Check out the newest universal garage door opener mini remote control from LiftMaster!

The new LiftMaster 374UT Universal Mini Garage Door Opener Remote Control is portable, compact and durable and works with most all major brands of garage door openers. Perfect for key rings, purses and backpacks. Give one to everyone in your house and never have to deal with the hassle of lost keys!

Click the link below to see why everyone is talking about this new remote.  Order yours today at Star Door Parts!  

Click here to read more about the new LiftMaster 374UT Mini Remote

 

Add curb appeal instantly to your home!

Now that spring is here, don't forget to spruce up the curb appeal of your house by adding decorative hardware to your garage doors.  With the magnetic decorative hardware sold by Star Door Parts, you can quickly and easily transform your plan steel garage door into a carriage look garage door!  There is no drilling or screws needed and our products will not rust or fade.  Check out our fully selection of magnetic hardware today!  Don't forget to check our discounts page to see how we can save you even more this spring!

Star Door Parts Magnetic Decorative Hardware

Home Upgrades with the Best Payoff

When most people hear the word "remodel" the first areas of a home that often come to mind are the kitchen and bathrooms. However, while kitchens make up a respectable 28% of all home improvements and bathrooms 25%, neither of them are the number one home improvement renovation homeowners want to make in the coming year.  The number one home improvement renovation is... outdoor space!  Yes, that's correct.  An overwhelming 37% of all homeowners would like to make improvements to their outdoor space.  This includes landscaping, decks and patios, pools and home curb appeal.

Curb appeal is becoming an increasingly affordable and popular way to enhance your home's exterior appearance, functionality and resale value.  In fact, curb appeal is so popular that there are entire TV shows dedicated to it.  Americans spend millions of dollars each year to ehance the look, feal and fuctionality of their front and back years. 

Do you know what home upgrade has the best financial payoff?  It's certainly not what you would think.  The home improvement with the best rate of financial return is a home's front door which brings in an astonishing 102% return on investment!  Stone veneers come in at 92%, garage doors at 88% and wood decks at 81%.

If you don't want to go to the work and cost of adding a new front door, there are a couple of simple, low cost ways to spruce up your front door.  After all, the front door is one of the first things that a visitor to your home sees and gives them that first impression.  If you are thinking of selling your home, then you definitely need to make sure that all potential buyers are greeted by a front door that invites them in and want to see more!  Here are some easy ways to enhance the look of your current front door:

• New paint or varnish (make sure you sand the old paint or varnish first and thoroughly prep the surface)
• New hinges (even if you don't buy new ones make sure that the existing ones are oiled properly to allow the door to open and close easily and quitetly
• Add a peephole to see who is on the other side (this is a good safety feature to have anyway and is easy to install)
• Add a new door handle, knocker or other hardware.  At Star Door Parts we carry a wide variety of door knockers to install on your front door.  Check them out today!

Amazingly, garage doors and garage door improvements come in with a higher financial payoff than wood decks!  In order to improve your home's curb appeal and get a high rate of return, you don't need to spend thousands of dollars on new garage doors.  Instead, enhance the ones currently installed in your house.  It doesn't matter if your garage doors are wood, aluminum or other composite, it doesn't take a lot of money, time or experience to give your garage door that "new" look.  Things that you can do to enhance the appearance of your garage door include:

• New paint or varnish (make sure you sand the old paint or varnish first and thoroughly prep the surface).  If you want your doors to stand out think about painting them a difference color than the body of the house or color match them to the trim or fascia.
• Add windows to the top panel
• Add decorative hardware.  At Star Door Parts we sell a complete line of garage door decorative hardware.  Not sure how or where to start out?  No problem!  Simply start by selecting one of our many in-stock, low cost garage door decorative hardware kits that come in variety of styles.

Wayne Dalton Torquemaster Original Replacement Garage Door Spring

Is your garage door making too much noise or not functioning the way it used to? Before you make moves to replace it completely, check on the condition of your garage door springs. Garage door springs are responsible for the lowering and raising of your door. If you are having trouble with your garage door, it is most likely due to the springs. It is important to regularly check on the maintenance and well-being of your springs because they can be rather temperamental and break.

A great product that won’t let you or your garage door down (unless you want it to) is the Wayne Dalton Torquemaster Replacement garage door spring. With the Wayne Dalton garage door replacement spring, you are assured quality and value. The spring is made with great innovative technology and is sure to give you faultless service year after year. So you won’t have to replace your garage door springs very often. In addition, each Torquemaster spring comes with winding and stationary ends already installed and a protective plastic sleeve making it easy for you to replace the old springs. Also, the Torquemaster springs work with all Wayne Dalton Original Torquemaster garage door spring systems.

The Torquemaster spring is easily the safest counter balance spring system on the market. It also provides the smoothest and quietest operation over any other garage door spring.

What are you waiting for? Get your Wayne Dalton Torquemaster Replacement Garage Door Spring today from Star Door Parts for just $48.97 and save on all the repairs and maintenance.

When Should You Replace Your Garage Door?

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Replacing your garage door after it has fallen off the hinges or starting to rot can not only be expensive and rushed but also can lend a hand to even bigger problems down the road. But how do you know when the time is right to replace your garage door without the risk of waiting until the last minute? And what benefits can replacing your garage door have on your home? Here are some tips to help you pin point when it just might be time to take the leap into new garage door-dom and just how a new garage door can change the whole feel of your home.

Maintenance

If maintaining your garage door’s aesthetic as well as its functionality has become overwhelming, it may be time to scrap the old door and upgrade. If molding or rotting is becoming an issue it is definitely time to get a new garage door. Mold can cause serious health issues within the home and rotting is a serious safety concern as it makes the garage door weak and undependable. Buying a metal garage door instead of a wooden one can help you avoid rotting in the future.

Increase Home Value

It has been proven that replacing your garage door will enhance your home’s curb appeal. According to a 2010 report, garage door replacement is the second most important remodeling project in regards to return on investment. It can significantly increase the market value of your home at the time of sale. Also, putting up something new and modern will help impress any potential buyers.

Enhance Appearance

A new garage door can drastically improve the look and feel of your home. Even though it is only a small part of your overall house, your garage is probably the first thing people will notice as they walk in. In today’s world, garage doors come in a variety of colors, styles, and finishes for you to choose from. You can take advantage of these options and transform the way your home looks.

Safe Storage

Older garage doors are made from wood or metal that does not have the right insulation and are much easier to break through. A new garage door will definitely help keep your belongings safe from bad weather and intruders. Also, a new garage door will provide better insulation and prevent moisture in the garage which will help with the storage of your belongings.

Limit Home Access

In addition to securing your garage, a new door will also provide security for your entire home. The easiest way for thieves to break into your house is through the garage. Most new doors come with a heightened level of security and use new sophisticated coding systems that makes it impossible for thieves to break through.

Sometimes buying and installing a brand new garage door isn’t always the best option for every home. At Star Door Parts, we sell garage door replacement and repair parts and accessories for quick fixes or simply to enhance the look of your current door. Our garage door hardware can make any door look brand new. If you decide a full replacement isn’t necessary, contact us or your local garage door technician to find the parts you need to find the exact parts you need.

Garage Door Security

In order to ensure the safety of you and those you love, it is important to practice proper garage door safety. After all, you do not want to leave your home vulnerable to robbers, causing you countless problems in the process. By following some of the security points described below you are ultimately protecting your home from any possible threats.

Do Not Leave Your Remote in Plain Sight

To make sure that your home stays secure, you do not want to leave your garage door remote in any place where someone passing by can see it. This is especially true when it comes to those who leave the remote in their car. That's because if your vehicle ends up getting broken into, these robbers now have complete access to your home as well. The best way to prevent this problem from occurring is by simply buying a keychain style remote instead.

Remove Your GPS Device after Use

When it comes to your GPS device, you should always put it away after you are done using it. Whether you are parked at a school event or a shopping mall, if a thief breaks into your car and takes your GPS, all they have to do is hit the "home" button, which will lead them to an empty house where they know you won't be for hours. If for whatever reason your transmitter does get stolen, immediately clear any codes that are found in your opener. Once you do that, the stolen device will become ineffective.

Lock the Door That Sits Between Your Garage and House

Another safety measure you should take to prevent intruders cutting through your garage to get into your home is locking the door found between your garage and house. In fact, we recommend using a deadbolt there. Besides this, you also want a door that is super study, like you would have for your front door. Typically, a steel door works great for this purpose. You may even want to invest in a door that comes with a wide-angle peephole so that you can peak into your garage from the comforts of your home if you hear any startling noises.

Don't Forget to Close Your Garage Door Properly

The last thing you want to do is make it any easier for a criminal to break into your home. That is why you have to make sure that your garage door is fully shut every single time you leave your home or when you call it quits for the night. Today, there are a bunch of products on the market that help you tell if your garage door is open or closed from anywhere in your home.

Installing locks on the actual garage door assures that you will not have intruders simply lifting the garage door while you aren’t home. Just because you use a remote to open the door normally doesn’t mean someone can’t physically open the door without it. A good lock is the garage door locking lever handle from Star Door Parts.

Another good alternative is having a garage door security keypad set up on your door. In this scenario, only someone who knows the code can enter the garage. This is perfect for working parents whose children may need to get into the house while parents are still out.

You do not have to feel helpless to robbers and thieves any longer. By taking part in the proper garage door security, you are protecting your belongings, and those you love, from any dangers that may be lurking.

Different Types of Garage Door Springs

Acting in the same way counter weights have been used to balance doors in previous generations, so garage door springs act as counterbalance to the weight of the door. While there are many varieties, there are two main types: torsion springs and extension springs. No matter the design, each one works to ease the process of opening and closing both manual and electric garages/garage doors.

Torsion Springs

The springs are attached to a metal shaft that is installed above the garage door. It applies torque to the shaft with drums at each end, and attached to each drum is a cable that is fixed to the bottom of the garage door. As the spring unwinds and winds, it creates a balance system for both opening and closing the door.

Standard: The most common, standard torsion springs generally use two springs mounted to the spring anchor bracket along the top of the garage. Two springs are more popular as it prevents damage and injury should one of the springs break.

EZ-Set: These springs are attached to winders at the end of the shaft instead of the middle.

Wayne Dalton TorqueMaster: The safest spring system available, the springs are enclosed on the inside of the torsion shaft and are held in place by a winding cone. Unlike other springs, they can only be wound by the use of a power drill. Cable drums support the ends of the shaft. The Torque Master is also designed to sit about 2” higher than the supports so as to keep the cable from wear due to rubbing against rough material. One of the best features is a hook that is afixed to the wall in order to support the center of the shaft.

Standard Commercial: While the commercial springs come in a wide array, all follow a basic linear system in which four or more torsion springs are fitted along the shaft. Because of this design, it makes them ideal for wider doors generally used by manufacturers.

Steel Rolling Door: The steel rolling doors are comprised of interlocking slats that wind around a barrel as the door is raised. Inside of this barrel is the torsion spring.

One-Piece Curtain Door: Used by most self-storage units, one-piece curtain doors are almost identical to steel rolling doors with the only difference being the one-piece door is made from a single piece of steel.

Garage Door Extension Springs

Usually mounted along the side of the garage door, each spring stretches and contracts to act as the counterbalance. Residential garage doors generally only have two springs with larger, commercial garage doors requiring more.

Sectional Garage Door: The extension springs on this door go both above and parallel to horizontal tracks and counterbalance the door weight by pulling on cables. When the door closes, its weight is transferred from the track to the cable.

One-Piece Garage Door: Like the one-piece curtain doors of the tension springs the extension springs operate as one unit. As the door opens, the top moves along a track inside of the garage while the outside starts to stick out. The springs, attached to a connecting point, serve to counterbalance the additional weight.

Garage door repairs are dangerous and you always need to wear safety glasses,gloves and use the proper tools when working on your garage door. If you do not feel comfortable performing the repair or are of unsure of the procedures, always call your local garage door technician.