Category: Featured Videos
One Clear Choice Garage Doors made an appearance on Colorado’s Best recently to discuss their role in the building of a Habitat for Humanity home.
Colorado’s Best is a consumer-oriented show that airs Monday through Friday at noon on Colorado’s Own Channel 2. It showcases the latest consumer news and technology and informs you about upcoming local events that are fun for the entire family.
One Clear Choice was thrilled to be a part of the show.
As your full service Denver, CO garage door repair and replacement specialists, One Clear Choice is pleased to welcome you to our site. Whether your door is broken or you have your eye on replacing an old garage door, One Clear Choice is ready to assist you.
Some customers come to us because the spring is broken on their door and they need it repaired. Others are in the market for a more reliable and easy to use door opener, and still others want to replace an old wooden door with a modern, easy to open door that offers a stylish look inside and outside the garage. Please let us know how we can help you and we look forward to being your One Clear Choice for garage door repair and replacement.
Chris Chapman from One Clear Choice Garage Doors appears on Colorado’s Best TV show to discuss the innovative Door Imagination System and how it helped transform a historic firehouse in downtown Denver.
Although One Clear Choice guarantees the best quality, value, and price on the install, repair, and replacement on doors of all brands, we choose Clopay, the only garage door manufacturer with the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.
Shopping for garage door parts? Here’s where to find the best quality, price and selection
If you own a home, you’re probably quite familiar with chain home improvement stores. And while these superstores offer endless selection and value for most of your DIY needs, may we suggest an alternative for where to shop for garage door parts?
The tell-tale signs of a garage door repair company to avoid
By One Clear Choice Garage Doors Owner Chris Chapman
When it comes to getting your garage door maintained or repaired, there is a myriad of options to choose from, from large companies to smaller, family-run businesses.
Here are some warning signs of bad garage door repair service companies to help you know what to stay away from:
1. Negative reviews –
A good first step in finding a garage door company is to visit Yelp or Google for online reviews.
With reviews, the thing to look for is not whether or not they have negative reviews, because all companies have bad reviews.
Even the best of companies are entitled to bad days, but more importantly, competitors often intentionally add bad reviews to the sites reviewing their rivals.
It’s how the companies respond to the bad reviews that can give away their attitude toward customers and how they deal with criticism.
Also, if a company has an overwhelming amount of negative reviews, that is a clear warning sign.
2. Poor communication –
A service-oriented company such as a garage door repair company should have someone – a real, live person – available to answer the phone when customers call. They should be responsive to emails and comments left on social media outlets as well.
If a garage door service company doesn’t respond to your phone call or email promptly and professionally, you should probably look elsewhere.
3. Doesn’t show up on time –
Once you have contacted a garage door repair company and scheduled a service appointment with them, watch the clock. If the service technician does not show up at the scheduled appointment time – or within the agreed upon window of time – that should be a red flag to you.
Believe it or not, there are garage door companies who strive to arrive promptly to all service appointments, treating their customers with respect for their time.
4. Bad customer service –
If you hire a garage door company – and then feel as if they put you on the “backburner” or talk down to you at any point in the process – move on.
There are too many other companies out there who value their customers and who work hard to earn your payment by explaining the repairs necessary, process and fees to you in a clear, respectful manner.
5. Uses subcontractors versus employed technicians -
Employees of a business will be much more likely to be insured, background checked, drug screened, trained, and the best representatives of their brand.
Look for companies with their own service technicians. Stay away from those who primarily use subcontractors.
6. Poor workmanship –
If anything about the maintenance or repair performed on your garage door strikes you as sloppy, messy, lazy, or in any way unsatisfactory, let the company know immediately.
Will they return to make it right? Or are they suddenly nowhere to be found? Obviously, how they respond will determine if you should continue with them or seek help elsewhere.
7. Hidden fees
And finally, our seventh warning sign of a bad garage door service company is hidden fees. Some garage door companies charge a trip fee to come to your house, before they even begin doing any work, or try to sell you a brand new garage door when a part repair would be more affordable.
Check out a few different companies’ websites to see if they publish their prices. Do prices include installation, and what does installation include? If their prices seem too low compared to the competition, chances are they may be trying to hide something.
Conclusion
Hopefully, with our 7 warning signs, you can avoid the costly and frustrating mistake of hiring a bad garage door service company. For further help on finding the best garage door company for your needs, see our article on 10 Criteria for Selecting a Garage Door Repair Service.
Tips to strengthen and increase the life of garage doors
By Chris Chapman, One Clear Choice Garage Doors Owner
1. Proper Maintenance of Garage Doors
Proper maintenance of automatic, remote-controlled garage doors is critical to ensure maximum performance, to prevent future problems, and to increase garage door lifetime.
Proper maintenance includes a professional garage door service technician coming to your home once a year and lubricating and balancing your garage door, along with checking for any potential issues such as air gaps or damaged springs.
A little maintenance can go a long way.
Estimated cost: $69+ versus $600-$2,000 to replace your garage door
2. Cleaning and Painting Wooden Garage Doors
Another way to increase the lifetime of your garage door is simply to clean it. You should ideally do this once a year. Start outside, cleaning the outside of your door with a soft sponge or cloth. Once it is washed, just rinse with a hose.
If the garage door is made of wood, inspect the door to see if it needs to be repainted or stained, according to Lowe’s home improvement expert Mike Kraft.
3. Retrofit Garage Doors
High winds are a definite consideration in Castle Rock. According to the Institute for Business & Home Safety, the two threats to your garage door in terms of wind are wind pressure and wind borne debris, especially if your garage door has windows.
If your garage door is not fortified to withstand high wind, it poses a threat to the rest of your home, especially the roof, since it is the largest opening in your house.
A strong wind may cause your garage door (especially if it is a double-wide garage door) to buckle or force it out of the roller track. Or the track itself could be vulnerable to the wind pressure, if it is too lightweight or the fasteners don’t penetrate the wall deep enough.
Retrofitting your garage door and making it impact-resistant, could increase the lifetime of your garage door and safeguard the rest of your home in the event of strong wind.
To retrofit, first look for a label on the door indicating the design pressure rating. If you can’t find one, look for the following signs of a weak door:
- Does your garage door only have one bar across each of the four panels or maybe only one or two panels have bars?
- Is your garage door made of wood?
- Are some of the door panels rusted or rotted?
- Are some of the door panels badly dented?
- Are the brackets that hold the track to the wall loose, broken, or missing bolts or nuts.
- When the garage door is closed, do the brackets supporting the track line up with the rollers?
- Are the hinges between panels loose, broken, or missing bolts or nuts or screws?
- Are the rollers plastic and/or are the axels through the rollers hollow?
Source: Institute for Business & Home Safety
If any of the above is true, the garage door will likely perform poorly when strong wind strikes and you should retrofit or replace your garage door. If you choose to replace it, look for a garage door that is code approved for both wind pressure and impact protection. Call a professional garage door company for help.
Your home is biggest investment, and your garage door is an integral part of your home. Treat it with proper care and maintenance and it will serve you well.
How to find the best garage door company in Castle Rock
By Chris Chapman, Garage Door Expert
When it comes to garage door installation companies, the choices can be overwhelming. The last time you checked your mail you probably had an envelope stuffed full of coupons and flyers from a wide variety of garage door “experts”. With so many options, where do you even begin?
Since not all garage door companies are equal, you should start with these 10 criteria for selecting a garage door installation company:
1. Are they local?
If they are not located in your neighborhood, some garage door companies charge a trip fee just to assess the problem with your garage door at your home. That is before they even start any work. When calling, make sure to ask about this.
2. How long have they been in business?
Established garage door companies are established for a single reason: satisfied customers. Newer garage companies could be great, but they have more to prove. Some might take chances in order to do so, but it isn’t worth your safety.
3. Are they affordable?
Some garage door companies charge a trip fee, as mentioned above, or try to sell you a more expensive garage door when more affordable one would work for you and your situation. Check out a few different companies’ websites to see if they publish their prices. Do prices include installation, and what does installation include?
4. Are they authorized dealers of the major garage door brands?
The top brands in garage doors and garage door openers are Clopay, Genie, Liftmaster, and Craftsman, to name a few. The garage door company you select should be an authorized dealer of these major brands, to ensure the highest quality and dependability.
5. Do they use subcontractors or employ their own service technicians?
Employees of a business will be much more likely to be insured, background checked, drug screened, trained, and the best representatives of their brand. Look for companies with their own service technicians.
6. Do they have a good reputation/good reviews?
Start with the Better Business Bureau, then community lists such as Angie’s List or Tom Martino’s List, and then check out their Google Places reviews. With reviews, the thing to look for is not whether or not they have negative reviews, because all companies have bad reviews.
Even the best of companies are entitled to bad days, but more importantly, competitors often intentionally add bad reviews to the sites reviewing their rivals.
It’s how they respond to the bad reviews that illustrates their passion for helping people with real garage door problems.
7. Are they easy to reach?
A service-oriented company such as a garage door installation company should have someone – a real, live person – available to answer the phone when customers call. They should be responsive to emails and comments left on social media outlets as well.
8. Do they have a guarantee?
After your Castle Rock garage door has been installed and the service technician takes off, do you have a guarantee from the company that the garage door will last? If something goes wrong, will they return to make it right without charging you? Top companies follow this as an industry best practice.
9. Are they truly garage door experts, or just trying to make sales?
If the garage door company is using employed service technicians rather than sub-contractors, chances are they are dedicated to educating and training their service techs to ensure they are knowledgeable and experienced. A good question to ask is: how many jobs are they required to complete as an apprentice before becoming a certified technician?
10. Do they have before and after pictures on their website?
This may seem like a minor detail, but as they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” If you can see pictures of a garage door company’s actual work, it’s easier to trust that they will do a good job with your garage door.
Conclusion
Your Castle Rock garage door is one of the most expensive and important components of your home. When you need a new one, finding the best company to install it can seem overwhelming. But with a little research guided by our 10 tips, you will hopefully be able to save time, money, and stress.
How to find the best garage door company in Castle Rock
By Chris Chapman, Garage Door Expert
When it comes to garage door repair companies, the choices can be overwhelming. The last time you checked your mail you probably had an envelope stuffed full of coupons and flyers from a wide variety of garage door “experts”. With so many options, where do you even begin?
Since not all garage door companies are equal, you should start with these 10 criteria for selecting a garage door repair service:
1. Are they local?
If they are not located in your neighborhood, some garage door companies charge a trip fee just to assess the problem with your garage door at your home. That is before they even start any work. When calling, make sure to ask about this.
2. How long have they been in business?
Established garage door companies are established for a single reason: satisfied customers. Newer garage companies could be great, but they have more to prove. Some might take chances in order to do so, but it isn’t worth your safety.
3. Are they affordable?
Some garage door companies charge a trip fee, as mentioned above, or try to sell you a brand new garage door when a part repair would be more affordable. Check out a few different companies’ websites to see if they publish their prices. Do prices include installation, and what does installation include?
4. Are they authorized dealers of the major garage door brands?
The top brands in garage doors and garage door openers are Clopay, Genie, Liftmaster, and Craftsman, to name a few. The garage door company you select should be an authorized dealer of these major brands, to ensure the highest quality and dependability.
5. Do they use subcontractors or employ their own service technicians?
Employees of a business will be much more likely to be insured, background checked, drug screened, trained, and the best representatives of their brand. Look for companies with their own service technicians.
6. Do they have a good reputation/good reviews?
Start with the Better Business Bureau, then community lists such as Angie’s List or Tom Martino’s List, and then check out their Google Places reviews. With reviews, the thing to look for is not whether or not they have negative reviews, because all companies have bad reviews.
Even the best of companies are entitled to bad days, but more importantly, competitors often intentionally add bad reviews to the sites reviewing their rivals.
It’s how they respond to the bad reviews that illustrates their passion for helping people with real garage door problems.
7. Are they easy to reach?
A service-oriented company such as a garage door repair company should have someone – a real, live person – available to answer the phone when customers call. They should be responsive to emails and comments left on social media outlets as well.
8. Do they have a guarantee?
After your Castle Rock garage door repairs have been made and the service technician takes off, do you have a guarantee from the company that the work performed will last? If something does go wrong, will they return to make it right without charging you? Top companies follow this as an industry best practice.
9. Are they truly garage door experts, or just trying to make sales?
If the garage door company is using employed service technicians rather than sub-contractors, chances are they are dedicated to educating and training their service techs to ensure they are knowledgeable and experienced. A good question to ask is: how many jobs are they required to complete as an apprentice before becoming a certified technician?
10. Do they have before and after pictures on their website?
This may seem like a minor detail, but as they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” If you can see pictures of a garage door company’s actual work, it’s easier to trust that they will do a good job with your garage door.
Conclusion
Your Castle Rock garage door is one of the most expensive and important components of your home. When something goes wrong with it, finding the best company to repair or replace it can seem overwhelming. But with a little research guided by our 10 tips, you will hopefully be able to save time, money, and stress.
When we reach 200 LIKES on our Facebook page, we are going to give this garage door opener away to one of our friends!
We will also INSTALL it for free, or ship it for free if the winner is outside our service areas.
LIKE our page now for your chance to win:
How to tell when your garage door springs go bad and what to do about it
By One Clear Choice Garage Doors Owner & Garage Door Expert Chris Chapman
One Clear Choice Garage Doors sells and installs Breezy Living garage screen doors. Watch the video (click on View Now) to see how this screen door works.
Breezy Living Garage Screen Doors contain a retractable roll-up passage door, which allows the homeowner to enter and exit her garage without having to put the entire screen door up like she would have to do for roll-up electric retractable screens.
Notice how easy it is to operate the screen door and how it stores away out of sight when its not in use. Also, because it stores and operates entirely on the interior of the garage cavity and opening, the Breezy Living Garage Screen Door is approved for installation in most communities where the HOA may have banned aluminum sliders and electric retractables which are unsightly and require tracks and frames to be attached to the outside frame of the garage opening.
The Breezy Living Garage Screen Door is also a green product because it uses no electricity or power and 90% of the materials used in its manufacture are recyclable.
Call One Clear Choice at 303.565.6409 for more information or to get yours installed.
We are always looking for ways to bump up the curb appeal of our home and when Clopay approached us about sharing some interesting new products that do just that, we had to take a look.
But first we wanted to know what a garage door manufacturer knew about increasing a home’s curb appeal. Turns out A LOT! Typically garage doors don’t rank high on the beauty shot scale and we’ve yet to come across a Pinterest board dedicated to beautiful garage door photos, but according to a Remodeling Magazine 2011 cost vs. value report, maybe we should take garage doors more seriously.
According to the study, garage door replacement ranks in the top 5 exterior home improvement projects, netting a 71% cost return at resale, on average, nationwide. This is a huge number that could make a big difference in appraisals and your listing price.
Garage door replacement ranks high in both categories for a few reasons:
1. It is among the least expensive projects in the survey.
2. A new garage door improves curb appeal in a way that can affect a potential buyer’s first impression and, consequently, a home’s resale value.
Garage doors are a major exterior design feature, especially if the garage faces the street. An upgrade doesn’t necessarily cost a lot but it makes a big first impression, considering 73 percent of Americans now enter their home through their garage.
A remodeled kitchen and bath can help sell a home, but curb appeal is what gets buyers through the door. If they don’t like what they see from the street, chances are they won’t waste time going inside.
Door replacement can be done in less than a day and the visual gratification is instant.
3. Smart exterior upgrades improve energy efficiency – another important factor as homeowners look at ways to reduce the long-term costs of owning and maintaining a home.
Before & After
Have you looked at the condition of your garage door? The above study proves a point that you shouldn’t let your garage door become an afterthought when considering the exterior appearance of your home, in fact if you are looking for the best resale value on your home you should carefully consider the door style and condition.
Here are a few before and after photos that leave no question about the value of a good looking garage door.
This homeowner upgraded from a flush panel white steel door to a Clopay Semi-Custom Reserve Collection wood carriage house style garage door that becomes an instant focal point and also complements the wood Craftsman entry door.
BEFORE
AFTER
This is an architect’s house in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He didn’t realize there were contemporary garage doors to match the look of his home when he built it so he just went with flush panel steel doors to blend in with the facade.
BEFORE
AFTER
If these before and after photos don’t convince you that an upgraded garage door will improve the curb appeal of your home, then nothing will. In fact the eye-catching style of most of these new doors enhances the other elements of the house such as the windows, front doors and shutters.
If you think your garage door could use an upgrade, then stay tuned for our next article in which we dive a bit deeper on the overall design of the garage door and show you how to match your front door to your garage door.
This article is reprinted from the Charles & Hudson blog: http://charlesandhudson.com/archives/2012/02/door_to_door_the_most_bang_for_your_buck_is_a_gara.htm
To see more before & after photos, click the link above.
By One Clear Choice Garage Doors Owner & Garage Door Expert Chris Chapman
It is something so small yet it wields so much power. It is your garage door remote. Most likely attached to the visor in your car, this handheld device gets you in and out of your garage with just the click of a button.
Have you ever had to shop for a new garage door remote? If you have, then you know that the choices can be overwhelming.
We were here to help simplify things for you. When it comes to remotes you only need to remember 3 things:
1. DO NOT use a universal remote.
Not only can universal garage door remotes cause frequency interference; they are not always compatible with your garage door opener even though they say they are “universal.”
2. DO buy a remote that has the capability to work as many doors as you may have.
3. If there is a BEST garage door remote, it is the new 893MAX 3-Button Visor Remote Control by LiftMaster.
The LiftMaster 893MAX
is compatible with all LiftMaster openers manufactured since 1993. It has a motion lighting system so that you can see the buttons in the dark and is appealing to the eye as well.
From LiftMaster: This powerful multi-door control can operate three garage door openers or gate operators, or MyQ™ enabled light accessories.
It features Security+2.0™ rolling code technology that significantly reduces radio wave interference and makes it virtually impossible for anyone to steal your remote control signal.
Plus, it’s compatible with all LiftMaster® garage door openers manufactured since 1993. Also, this garage door remote:
- Can control up to three garage door openers or gate operators, or MyQ™ enabled light accessories
- Is equipped with Security+2.0™ rolling code technology that virtually eliminates radio wave interference
- Is compatible with all LiftMaster® garage door openers manufactured since January 1993, and all 315MHz Security+® LiftMaster and Elite® gate operators
The 893Max 3-Button Visor Remote Control by LiftMaster retails for $41.95.
Our other top picks for best garage door opener remotes:
For price:
On the cheaper end of the spectrum is the 371LM Single-Button Remote Control from LiftMaster, retailing for only $34.95, which is amazing considering all of its features.
“Our basic single-button remote control isn’t so basic,” says LiftMaster. This garage door remote can operate a single garage door or gate, or turn your garage door opener lights on/off.
It can also be used as an extra remote control to turn on lights or small appliances inside your home – all from the comfort of your car. It features Security+® rolling code technology that sends a brand new code every time it is used. One 5-year 3-volt battery is included.
For size/convenience:
If you are a person on the go, and want a smaller garage door remote option, consider the 890MAX 3-Button Mini Remote Control. It is small enough to fit on your keychain, or in your purse or pocket.
The 890MAX is also powerful enough to control up to three garage door openers or gate operators, or MyQ™ enabled light accessories.
For added safety, it features Security+2.0™ rolling code technology that virtually eliminates interference and sends a brand new code every time it is used.
A 5-year 3V battery is included, and it is compatible with all LiftMaster® garage door openers manufactured since January 1993, and all 315MHz Security+® LiftMaster and Elite® gate operators.
The LiftMaster 890MAX garaged door remote retails for $41.95.
If you’re still unsure of the best garage door opener system – whether it be an opener, or just a remote – give One Clear Choice Garage Doors a call at 303-565-6409 and we will be happy to help you decide what is right for you.
Part 3 of our series, “Your Garage Door Opener – Denver’s Best Reviewed” By One Clear Choice Garage Doors Owner Chris Chapman. See Parts 1 and 2 here.
Now, a word on brands that did not make the list:
Just because an opener did not make this list does not mean it is a product we would speak negatively about. There are simply more brands and models than I could cover in one article.
One Clear Choice services and installs all brands. Some runners up include:
- Somner – A very cool opener; great in low headroom situations.
- Martin – We do not see these very often for repair service calls, and they are quiet.
Why Liftmaster and not Chamberlain:
LIFTMASTER is the professional series and it is better. Solid rails, quality hardware, better warranty, professionally installed.
Also, we recommend that you install a garage door surge protector on all openers. Liftmaster is the only company to make a surge protector specifically for the garage door opener and it warranties you against ALL power surges, spikes, or occurrences for five years, even lightning strikes.
Have fun choosing your garage door opener!
