The first tip that we would like to share is, making sure that your garage door has a yearly check-up from garage door professionals. This may cost you, but it will cost less to do a yearly check-up than to pay for repair bills that you are not prepared to pay for. This is really a good practise to have especially when you are on a planned budget.

The second tip that we would like to share is, making sure that your garage door is lubricated enough. In order for your garage door to open smoothly, it is important to know that you should use proper lubrication is used on the hinges, trackers and rollers. And since you are already looking at the heart of garage door, you can also check to see if there are signs or wear and tear. Like for example, making sure there are broken cables or cables that are close to break. If in case you have noticed a broken cable or a cable that is nearing its breaking point, then it is best to call a professional to repair your garage door as soon as possible.

The third tip that we would like to share is, making sure that your garage door is squeaky clean. I know this may sound pretty basic but most people neglect to clean their garage doors and the area surrounding their garage doors. It is important that you should clear the area with unwanted objects near your garage door to avoid serious damage on your doors. If you have an automated garage door, make sure that your Infra-red sensors are clean from spider webs.

The fourth and last tip that we would like to share is, making sure that your garage doors are painted nicely. I know most people would think that it is not necessary to paint their garage doors, because they think painting is just for aesthetic purposes. It is partially true, but the other reason why you need to keep your garage door painted is to make sure they are protected from natural elements that can cause wear and tear. Paint can serve as a protective coating to your garage doors. Which is why, it is also necessary to spend money on painting your garage doors.

There are garage doors for garages that are small in size. If you live in a house whose drive is short and is restricted as far as space is concerned, then it will be a good thing for you to consider going for a roller garage door. A roller garage door works by rolling straight up a drum. This drum can e found above the opening. This means that with this type of garage door, there are neither overhangs nor outswings. On the other hand is a sectional garage door which differs by how it is stored the moment it is opened. Just like the roller garage door, the sectional garage door does not have an outswing. This means that you can park your car flush to the garage door.

Other types of garage doors are recommended for bigger garages. The up-and-over garage doors are quite ideal for large garages. These doors first of all swing out and then they swing up. They swing up to a point where they lie parallel to the ceiling. While they can be made from either wood or steel, the material that is most commonly used to make them is glass reinforced plastic. A large space is necessary before the garage door. The necessity of this space is to allow the garage door to freely swing in its horizontal position. Another type of garage door that you should put into consideration is the traditional side hung door. These types of garage doors are very basic and they hang from the side. They are generally double doors which lock together in the middle.

Several factors come into play when choosing the type of material for garage doors. Garage doors made of wood give the best aesthetic look. This is their main advantage. The disadvantage that comes with them is that they require very high maintenance. Also, compared to other materials, they are quite expensive to buy. However, if you are able and willing to pay the cost so as to have a good looking garage door, then you should definitely go for the wooden garage doors.

The most secure material that you can buy for garage doors is steel. This is mainly due to the fact that it is very strong. However, despite its strength, there are other factors that you need to add to the steel to make it even more secure. Make sure that you have secured the garage doorframe as well as other entrances.

As stated above, glass reinforced plastic is the most popularly used material for making garage doors. This material can be used in making many types of garage doors except the side hung doors. It will give you the best value for your money and it can also be finished using a modern glossy style or glass wood. Other than that, you can always make sure that your garage doors are in tip-top shape because there are so many garage door repair companies that you can go to.

If you want to know more information about garage doors, please contact: 512-250-5122

Manual garage doors are nowadays a thing of the past. In fact, they are a very rare thing indeed nowadays. A great majority of the garage doors that are in use today are either motorized garage doors or remote controlled garage doors. The overhead garage door is actually the most popular type of garage door that there is. Perhaps, the most important factor to consider in buying a garage door is the material that is used in the construction of the garage door. The material to use is going to depend on a couple of factors. These factors include, but are not limited to – the type of the house that you live in and how warm you want the garage to feel and look. There are three main materials that are used in the construction of garage doors. These materials are wood, steel and fiber glass. It is also good to consider the door type when you are planning on buying a garage door.

The most common type of garage doors are the overhead garage doors. These doors have an automatic stop and begin feature which many homeowners find very helpful and very easy to use. Overhead garage doors roll upwards and have several advantages. These advantages include the fact that they are quiet, smooth and compact. They are also very easy to install and the installation can be done by the homeowner himself or herself.

Wood garage doors are best for people who are looking for appeal more than anything else. The main disadvantage of having wooden garage doors is the fact that they do not last as long as the other materials used to make garage doors. However, if you select specific types of wood, like solid cedar, you can get both the aesthetic appeal as well as the long life that you need in a garage door. Another good thing about wood is that it can be painted several colors to make it more attractive and look as good as it was when first bought.

Steel garage doors have an advantage that other materials, especially wood, cannot compare with. This is the fact that the steel garage doors do not expand, warp and/ or crack with the changes in weather. This means that they can last for a very long time despite extreme changes in weather conditions.

For more information on garage doors, feel free to contact us, or call 512-250-5122.

The shelter director thanked us and said: “Cedar Park Overhead Doors (CPOD) has given us the ability to bring our dogs into security, warmth and shelter,” says HSWC executive director Ron Marullo. “Without the doors, our dogs would be extremely vulnerable to the cold – especially our smaller dogs and our little puppies.”

And with the particularly cold weather at night, it looks like we were just in time.

We installed the nine double steel-back AMARR insulated overhead doors at cost (and charging no labor) on the shelter’s new Dog Adoption Center, which during the day will provide families with the space to ‘meet ‘n greet” prospective adoptees and during the night will provide shelter from the elements.

As the happy parent of two rescue dogs of my own, I was very glad to put our doors on the shelter, which will protect the dogs from the cold and rain. In fact, when my shelter dogs “Molly” and “Sierra” learned of the chance to help their friends at the adoption center – they let me know right away we had to get involved.

Now the shelter will be able to protect the animals in the winter and give them plenty of cool ventilation in the summer. We really love helping out in the community and were really glad to help the dogs, especially the vulnerable little pups.

One thing you can do to help is to go out there and pick our one of your own! They – along with about 100 cats – will be really happy to see you.

All the Best,
Don Grenier, Owner
AusTex Garage Doors

Humane Society of Williamson County

The Humane Society of Williamson County (HSWC) operates a No-Kill animal shelter on 22 acres in Leander, Texas. HSWC’s mission is to provide innovative programs and services to eliminate pet overpopulation and to improve the lives of pets and people in Williamson County. This year HSWC adopted nearly 2,000 dogs and cats and spay/neutered more than 1,700 animals at its low-cost clinic. The Humane Society of Williamson is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization celebrating more than 30 years of finding forever homes for deserving pets. HSWC is 100% funded by donations, grants and fees for services and receives no government funding. It is located at 10930 E. Crystal Falls Parkway, Leander, Texas.

The “Most Important Door in the House Survey” found that 67% of Americans primarily use the garage door to enter their homes, while only 22% use the front door (11% enter through a side door). In fact, a trusting 12% do not even carry their front door key anymore!

Even more surprising, 30% of Americans now take their mother-in-law into the house through the garage door, rather than through the more reverential front door.

“The role of the garage door has changed radically over time,” says CPOD and AusTex owner Don Grenier. “Twenty years ago, we wouldn’t have dreamed of taking our most respected relatives in through the garage door. Today, however, nearly a third of Americans find it perfectly acceptable to bring guests in through the garage. This is just one more reason why we need to ensure an attractive, functional overhead garage door in perfect working order,” adds Don.

The survey was carried out by Austex Garage Doors, which has been installing and servicing garage doors in the greater Austin, Texas area since 1979.

So important is this door today that a malfunctioning one gets top priority for the majority of American homeowners. More than 60% report they have not put off fixing the overhead garage door because they thought it was too expensive.

However, 60% of Americans never service their garage doors (an annual tune-up is highly recommended), which may account for the 44% of homeowners’ overhead doors that have malfunctioned in the past 12 months, according to survey results.

Multi-Purpose ‘Room’

And just what do Americans do in their garages? For a good percentage, it’s time for a clean out. Twenty-five percent store so much junk in their garages that there simply is no room to park their cars.

And while the garage may not be a refuge for their automobiles, the garage is a pretty good hideaway from their loved ones. Nearly a quarter of respondents admit to using the garage as a place of retreat from their spouse or partner. As you might expect, more men than women can be found hiding out in the garage (33% and 16% respectively), according to the CPOD “Most Important Door in the House Survey.”

Perhaps related, the survey found that 3% of Americans have actually slept in their garages.
And what is America’s favorite inside-the-garage pastime? The survey found Arts & Crafts (10%), fixing cars (8%), hiding from spouses (7%), recreational games (5%) and doing laundry (4%) were the best ways to hang out in the garage.

And while they’re in the garage, a good percentage won’t be far away from their refreshments. That’s because 43% of Americans report having an extra refrigerator in their garage, with beer (37%), frozen foods (33%) and soft drinks (20%) as their favorite things to store.
And what is the ‘weirdest thing” Americans report doing in their garage? Merriment abounds, including all-night poker games, Super Bowl parties and rained-out family reunions and birthday celebrations.

The animal kingdom looms large; Americans report herding goats, stalling horses, hunting mice, killing rats, chasing copperhead snakes and storing the family bunny.

And what happened to the 62% of Americans who report locking themselves out of their houses in the past year?

A lucky 7% had been able to get right back in by climbing through their pet doors. Good going for the 16% of Americans who report having a pet door in their house.

“For the vast majority of Americans,” says Don of Austex Garage Doors and its sister company Austex, “the garage door is clearly the ‘most important door in the house.’ This means it is vitally important to use high-quality doors that conform to rigorous safety standards and get regular tune-ups. This will go a long way to ensuring the safety and security of you and your family.
-Don”

Family Owned & Operated

Since 1979, CPOD has been installing and servicing garage doors and openers in the Austin area, including steel doors, carriage-house doors, wood doors and the latest innovation—wood-free doors; as well as the very latest in garage door openers, outside keypads and remotes.

Visit the Austex Showroom!

Garage door and opener samples are available in the AuxTex showroom off Hwy. 183, where customers will find everything they need to choose a new garage door or opener. Or – a technician can visit a residence or business for a free estimate.

Austex is celebrating five years of accreditation by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and is A-Rated. It is an Angie’s List Super Service Winner and a proud member of the International Door Association.