I am sure you must have all seen the hilarious videos about how people fail to clean the glass panes on the automatic door systems. Not only do the cleaners not manage to do their job, it also seems to affect the door users.

What usually happens is that every time a cleaner tries to get near the door, the door activates, leaving them nothing to clean until it comes back.

Where it can seem fairly straight forward for a lot of us, it is still worth mentioning the obvious:

• Please make sure you switch the automatic doors you wish to clean off before doing any cleaning on them. When deactivating a door, setup clear signage to avoid a new set of humorous videos of people walking into deactivated automatic doors.

In any case, what not to do when cleaning the doors:

• Try and force them to stay open by holding one of the sliding doors
• Slide the cleaning device between the door and the natural gas wall heater when in open position
• Throw a bucket of water at the door (electric hazard possible depending on door system)

There are specialized companies which provide professional cleaning services who will know all there is to know on the subject and will avoid health and safety hazards inside your building.

Do you need to see what people are capable of when trying to clean automatic doors ? Simply go to your favourite web browser and type in “automatic doors”. The video results will be a good representation of what is happening when people don’t follow the simple rules above. It’s actually worth the search, as it is quite fun to watch.

Installing a new garage door can be exciting because of all of the variety and accessories that are available. However, at the same time, it can also a bit stressful because garage door prices vary so widely. In addition to the cost of the door itself, you also have to deal with the cost of installing the door. Garage door prices range in price due to materials and complexity of design. The most economical and dependable garage doors are made of steel. These will range in price at the low end for a simple stamped or embossed design to a higher end door carriage house style. You always want to make sure that your garage door is made of quality materials in order to ensure security and longevity, and is in a tasteful style to match the rest of your house and garage architecture.

The first step in finding the best garage door prices is to explore the internet and visit garage door manufacturer’s websites. This is a great resource to get an idea of what’s available. Many of these sites also have places on their website where you can design a door to your specifications.

Finally, before buying a door, get an estimate from a garage door contractor in your area. The manufacturer’s websites can also direct you to their dealers who will sell, install and service their products. These licensed contactors can often get access to special industry pricing which would not be available to you elsewhere.

Now, you can make a logical decision based on the garage door prices plus installation. Be sure to make sure that the work is done up to your standards, and give input to where wall-mounted door openers are located since you’ll be using it a lot more than the installer will be!

Garage doors are actually pretty amazing if you think about it a bit. A large, flat panel is rotated up and down either in sections or one big flat plane at least a few times a day without any problems. Well, that is as long as you do some maintenance on your door.

I went through something very embarrassing this past October. My garage door went on the fritz. It is an older model that opens as one big panel. I have a cheap automatic opener, the type with the bar running down the middle of the garage to the top of the garage door. Any way, the door wouldn’t close correctly and the automatic opener was making noises that sounded suspiciously like it was trying to commit suicide.

I called a garage door repair company and they sent a gent out. He started off by asking me what was wrong. He then started asking me questions like, “When was the last time you adjusted the springs”, “when was the last time you oiled the chain”, “how old is the garage door”, “when was the last time you balanced it?” and so on. This was embarrassing because not only did I not know any of the answers, I didn’t even know they were things that should be done. He quickly realized as much, stopped asking and set about fixing my door. It took him 10 minutes, but raised the issue of garage door maintenance.

Are you even aware you should do maintenance on your garage door? Well, you should if you want it to last. The first thing to check is lubrication. Regardless of the type of system and door you have, something does the pivot and pull when the door goes up or down. This means you should lubricate the chain on the opener and the pivot points on the dental braces that pull up and lower the garage [on the outer edges].

Next, check the springs on your door. Look for signs of rust and sag. If you see them, you are better off replacing the springs before they break. If the break, the door can literally be bent out of shape since one side of the door will be supported by a spring while the other sags. This will knock your door out of shape compared to the frame, which means it will not close or open without rubbing on the frame or at all. Importantly, your springs are under a lot of tension, so have a professional replace them. Do it yourself and you can be badly injured.

The final step is to check the condition of your garage door. Open it and pay particular attention to the bottom edge. This is where rot and what have you can start. Check your weather stripping in this area as well. Keeping water and cold gusts out of your garage is important. If the weather stripping is stiff or cracked, it is more or less useless so replace it.

Maintaining your garage door can add tens of years to its life. Do it once a year and you won’t have to worry about spending big bucks to get it replaced for a very long time.

Protecting new furniture from a puppy is something that doesn’t just happen by accident. If you want to prevent your sofa cushions from getting chewed, or having the corner of your wooden table gnawed on, pay attention. What I’m about to share is a great way to use positive reinforcement with your puppy to train him what is and isn’t ok to chew on.
r
rThe key to stop puppy chewing is to teach a technique for stopping puppy chewing that still meets your puppies needs. Because your puppy is growing new invisalign dentist, it is necessary for him to chew on things to ease the pain which unfortunately is sometimes your furniture. He’s not doing it just to cause you anguish.
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rPuppies chew to eliminate pain from invisalign dentisting. Plus they chew to relieve boredom. So by using a technique to stop puppy chewing that still allows him to chew, while also allowing him to entertain himself is very important.
r
rThis means that you’ll want to take an inventory of everything your puppy likes to chew on, and go buy him dog toys that have similar textures.
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rIf your puppy seems to love shredding soft things like pillows, go buy him plush toys. Or if you have a puppy who likes to chew on harder things like sticks or rocks, you might consider buying a variety of hard plastic toys. You can buy these types toys at any pet store or at websites like Petsmart.com
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rAfter you’ve stocked up on a variety of toys it’s time to put them to work. Start placing toys next to the furniture you’re worried about. Put the plush toys next to the pillows. Put the hard toys next to things like table legs.
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rIf you have to, you might also consider limiting how much free access your dog has to your home as well. Sometimes it is easier to work on teaching your puppy things that are not ok to chew on in one room only… and not the whole house at once.
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rThe next thing you want to do is train your dog what’s called a replacement behavior. Pay close attention to him looking for when he’s about to go chew on something. When you notice your dog going to chew something simply say “No” in a firm voice and give your dog the toy that is the best replacement.
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rBecause this method does not rely on you punishing your puppy, it also has the added benefit of preventing your puppy from developing food aggression or become possessive of resources.
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rWith repletion your dog learns that you accept his desire to chew on some things and not on others. And as long as you keep stocked up on toys, most dogs will be more then happy to chew on their toys, instead of your furniture.
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rThis process will take a month or two to train. You need to be consistent, but I promise you your furniture will thank you for it.

Garage Doors are amazing if you think about it a bit. A large, flat panel is rotated up and down either in sections or one big flat plane at least a few times a day without any problems. Well, that is as long as you do some maintenance on your door.

Are you even aware you should do maintenance on your garage door? Well, you should if you want it to last. The first thing to check is lubrication. Regardless of the type of system and door you have, something does the pivot and pull when the door goes up or down. This means you should lubricate the chain on the opener and the pivot points on the dental braces that pull up and lower the garage [on the outer edges].

Next, check the springs on your door. Look for signs of rust and sag. If you see them, you are better off replacing the springs before they break. If the break, the door can literally be bent out of shape since one side of the door will be supported by a spring while the other sags. This will knock your door out of shape compared to the frame, which means it will not close or open without rubbing on the frame or at all. Importantly, your springs are under a lot of tension, so have a professional replace them. Do it yourself and you can be badly injured.

The final step is to check the condition of your garage door. Open it and pay particular attention to the bottom edge. This is where rot and what have you can start. Check your weather stripping in this area as well. Keeping water and cold gusts out of your garage is important. If the weather stripping is stiff or cracked, it is more or less useless so replace it.

Maintaining your garage door can add tens of years to its life. Do it once a year and you won’t have to worry about spending big bucks to get it replaced for a very long time.

Finally

patio doors tend to become worn and torn look. Patio door parts will stop often start with heavy doors open and closed. This is usually a sign that it is time to replace the patio door. Replacement patio door is easy for the employee Novice. It just takes patience and all the steps involved in installing the door. R

rthe the following guide to replace the patio door. R

R1. One must remove the old patio door which is concealed and its immediate removal in pieces. />

A lot of people commonly think that installing a new deadbolt is a tough job. It generally isn’t nearly as hard as people think. Typically when you replace a lock the existing holes in the door match up with what you need for you new deadbolt. 

Before we get started and you buy a new lock make sure that you check to see that it will cover the entire hole in the door left by the old lock. You don’t want it to be a bit smaller and show some of the old hole that was drilled there. This is not very likely as most doors have a standard size hole drilled but better safe then sorry.
Now on the back of the lock on the inside of your door you will see two screws just like in the photo to the right. These screws anchor the front and back together pinching the lock on the door. Take out these two screws and and you can pull the front and back of the lock off of the door. Make sure that you hold the front of the lock or it might fall to the floor damaging something. 

The next step is to take the bolt out of the door. The picture to the left is what the bolt looks like so just pop that out of the hole that its in. 

So far so good and you basically just repeat the steps backwards and the new deadbolt will go right in. So take the new bolt and insert it right side up into the hole that you just took the last one out of. Once this is in place take the front and back of the lock and place them together on the door. There will be a flat plate the goes through the bolt from the front face of the lock. That is what turns the bolt in or out when you insert a key or turn the thumb turn. The thumb turn, like you see in the first picture, is on the inside obviously with the key hole or keypad facing the outside. Now insert the two screws and tighten the lock to the door. 

The last thing you have to do is replace the strike plate to match the one from your new lock. It will either have 2 or 4 screws with it. The two longer ones, if you have them, are to anchor the plate. They reach deap into the door so if it gets kicked it will be much harder to knock the door open. The other two are on all plates. they just hold the strike plate in place. Once you have screwed these in you should be ready to go! I hope this helps and if you are in the market for a new lock you can see our products at at shopkeylesslocks.com

Probably all of your really good friends and neighbors always knock on the back door, but when strangers approach your house they go to the front door. So your front door is really where you make your first impression on anyone new visiting your house. Take a stroll up your front walkway to your front door. You may be surprised what you find.

Clean – Clean your doorway. Cobwebs never make a good first impression, unless you are a vampire and it is Halloween! Too often when we enter our home through a garage or back door, the front doorway is forgotten. If you never use it, make a point to enter your house through it occasionally just for a spot check.

Fresh Paint – Make sure that the paint on your door is fresh and not peeling or chipping. When you are repainting your front door consider giving it a bold, new color like black or red for a little extra drama in your curb appeal.

New Hardware – If you have had the same doorknob and doorknocker for twenty years; maybe it is time for a change. If you love your existing hardware consider refurbishing it, and then add your house number in big, shiny letters to your entryway for a fresh look.

Decorative Wreath – It is extremely easy to simply hang a wreath on the front door for instant seasonal decoration. It can be something as simple as branches and dried flowers in the autumn, an herb wreath for the springtime, flowers for summertime, and of course holly and berries for wintertime.

Stained Glass – Consider updating a plain glass door with a new, stained glass panel to add beautiful color and interest to your door. If stained glass does not appeal to you then consider some of the beautiful beveled glass panels available today to add a spark of new life to your front door.

Front Porch – If you are lucky enough to have a front porch, then use it. Make the entryway to your porch inviting. You can soften architectural lines with potted plants or hanging baskets, but take care to leave walkways unobstructed.

Doorknob Hanger – If you do not want to display a wreath on your front door, consider a doorknob ornament. Frequently children artwork is perfect for this purpose. In the absence of artwork however, a simple batch of dried flowers tied with a decorative ribbon will put your signature on your front door.

Light – Check your front light to make sure it still works especially if you normally enter and exit your house through the garage. Make sure your front light fixtures are in good repair, and make sure that they give off adequate light so that your visitors can travel up your front walkway without risking injury. You may also consider updating your light fixtures to give fresh new look to your entryway.

What child could resist the fun of a Thomas the Train birthday party! And no, you don’t have to rent any expensive props or travel to a special location. Turn your own home into the Island of Sodor with Thomas and friends!
 
For decorations, get the whole family involved in hanging bright primary colored streamers throughout the house. Use brown paper bags and Green construction paper to create some trees and bushes for a backdrop on the wall. Take three empty cardboard boxes and paint one with blue, black and red to resemble Thomas himself. Use paler brown paint with smart black trim to make Annie and Clarabel, his passenger coaches. Now you have Thomas and friends ready to party.
 
Next, use gray and brown duct tape to create train tracks outside, leading to the door. Children and their parents can “chug” up to the door. There, one family member dressed up in white shirt, suit and tie and to resemble Sir Topham Hatt will give a warm welcome to the little “engines” visiting the island.
 
Party games and activities can include “Sir Topham Hatt Says”, a variation of “Simon Says” where good little engines will only toot, whistle, chug, touch their toes or wiggle their eyebrows if Sir Topham Hatt gives the word! They can also play “Pin the Caboose on the Train”, or go “fishing” in Thomas’ boiler for special party favor prizes such as Thomas and friends play toys.
 
The kids will love a sing-along using such songs as “I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad,” “Little Red Caboose,” “Down by the Station,” or Thomas the Train’s own “Roll Call Song.”
 
For a special and creative activity, print off individual coloring sheets from the Internet and have guests color their favorite engine. The drawings can be proudly posted on the wall for a festive air until time to depart. Then they will enjoy taking their artwork home as a keepsake of the special day.
 
When it’s time to eat, the serve special Thomas the train sandwiches, made by trimming turkey, cheese, or PB & J sandwiches into square “train” shapes, with windows and smoke stacks made from square crackers and wheels made from carrot circles, pickles or pieces of fruit. Sir Topham Hatt can call the children to the table by saying, “All aboard for lunch!”
 
Guests will find their places marked with special name cards cut out into train shapes, with their name festively emblazoned on the side of an engine, caboose, or freighter in their favorite color.
 
For dessert, of course, it’s a Thomas birthday cake, perhaps with special Thomas and friends play toys chugging their way on a track across the cake top.
 
At the end of the day, send the children home with train-themed party favors such as engineer bandanas, wooden train whistles or a special Thomas the Train wooden play toys accessory of their very own. Don’t forget the special pictures they colored and perhaps some candy or a balloon!
 
As Sir Topham Hatt waves goodbye and the guests give a final toot to their train whistles as they chug away down the train tracks toward home, this special party is sure to make happy memories that will remain for a lifetime.

Installing a magnetic door stop is a great idea for most homes because it can solve some very common problems with doors such as; lightweight doors that swing open and closed unexpectedly, heavy doors need additional assistance to remain open and poorly hung doors. Door stops are use primarily to hold a door open for a long period of time and they are available in a variety of materials. A magnetic door stop used a small magnet that is attached to the wall and the door to hold the door open and releases when it is pulled.

Door stops can range from heavy objects placed on the floor in front of the door to metal hook and eye systems. There are many difficulties with these types of door stops because not only can they be knocked out of place; they can also damage nearby walls and the door itself. A magnetic door is a permanent addition to the door that is easy to use and will not cause damage over time from frequent use. The solid brass construction ensures high quality and durability and is offered in a wide selection of finishes.

A magnetic door stop is a great addition to any home or commercial business and a practical solution. While it is useful to select a doorstop in a complementary finish to the existing door hardware in your home it should not stand out and become a focal point in your room. Door stops are helpful tools but should blend in with your design. Most magnetic door stops have simple and functional designs and traditionally are not ornate.  Popular finishes include Polished Brass, Antique Brass, Polished Chrome, Brushed Nickel and Oil Rubbed Bronze.   

Update the existing hardware in your home or business and create a unified look. Installing new doorknob sets and hinges is a simple way to update the look of any door. Kick plates are also a wonderful addition for high traffic doors that could be easily damage over time. Installing a kick plate to prevent scratches and gouges is a wonderful addition to installing a magnetic door stop so visitors will not damage the door and can enter easily.

LookintheAttic & Company offers a wonderful selection of door hardware, including a variety of magnetic door stops. Be sure to ask questions and search for solid brass construction. Door hardware, because of its frequent use and importance, should not be neglected or overlooked. It is important to install high quality knobs, hinges, kick plates and door stops so the doors in your home, office or other business will function correctly.