Blog

When to Use a Hi-Lift Track in Plano, TX

Hi-Lift 2

What is Hi-Lift track used for and why? Well, in some cases there are people that have a lot of toys, such as, lifted trucks, boats, campers, and arranged racecars. When you think about the people that have some of these possessions, you need to ask yourself, where do they keep them? That’s when the Hi-Lift comes into play.

Space or no space

If your ceiling has enough clearance, you may be able to park two cars in the same section. When you get two Range Rovers or jump to getting monster trucks involved, you may want to possibly start thinking into a conversion. Hi-Lift is the ultimate conversion when it comes to floor space. Savvy homeowners that don’t have multiple stalls in their garage space, and also don’t care to build another, can opt to install a four-post car lift that actually elevates on car high enough to park the second vehicle underneath it.

The Ultimate Conversion

When open, a standard garage door typically interferes with an elevated car, even while a car lift is a great solution for the four-post car lift in most cases. The remedy for that would simply to proceed to your conversion. Converting the existing garage door to your soon-to-be high-lift isn’t necessary for reframing work to be done. Also know that the exterior appearance of the door will not change. People that pass by while the doors are closed will not know the difference because no structural changes take place.

Hi-Lift

Hi-Lift Basics

Standard 7-foot garage doors, the tracks curve and then level into a horizontal plane about eight feet above the garage door from opening. If you only want to lift a single car to work on it from beneath, you can do so without the conversion of a garage door to a high-lift. Just keep in mind that you WILL NOT be able to open the garage door while elevating your car.

What you need

When you are ready to start your conversion, there are a few simple things you may need to proceed. New cables, high-lift drums, support brackets, angles, new torsion springs, and additional vertical track will be needed. Our well trained technicians are equipped with all of these essentials already stocked on their trucks and ready to install. We look forward to earning your business in this exciting space to expand and appreciate this new way to love your toys!

 

By Nick McGregor, General Manager of Plano Overhead Garage Door

 

Garage Storage Trends in Plano, TX

Full Garage 2

Garages are not made just for parking your cars anymore!

It has always amazed me how so many people would rather get in and out of their cars in the rain, snow, sleet, and heat out in their driveways, than to enjoy the overhead protection, shade, and convenience of getting in and out of the car in the garage!

 Supporting claims

53% of households in the United Kingdom have access to a garage, whereas only 24% of them use the space for parking their car. However, 82% of homes in the United States have two-car garages or larger, but only 15% use them to park the car inside. Lately, I’ve been noticing it’s also been getting worse. More and more are choosing to NOT take full advantage of their garages and use them for the purpose for which they were intended-TO PARK YOUR CARS IN!

 Extra storage space- Practical or not?

When people move into a new home that’s equipped with a 1- or 2-car garage, most likely their intensions are good. Most see whether or not they will have enough space in the garage to fit their personal, specific vehicles. When in reality, most cases prove that after the big move in date, the unpacking of the junk in the garage never really leaves. It just keeps collecting. They’ll use the garage as “extra storage space”.

 Full Garage

Too much stuff

The problem is that it just becomes easier and easier to keep adding stuff inside the garage every time they buy more things… or they simply don’t have any other place inside the house itself to keep all the extra “junk” that has now accumulated in their lives.  Aside from the bike, lawn mowers, and tools, and such, if you don’t need to use something regularly, then it’s probably not worth really keeping around anyway, right? Storing in the garage is like storage place just before it makes its way to the trash or the donation center anyways!  A good theory to go by is, for every one new thing you buy, get rid of one thing. With this, there will be some kind of constant balance.

 Conclusion

We would like to think if we have a garage, we should be able to use it accurately and for what it’s actually intended for. Clearing out all the junk and using your garage for the purpose it was intended will prevent a large amount of offenses that also include getting stuck in uncomfortable bi-polar Texas weather!

 

By Nick McGregor, General Manager of Plano Overhead Garage Door

972-422-1695

FREE ESTIMATES SINCE 1977!

1100 N. Central Expy
Plano, Texas 75074

Mon: 8:00-5:30pm
Tue: 8:00-5:30pm
Wed: 8:00-5:30pm
Thu: 8:00-5:30pm
Fri: 8:00-5:30pm
Sat: 9:00-1:00pm