong and durable. As it is likely a one-time deal to replace it, it makes good sense to avoid a cheap replacement and to invest a little time in getting this job done right.

Affina Door Company offers you the type of sales, installation, and service you want. And we have a few tips for you as you consider the best way to replace your garage door:

• Stay away from wood doors. They require a lot of maintenance to maintain their shiny look, given their exposure to the weather. If you like the look of wood, a garage door with a composite overlay or fiberglass skin can give you that, plus the durability you want.

• Get your quote in-person. Even though many neighborhoods build to standard sizes, homes can settle. There may be some size and shape issues detectable to a pro. Remember that this may be once in a lifetime. Let’s get it right! And let’s get it from Affina.

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Tips for Maintaining Your Garage Doors

The great Judy Garland had a hit with “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart” and many others (The Coasters, Rufus Wainwright) have covered this jazzy number.

Anyone with a motorized garage door knows the other version: “Bang! Went the Springs of My Door.”

The springs (or single spring, depending on the size of your garage door) provide the muscle and stability of your door. There’s a lot of tension involved in holding a 225-pound door steady as it glides up and down. Usually, for just a few extra bucks, you can not only replace but upgrade the springs.

Garage doors generally use torsion springs. These coiled pieces can usually be found above the door and they’re strong, but not without a lifespan. The average torsion spring is rated for about 10,000 cycles, give or take. Sounds like a massive amount of openings and closings, doesn’t it?

Consider this, though. If you open and close the garage door six times a day, which is a good general average, 10,000 cycles provide a little less than five years of service. Spending an extra $50-100 when you must replace the spring or when you buy a new garage door will get you a spring rated for 20,000 cycles. That’s twice the expected life and less than the cost of a service call.

Good maintenance helps your springs stay healthy. Affina Door Company can help you with that care and with replacement of springs and doors. Call us today for your repair and sales needs!

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Maintaining Commercial Garage Doors for NJ Businesses

Commercial doors are the first step between you and your customers, right? Entryways are important and when something goes wrong with them, it can cause a huge headache, not to mention a loss of business. To make sure you don’t lose out on any potential customers, check out our guide to commercial door repairs and services.

Why Door Repairs and Services are Important for Businesses

Garage doors and main entryways are the literal in’s and out’s of your business. Whether it’s shipping out orders and receiving needed supplies, to having a functional and appealing entryway, you need doors that work. Not only do issues keep you from conducting business, but depending on the level of severity, they can be a danger to you, your employees, and your customers. And like with garage doors, your main entryways can degrade over time, making it harder, if not impossible, to get inside or out. Making sure these doors are working properly by making them a priority with regular preventative maintenance services.

Pay Extra Attention to Potential Issues

When it comes to garage doors, there are many components that might need a little extra attention. The last thing you want is to let a small problem turn into a larger one, costing more money and risking the safety of those in the vicinity.

Broken Springs – A broken spring can make opening the door nearly impossible.

Warped Tracks – Over time, tracks can warp out of alignment, causing the door to kink up as it is opening and closing.

Motor Burns Out – A commercial garage door’s motor can experience some real wear and tear over time, possibly causing the motor to stop working.

How to Avoid Repairs Before they Become Necessary

If you’ve had your garage doors and main doors for a couple of years, taking just a few minutes out of your day can help you keep track of any possible issues you should expect. Pay attention to any grinding that you don’t recognize. Even very light grinding should be accounted for because it could lead to a bigger issue down the road. Check the tracks and make sure there’s nothing to block the door. Also, make sure the automatic motor isn’t opening and closing the door too quickly or slowly. These are simple fixes you can take care of now before you have to open your wallet later.

Don’t Forget to Ask for Professional Commercial Door Help!

If you happen to find any issues along the way, be sure to come to Affina Door. We can help you with everything from broken springs to non-working automatic garage door operators. Don’t hesitate to contact us today at 888-923-3462!

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Top Benefits of Installing Automatic Barrier Gates

If you want to control the flow of traffic to a private area, then you might be wondering what solutions are available to you. Although many options are currently on the market, not all of them will make sense for you and your property. The good news is that an automatic barrier gate will get the job done in the most effective way possible.

You won’t need to worry about trespassers, and the system will do the hard part after you install it. No matter your location, having a gate in place will provide you with peace of mind, and the following information will help you decide if it’s the right choice for you.

Reduce Overhead

Hiring a security guard to protect a property and control access is the option that many people pick, but doing so is expensive. Anyone who needs to limit the number of individuals who can access certain areas can use an automatic barrier gate instead of security guards. After the initial installation, running and maintaining your gate will not cost much, but it will protect restricted areas 24 hours a day.

When you consider the amount of money that you can save, the right choice will become clear. Quality access control technology is so affordable that anyone can benefit from it, and you can get started right away.

Earn Revenue

If you own or manage a parking garage that is near a popular location, then you can use an automatic barrier gate to generate income. You can set it up to charge people in exchange for granting them access. The amount that you charge will depend on the venue and the number of parking garages in your area.

If you want to enjoy the best possible results, then monitor your competition and try to match their prices. Offering discounts to loyal customers is a great way to encourage them to keep coming back.

Timed Access

Rather than hiring a guard, some people choose to use combination locks to protect certain areas, but doing so is not always effective. Once someone has the code, they can access the location whenever they want, but they can also give the combination to their friends.

Those problems create a security risk that you might want to avoid, and an automatic gate can help. Depending on the type of gate that you install, you can change each person’s code from a remote location, but you can also create codes that only work at certain times. Setting access limits will provide you with an additional layer of security.

Review Access Logs

If you are investigating an incident that has occurred on your property, then discovering which of your employees or customers were present can help you learn who is responsible. In addition to surveillance cameras, you can use an automatic gate that keeps track of access logs.

You can determine who was on your property based on which access codes were used to open the gate. The amount of time that you keep your records will depend on your needs, but many people prefer to save access logs for several months before deleting them from the system. When people know that you are monitoring them, they will be less likely to engage in illegal activities.

Final Thoughts

Keeping your property safe requires you to limit and control the flow of traffic, and using an automatic barrier gate will help you reach your goal. You will not need to worry about placing a security guard at the entrance of your facility, and your staff will have more time to focus on other responsibilities, helping you save time and money.

You can easily create and delete access codes, and you can use your gate to charge for parking when you want to offset your overhead expenses. If you think that an automatic gate is right for you, then we invite you to contact Affina Door Company today at 888-923-3462!