This new year, make a resolution for your garage door to work smarter and not harder. How? By investing in one of these top garage door gadgets, of course! Current smart garage door openers allow you to work your garage doors using your smartphone or other device. They also allow you to see certain information, such as who last opened your garage door and at what times the garage door was opened. So what are some of the best ones?

MyQ Garage Door Opener

The MyQ Garage Door Opener allows you to close or open the door even when you are not at home by connecting to your Wi-Fi network. The free mobile app lets you operate your garage doors from anywhere in the world, even setting up notifications to see whether your garage door is currently open or closed. Some other benefits? The MyQ is compatible with a wide range of garage door openers, meaning you most likely won’t need to replace your current opener to use it. The system also sounds an alert for 15 seconds before closing, giving anyone nearby plenty of warning to get out of the way. 

Garageio

Garageio is retrofitted to your existing garage door opener to connect it to your Wi-Fi network so that you could control it using your smartphone.  It works with IFTTT and Amazon Echo, meaning that you could just say, “Alexa, ask Garageio to open the garage doors.” and voila! With Garageio’s IFTTT, the opener can automatically close the garage door once you are a certain distance from your home. You can also give permissions to other devices so multiple people can operate the door – all while receiving real time notifications to keep you informed.

Gogogate 2

If you want to get the best out of any device you buy, then Gogogate2 is probably the one for you.  Gogogate2 gives you video integration apart from allowing you to operate your garage doors remotely. Gogogate2’s mobile app has the most user-friendly interface and gives you the most information about your garage door. Including temperature readings, and photos of the times your garage door was opened or closed. You can also add other users to the app, but with the added benefit of being able to restrict them to one time use or only certain times of day.

The Holidays are here! And nothing is more exciting at this time of year than decorating your home. And as one of the most prominent features of your home’s facade, there’s no reason your garage door can’t spread some of the Holiday Cheer too! Here are some creative tips for decorating your garage door this Christmas.

Wrap Your Garage as a Present

For those of us who do not open and close our garage door on a daily basis, this is an excellent idea! Wrap your garage door with two giant waterproof outdoor ribbons, one positioned horizontally and one positioned vertically. Cross them in the middle, and place a bow in the center. Your garage door will take on the appearance of a giant gift, wrapped up for the season. If you do need to open your garage door, remove the bow beforehand to prevent it from getting stuck in the system.

Hang a Giant Wreath

Buy or create a massive wreath using a circle of wire and artificial green garland. Spend some time adding decorative ornaments like red bulbs, faux pinecones, or whatever expresses your seasonal style. You can hang the wreath in the center of the garage door with wire. But bear in mind, this is also not the best decoration if you will need to open and shut the garage door.

Garage Door Illusion

Garage door murals are available online and can usually be found in home improvement stores. These murals are designed to be hung on the outside of the door and create the illusion that something impossible is happening inside the garage. At the holidays, murals are available that can make your garage look like Santa’s workshop or a winter wonderland. These decorations are easy to install, weatherproof, and most companies advertise that you can continue to use the garage door even when one is attached.

Twinkling Holiday Lights

Tried and true! Twinkling string lights around the opening of your garage door are an excellent decoration for the Holidays.. To add a little something extra to the lights, attach garland or exterior grade ribbon to the garage door opening as well. Not only does this string your garage door’s aesthetic with the rest of your home, but it also doesn’t interfere with the operation of your garage door.

Now your garage door is all dressed up for the Holiday season! As we head into the new year, you may be considering some upgrades for your garage door. Contact us today to find out more about your garage door options at info@adamsdoorsystems.com.

Garages have a knack for becoming the multi-purpose room of a home. Sure, you can store your car there. Or it could be a place for cultivating hobbies, a workshop, a game room. Or simply the space where you random items that don’t have a “place” go to live. And then one day you notice this open space has become a mountain of clutter. Just like your garage door, the garage area needs yearly maintenance to keep it clean, organized, and accessible. To help you clean smarter and not harder, we’ve put together a clean garage checklist!

Declutter The Area

Start by removing everything from the garage that’s not nailed or screwed down and sort the items into three piles: keep, donate, discard. A good question to ask yourself as you go through items is whether you have used it in the past year. If it no longer sparks joy and is simply gathering dust – toss or donate it! For discarded items, be sure to check product labels for pesticides, motor oil, solvents and other chemicals to determine best disposal methods.

Sort And Store The Items You Will Keep

Sort the items you will keep by category. Such as tools, gardening equipment, outdoor gear, cleaning supplies, etc. You will want to assign each category a designated area within the garage. Finding storage solutions are critical for maintaining a clean and organized garage. Utilize shelves to store things like paint or cleaning supplies. Plastic tubs and bins beneath shelves are practical for storing other items such as helmets or fishing gear. Tools can be stored in drawers and tins can be used to hold nuts, bolts, or zip ties.

Wipe, Sweep, Clean, Repeat

Before moving items back into the garage, you will want to wipe down all shelves and surface areas, sweep the floor, and then repeat the process for good measure. Our garages have a tendency to collect dust, dirt, and even salt deposits from the snow.

Monthly Upkeep

To maintain the hard work you’ve just completed, we recommend monthly maintenance of the garage area. Survey or inventory items, sweep out the room, and wipe off the surfaces when you have a free weekend morning. And every time you relocate an item from the house into the garage, assign it a designated area and efficient storage solution.

Does your garage door reflect the sparkling, organized space within? Your garage door can significantly impact your home’s overall appearance and increase its resale value. A garage door replacement could be the thing needed to take your curb appeal to the next level. Our enthusiastic team is standing by to help you with your garage door options. Contact us today at info@adamsdoorsystems.com!

Winter is fast approaching. And with cooler temperatures already in full swing, ensuring your garage door has a tight seal is more important than ever! A weatherproof garage door keeps the cold out, and utility bills low. There are several options when it comes to effectively preventing warm air from escaping, and utility bills from skyrocketing. Let’s explore how to weatherproof a garage door together.

Inspect Your Current Garage Insulation.

Insulation plays a huge role in containing the warm air that your HVAC system generates. Ensuring both your garage door and garage walls are insulated will keep your garage warmer in the Winter. You should also inspect your garage for areas near windows or doorways that may be susceptible to cracks. Small openings will allow cool air in and warm air to get out. Luckily, these holes are often easy enough to caulk shut yourself.

Replace Worn Weatherstripping.

Over time the seal around your garage door begins to wear. Especially after an intense Winter or consistent opening and closing. Often these seals will become brittle, crack, or break. Accidental freezing can also cause the seal to rip or tear. If your weatherstripping is looking a little tired, it’s best to replace the seals before the Winter comes. If you would like to learn more about how to install weatherstripping yourself, check out our blog here.

Consider Replacing Your Garage Door

If your garage door has been around for some time, it may be time to consider replacing it. Today’s garage doors are both lightweight and energy efficient. Look for a garage door with a high R-Value, insinuating excellent thermal insulation. Consult one of our technicians to see what’s available in your area.

It’s never too late to make necessary repairs, or to invest in proper winterizing solutions to help keep the warmth inside where it belongs. If any of these garage weatherproofing tips seem too hard to fix on your own, let us do the hard work for you! Contact us for your garage door needs today at info@adamsdoorsystems.com.