Frequently Asked Questions

Garages are often dark places. Some people ask why sunlight is able to come in through the cracks of the door. The common answer is that garage doors are not precision pieces of equipment and are exposed to the ravages of nature – high winds, intense storms, severe summer heat and winter cold and much more, so they get “beat up” by the elements. The fact is that many low-cost garage doors are made of light-gauge steel which doesn’t respond well to the bending-type machinery that rolls them out. To correct this problem, we offer a self-adhesive foam tape that can be applied in all the areas where sunlight is leaking in between the sections. In addition, a new bottom seal will go a long ways to eliminating light and wind coming through the bottom of the door. We also offer deluxe vinyl perimeter seal that can close off the sides and top of the door. For more information, message us online!

Garage door remotes operate on different radio frequencies (measured in MHz or Megahertz). The older Marantec remotes operated on 40 MHz, but the newer models use 315 MHz. Unfortunately there are no longer any remotes available that will work with the older Marantec models so you must add an additional module known as a 315 Mhz external receiver, then the newer remotes will work. It is best to have a professional do this procedure for you, or you can call us for help over the phone at 702-795-1000 .

Things to consider are:

• Style that will match or enhance the apartment building or garages.
• Color availability. Garage doors can be painted but powder coat finishes are more enduring.
• Long life hardware and springs. Because of high use, it is wise to consider 25,000 – 100,000 cycle hardware. Many apartment building garages are under very high daily use.
• Gauge thicknesses. Heavier gauges hold up much better in an apartment building environment. We service hundreds of apartment building garage doors and the most common problems is denting and other similar damage. This can be solved by using 24-gauge steel or thicker.
• Locking mechanisms.
  • If the garage doors will be automatic, the garage doors will be automatically locked by the operator. But if the garage has no other entrance or exit than the garage door, it is extremely important that you add a “vault release” locking mechanism to the top section of the door with a key that can be used to get into the garage in the event of a power outage or other problem.
  • If the garage door will be manual with an outside key-handle lock, remember to order the locks keyed differently and perhaps consider the extra cost of master keying if the tenant loses their key.
  • If using remotes, remember that every time a tenant changes you will need to change the codes on the garage door operator motor.
• Most landlords charge a refundable fee for failure to return the remotes and keys when they move out!

Planning ahead will save a lot of time and headache when administering dozens (or hundreds) of tenant garages.

New garage doors range in cost from about $500.00 and up, but a garage door replacement should be considered an investment rather than an expense. Because the garage door is such a large part of the front of most homes, the appraised value of the home will reflect the quality and curb appeal of the garage door.

There is actually no such thing as a true universal garage door remote. Each manufacturer has their own frequencies and coding in the signals. A few manufacturers have attempted to create universal remotes but they still will not operate all brands and models made over the years. Your best bet is to purchase the identical remote. If it is no longer made, the manufacturer will usually offer a compatible replacement. If no replacement is available your can almost always find a conversion module (external receiver) and new remotes. The best advice is to call Martin Garage Doors of Nevada for help.

Yes, most garage doors are made to be painted. Always consult with a professional paint supplier for the correct type of paint to use for a steel garage door. Powder-coat painted or copper doors need special care – consult the garage door manufacturer for instructions. But for average doors, there are a few simple steps to follow:

• Close the door and wash it.
• Spray off with water.
• When the door is completely dry, lightly sand.
• Dust off, then raise the door.
• Mask off the jambs and header, and cover the floor.
• Paint only the outside of the door with a good quality paint or clear sealer.

Yes. This is called “vertical lift,” or “high lift.” The tracks and hardware can be modified so that the door goes straight up the wall on both commercial and residential garage doors. Use vertical lift if the ceiling is more than double the height of the garage door opening. With vertical lift, the garage door will go straight up the wall and will not curve back at all. Use high lift if the ceiling height is more than about 24″ higher than the garage door opening – for example if the door opening height is 8 feet and the ceiling is 14 feet, with high lift hardware the door will go vertically for about 5 feet then will curve back horizontally for the other 3 feet.

A study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission found over 68,000 serious finger injuries resulting from a person mistakenly placing his/her fingers in the wrong place on a garage door. Further studies showed that 85-90% of those injuries took place with doors equipped with automatic openers that had failed due to power outages, defects, misaligned eye-beams, etc. Indeed, all people are vulnerable to such an injury if their door does not address entrapment issues.

Good question. The insulation value of our dual layer insulated door is R-14. Insulation will only slightly help your garage stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. But insulation does make the door look nicer on the inside. Also, it tends to quiet the door down in its operation and decrease road noise. If these issues are not important to you, don’t get an insulated door. Please note, in spite of what some salespeople may say, insulation does not make a steel door more dent resistant. Dent resistance comes from thicker, heavier steel with high tensile strength.

Most manufacturers put in the window design overlays as they come from their supplier. They are molded with color. But this material left outdoors will yellow in a short time. Martin Garage Doors utilizes a special coating process that prevents yellowing. And the Lifetime guarantee assures you that you will not have this unsightly problem. Also our design overlays are double-thick to help keep their shape.

Depending on certain circumstances, it’s entirely up to you. Your opener must be able to reverse upon hitting a 2×4 laid flat on the floor. Also, your opener needs to be 10 feet long (for a 7′ tall door). Keep in mind that the new openers have great safety and security features that the old ones do not have.

When you push your wall button, if the garage door will not open, there could be several causes:

1. Check to see if there is power to the garage door operator. It is probably plugged into an outlet in the ceiling. Plug something in and see if there is power. If not, look for a tripped breaker.

2. If there is power, the garage door operator should make some noise or turn on the light. If the door does not move, there is a problem with the door (such as a broken spring) or the operator (such as a stripped gear). You will need to call a professional technician for these problems.

3. PERFORM THIS STEP ONLY IF THE DOOR IS IN THE DOWN POSITION. You can pull the red emergency release handle located where the J-arm connects the door to the operator rail. You should easily be able to open and close the door manually. If the door is too heavy, the spring or cable may be broken. If the door does work easily, then the operator is probably broken.

NOTE: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REPAIR YOUR DOOR OR OPERATOR. YOU COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. CALL A PROFESSIONAL!

When you push your garage door remote button, a radio signal is sent to the garage door operator receiver inside the garage. If the garage door starts to move but stops, the garage door is probably broken. If nothing happens, there could be several causes:

1. Replace the battery in the remote. If the battery is weak or dead, the signal may not be strong enough to be sensed by the receiver.

2. If you replace the battery and the garage door still will not move when pushing the remote button, the new battery may be bad. If you have a second remote, try that one. If the door opens from the second remote, the first remote is broken. These devices usually cannot be repaired.

3. If the door will not move using two different remotes with new batteries, the garage door operator receiver or control board may be broken. This could be caused by ordinary wear and tear or by faulty power or other problems. You will need to call a professional technician.

NOTE: IF YOUR GARAGE DOOR OR OPERATOR ARE BROKEN, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REPAIR IT YOURSELF. YOU COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. CALL A PROFESSIONAL!

YES. This includes anyone who contracts to install, repair or maintain garage doors and electric operators for a price or a fee.

In addition, most states require state and/or local contractor licenses to perform garage door work. But even states in which no license is required, garage door companies are treated as contractors in legal matters.

According to the Institute of Justice, “Twenty-nine states license door repair contractors working on residential properties. On average, states require 343 days of education and experience, $320 in fees and about one exam. All in all, 16 states require at least one exam—10 states require one exam and six (Arizona, California, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada and Utah) require two. These requirements rank as the 47th most burdensome of all contracting classifications.

Yes, Harrison Door, LLC is wholly owned by Martin Garage Doors of Nevada, LLC. Originally, Harrison Door was in business in Southern Nevada for many years. We have owned the Harrison Door name since about 2008 and have done business as Harrison Door since 2015. Harrison Door is now a proud part of the Martin team, and is affiliated with the Carpenter’s Union.

Because it is a separate entity, Harrison Door has its own Nevada Contractor’s License# 80760. Martin Garage Doors of Nevada is licensed in 3 states and in Nevada has license #s 77056 and 77057.

Unfortunately several of our competitors continue to deceive the public by using the Harrison name in their advertising. This is a continual battle for us and may result in legal action at some point to protect our names and trademarks.

For more information, please search for #Harrisondoor, or call the old Harrison phone number 702-458-4000 and we will answer 24 hours a day.

I like the way windows look and how they dress up a home. But many doors in my neighborhood have windows, and some of them have turned yellow and look awful now. Why?

Most manufacturers put in the window design overlays as they come from their supplier. They are molded with color. But this material left outdoors will yellow in a short time. Martin Garage Doors utilizes a special coating process that prevents yellowing. And the Lifetime guarantee assures you that you will not have this unsightly problem. Also our design overlays are double-thick to help keep their shape.

When I replace my old wood door with a new steel sectional, do I have to change my automatic opener too? It's not too old and seems to be working fine.

Depending on certain circumstances, it’s entirely up to you. Your opener must be able to reverse upon hitting a 2×4 laid flat on the floor. Also, your opener needs to be 10 feet long (for a 7′ tall door). Keep in mind that the new openers have great safety and security features that the old ones do not have.

Why won't my garage door open when I push the wall button?

When you push your wall button, if the garage door will not open, there could be several causes:

1. Check to see if there is power to the garage door operator. It is probably plugged into an outlet in the ceiling. Plug something in and see if there is power. If not, look for a tripped breaker.

2. If there is power, the garage door operator should make some noise or turn on the light. If the door does not move, there is a problem with the door (such as a broken spring) or the operator (such as a stripped gear). You will need to call a professional technician for these problems.

3. PERFORM THIS STEP ONLY IF THE DOOR IS IN THE DOWN POSITION. You can pull the red emergency release handle located where the J-arm connects the door to the operator rail. You should easily be able to open and close the door manually. If the door is too heavy, the spring or cable may be broken. If the door does work easily, then the operator is probably broken.

NOTE: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REPAIR YOUR DOOR OR OPERATOR. YOU COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. CALL A PROFESSIONAL!

Why won't my garage door open when I push the remote button?

When you push your garage door remote button, a radio signal is sent to the garage door operator receiver inside the garage. If the garage door starts to move but stops, the garage door is probably broken. If nothing happens, there could be several causes:

1. Replace the battery in the remote. If the battery is weak or dead, the signal may not be strong enough to be sensed by the receiver.

2. If you replace the battery and the garage door still will not move when pushing the remote button, the new battery may be bad. If you have a second remote, try that one. If the door opens from the second remote, the first remote is broken. These devices usually cannot be repaired.

3. If the door will not move using two different remotes with new batteries, the garage door operator receiver or control board may be broken. This could be caused by ordinary wear and tear or by faulty power or other problems. You will need to call a professional technician.

NOTE: IF YOUR GARAGE DOOR OR OPERATOR ARE BROKEN, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REPAIR IT YOURSELF. YOU COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. CALL A PROFESSIONAL!

Are garage door companies contractors?

YES. This includes anyone who contracts to install, repair or maintain garage doors and electric operators for a price or a fee.

In addition, most states require state and/or local contractor licenses to perform garage door work. But even states in which no license is required, garage door companies are treated as contractors in legal matters.

According to the Institute of Justice, “Twenty-nine states license door repair contractors working on residential properties. On average, states require 343 days of education and experience, $320 in fees and about one exam. All in all, 16 states require at least one exam—10 states require one exam and six (Arizona, California, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada and Utah) require two. These requirements rank as the 47th most burdensome of all contracting classifications.

Are Harrison Door and Martin Garage Doors of Nevada the same company?

Yes, Harrison Door, LLC is wholly owned by Martin Garage Doors of Nevada, LLC. Originally, Harrison Door was in business in Southern Nevada for many years. We have owned the Harrison Door name since about 2008 and have done business as Harrison Door since 2015. Harrison Door is now a proud part of the Martin team, and is affiliated with the Carpenter’s Union.

Because it is a separate entity, Harrison Door has its own Nevada Contractor’s License# 80760. Martin Garage Doors of Nevada is licensed in 3 states and in Nevada has license #s 77056 and 77057.

Unfortunately several of our competitors continue to deceive the public by using the Harrison name in their advertising. This is a continual battle for us and may result in legal action at some point to protect our names and trademarks.

For more information, please search for #Harrisondoor, or call the old Harrison phone number 702-458-4000 and we will answer 24 hours a day.

There are some procedures that can safely be done by a do-it-yourselfer, but the more serious repairs should be left to the professionals.

Garage doors are heavy and dangerous. Each year in the United States, a few people are killed and over 10,000 people end up in the hospital because they tried to repair a garage door themselves (https://www.cpsc.gov/Research–Statistics/NEISS-Injury-Data). Here are some things that can be done safely yourself:

• Replace the batteries in the remotes and keyless entries.
• Program new remotes and keyless entries.
• Replace the external vinyl weather seal.
• Replace a hinge with its roller (except for top and bottom rollers).

Here are a few of the procedures that should NOT be done by an untrained person:

• Never replace or repair a spring, lift cable, bottom bracket or any of their attachments. These are under tension and people have been killed or seriously injured by working on them.
• Never open the cover of the garage door operator motor. People have been electrocuted and fires have been caused by an unknowing person trying to make a repair.
• Do not attempt to reset a door that is crooked, cockeyed, off the track or hanging in the opening. Garage doors weigh hundreds of pounds and you are at risk for serious injury.
• Never attempt to replace the bottom seal on a garage door. This procedure often requires loosening or removal of bottom brackets which are under great tension.
• Don’t try to straighten or replace a track. When the track is removed, the heavy door can fall.

You are much better off to call a trained professional when your garage door is out of order. What may appear simple to you may actually cause serious unexpected injury.

In most cases, yes. The garage door factory can build large and small doors with a matching pattern, but this requires advance planning. Most garage door sections are 18”, 21” or 24” in height. If you want to match the pattern on two adjacent doors, make sure the sections are the same height. If your garage door has a row of windows, careful planning can place the windows at the same height on both doors. The Martin factory also has a powder coat paint line and they can color match garage doors with superior long-lasting paint.

According to the annual survey of the leading home remodeling magazine, garage doors have the best payback of any investment in the remodel of your home (“Cost vs. Value 2018,” National Remodeling”). According to this survey under the category of Garage Door Replacement, a garage door job costing $3,470 has a resale value of $3,411, for a 98.3% payback. This is the best payback of any category in the survey.

New garage doors range in cost from about $500.00 and up, but a garage door replacement should be considered an investment rather than an expense. Because the garage door is such a large part of the front of most homes, the appraised value of the home will reflect the quality and curb appeal of the garage door.