Pembroke, Ma: Garage Door Safety Tips

June is National Safety Month, so The International Door Association and the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association have designated June as Garage Door Safety Month. Your garage door is probably the single largest operating piece of machinery in the house and it is vital to your families safety, so you should make sure it is operating correctly.

The website GarageDoorSafety.com states that their mission is “To provide home owners with the most comprehensive residential garage door and opener safety risk assessment available.” This site helps homeowners identify potential dangers created by garage doors. You can also see injury statics such an estimated 7,557 Pinch/Crush Section injuries were reported in the United States in 2007. These injuries were defined as “Fingers caught between section joints, includes amputations, avulsions, etc.”

The Overhead Door Corporation is offering consumers 10 safety and security tips to ensure protection throughout the year.

·         Make sure the garage door opener control button is out of the reach of small children.

·         Do not let children play with garage door remote controls.

·         Never place fingers between door sections. Explain the dangers to children and consider pinch-resistant door panels.

·         Consult the owner's manual and learn how to use the garage door's emergency release feature.

·         Visually inspect the garage door each month. Look at springs, cables, rollers and pulleys for signs of wear. Do not attempt to remove, adjust or repair these parts or anything attached to them. These parts are under high tension, and should only be fixed by a trained door technician.
 

·         Test the garage door opener's reversing mechanism monthly by placing a 2x4 board or a roll of paper towels in the door's path. If the door does not reverse after contacting the object, call a qualified garage door professional for repair. If the opener has not been replaced since 1993, replace the garage door opener with a new one that has safety sensors and auto-reverse as a standard feature.

·         While on vacation, unplug the garage door opener unit or use a wall vacation lock console security switch, which renders remotes unusable and is an optional accessory to most openers.
 

·         Do not leave the garage door partially open. When activated again, it may travel downward and come in contact with an object in its path. This also compromises a home's security.

·         If the opener does not have rolling-code technology, be sure to change the manufacturer's standard access codes on the opener and remote control, or consider investing in a newer model with rolling-code technology which changes the access codes each time the opener is used.

·         Never leave the remote control in the car when given to a parking attendant. A stolen remote leaves you more susceptible to home invasion. Always lock your car when left unattended. It's a small inconvenience for safety and security.

Source: PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1dtU1)

So please be sure to consider these tips to protect your family. And if your unit is old and starting to fail please consider replacing it with a more energy efficient unit that will be more safe and secure.

Should you DIY or hire a pro?

May was National Home Improvement Month. And in honor of that Almar Building & Remodeling CoInc offers homeowners advice before they tackle their spring projects: namely, whether to do-it-yourself (DIY) or hire a professional during the busy remodeling season.

According to a consumer poll from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Website NARI.org, the largest determining factor for deciding to DIY or hire a professional was cost, at 40 percent. Thirty percent of respondents placed project type and know-how as the second most important factor, and level of difficulty was close behind at 25 percent. Safety and length of time required to complete the project were last, with 2 and 3 percent respectively.

According to Terry Quinn “Almar frequently gets call to come in and fix or finish a project that a homeowner had thought they could DIY. But once they get in to it find that they don’t have the time or skills to get it done quickly and looking right. And unfortunately in most cases this attempt to do it yourself and save a few dollars costs you a lot more in time money and stress to your personal relations ships.”

 In reality, the home improvement process—though varied across project type—can be very costly and involved for anyone, not to mention a beginner. That’s why it’s important to weigh all considerations before you begin work to prevent a DIY disaster.

Quinn says “Homeowners need to consider if they have they the necessary skills to do the project – will doing it yourself help or hurt your home’s value? Do they have the time? When you work all day long do you want to come home and start a construction project when you could be spending quality time with your family? What’s the true cost savings to doing it myself? We find in most cases none. And if you need to call a professional in after the fact it will cost you twice what you initially thought.

The most important considerations for homeowners have to do with physical ability, skills, time and understanding of what needs to be.

Quinn says that homeowners should have basic skills when it comes to using tools or knowing which tools are necessary, measuring, installing and following product manufacturer instructions.

Quinn also says that homeowners should plan the process from beginning to end to ensure they have time to complete.

And then homeowners should consider the costs. Permits, materials, time and costs associated with correcting mistakes must be factored into the total cost.

 Most homeowners can handle routine maintenance projects and cosmetic touch-ups, but it’s recommended they consult with qualified professionals for larger remodeling jobs and major changes to the home’s structure. Visit the NARI Website to access a DIY quiz, designed to help you decide whether you are going to need to hire a professional.

If you find out that you do need to hire a professional, hiring someone who is qualified and competent to do the work is just as important as preventing a DIY disaster. Make sure you do your homework, hiring an unlicensed untrained contractor because he’s the lowest price can be worse than taking on a project yourself that you can’t handle. Get copies of licensees and insurance, choose a NARI contractor, make sure you are comfortable with the paperwork. Both the Almar (www.almarbuilding.com and NARI (www.nari.org) websites is a great place to find more tips on choosing the best professional.

As of April 22, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency passed new regulations to address a lead safety concern in homes built before 1978. The Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule is designed to train professional remodelers how to minimize lead dust in the home to reduce exposure to children under 6 years and pregnant women. Remodel-ready homeowners should make themselves aware of lead-safe practices in their homes during a remodel, either by a professional or as a do-it-yourself practitioner, to keep their families safe. Please learn more at www.nari.org/leadsafety

Hanover Designs: Designing Your Remodeling Project

By: Allison Quinn Guido, CS

Networking can open small businesses up to a whole world of people and connections that they might not have ever been exposed to otherwise. I have had the honor of getting to know Paulette O’Connell, AIA, LEED AP thru Almar Building & Remodeling’s association with the South Shore Women’s Business Network. And now by getting to know each other we are looking forward to collaborating on upcoming Design and Remodeling projects to service our client better.

Paulette is the principle at OCO Architecture located in Hingham Ma. She started this firm to offer more personalized design solutions to homeowners and clients alike on the South Shore and beyond. She has a diverse background which allows her to bring a fresh eye to her custom
residential projects.

A registered architect and a member of the American Institute of Architects and the Boston Society of Architects, Paulette is also LEED certified. LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system.

Almar is looking forward to collaborating with OCO Architecture as part of our Design Build process. Design Build is the one-stop shopping approach to remodeling. Our clients hire us to do everything, from design to finish. From conceptual designs, to the working plans, right through
production management of getting your project built.

Choosing Deign Build your whole team is listening you your wants, needs and budget and
working together to create the best project for you that can be built with in your budget.

For more information about on how you can work with Almar Building and OCO
Architects on your upcoming Renovation (Addition, Kitchen, Bathroom, Basement,
Sunroom) then please give call us at 781-826-2577