424 Ogden Ave, Downers Grove, IL 60515
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Recent Blog Posts
Build a Haunted Garage for Halloween!
Halloween is right around the corner, and one of our favorite traditions is visiting haunted houses with our children. But why, instead of going to a haunted house, don't you build one into your home? The garage, especially a detached garage, can create a horrifyingly brilliant haunted house. Today, we share tips on building a haunted house in your garage and yard.
Step 1: Clean up
No one wants a lawsuit on their hands, so make sure that anything that can actually harm someone is locked away. Start by removing cars, lawn mowers, tools, and chemicals. Clear out as much space as possible to allow for the biggest layout. If there's somewhere else you can store your stuff, move it there. If not, just put everything against the walls.
Step 2: Plan a Path
Measure out your garage, and draw out the map you plan to make of your garage. This is critical, not only in planning, but on the night of the event.
How to Clean and Remove Stains from a Garage Floor
A few weeks ago, we covered the different types of garage flooring types available to homeowners. However, what if you never have put down epoxy or protective paint? What if you've had an oil stain on your floor for years, and want to make this the year that you finally get rid of it for good?
You are running out of weekends to work on outdoor tasks-maybe you make this the weekend you get rid of that stubborn spot? Today, we'll share with you the best garage cleaning tips and some products to get the job done.
Cleaning a Concrete Garage Floor
Getting rid of tire marks, dirt, grime, oil, and oil may seem impossible, but with the right tools, you can easily remove even the most stubborn stain. However, before jumping into the tactical removal of the stains and tire marks, it helps for you to understand how to properly clean a garage floor.
Basic Garage Floor Cleaning
Learning the best way to clean a garage floor properly is a skill that is high on most home improvement lists. Depending upon what type of garage floor project you have chosen and how dirty your floor is, there are different methods of cleaning a concrete floor that you may want to engage.
Garage Storage for Bicycles: 3 Options to Save Space
Brace yourself, winter is coming. More than a quote from a TV show turned internet meme; winter is actually coming. With this comes less need for summer items such as bikes, patio furniture, bags sets (cornhole boards), kayaks, fishing gear, and grills. However, much of this takes up space, and seemingly takes up more space than last year. A seemingly bulky option that needs storage is the bicycle. We will share with you 3 space saving options for storing your bike in your garage this winter.
Garage Bicycle Storage
It's understandable that some of us may be riding this winter; but for the casual rider, the winter is not the time to go riding. This means that you need to find storage for an item that generally sits 3 feet high and 4-5 feet wide.
Before considering the basic hook around the tires approach or dark corner of the garage, remember that an extended period of contact with freezing concrete does not benefit the tires. However, if you don't want to take the indoor trainer option, you need a safe and effective storage option that will allow you to start spring with little more than a tune-up.
Maintaining a Safe Home Workshop
As a homeowner, your workshop may be the only place to work on home projects. As one of the more durable and spacious locations in the home, the garage is one of the best locations to set up a workbench, store tools and supplies, and complete the home projects you wanted to get done 4 months ago. But before you set up shop, we would like to walk you through an important factor in using a workshop in the garage-safety.
Safety in the Garage Workshop
What do you need in your workshop? Whether you are working on your automobile or a have a complete wood shop, there are certain things that you should have installed or on hand that will keep you or your family safe.
Proper Lighting
An overlooked, but significant consideration in your garage is right over your head. Yes, often an afterthought in garage, proper lighting can increase the safety, usability, and aesthetic appeal of a garage. Specific considerations include the following:
- Placement: Make sure you light the garage where you will need it most. Examples would be lights placed over a workbench or the area of the garage that corresponds to above the vehicle engine.
Design, Convenience and Safety: Benefits of a Detached Garage
As a company in the Chicago Suburbs, we have heard many a concern with the detached garage. Winter and summer both can make the walk to the garage seem like enough reason to attach your garage, but there are many visible and invisible benefits of choosing a detached garage.
Style and Functionality
The detached garage is generally easer to add and can be fit onto your property more conveniently, and you can see the obvious benefit of avoiding the overpowering
- A detached garage can more easily reduce or even eliminate the garage-dominated facade that many find so unattractive. Further, if you have a small house, adding an attached house can overwhelm it. A detached garage can be a much more aesthetically pleasing option.
- A detached garage can be set at an angle to the house, or set back from the house.
- Detached Garages allow you to have windows on all sides of your house.
- With no garage attached to the house, think of what you could do with that space instead. A patio or kitchen garden might be more appreciated here. Maybe you could add a nice pathway from garage to house, enhancing the beauty of your property.
Which Garage Flooring Option is Right for You?
When it comes to the garage, one of the most important considerations is right under your feet. Choosing the right garage floor can help improve safety of your garage, reduce money spent in repairs, and help make your home more valuable. At Blue Sky Builders, Inc., we would like to share the most popular flooring options, along with the pros and cons of each.
Garage Floor Epoxy
The standard for a tough, good-looking surface on the garage floor is garage floor epoxy. Although it is common to hear people refer to "epoxy paint," in reality epoxy and paint are different products, with different chemical compositions. Preparation and application are a bit more complex than is the case with paint.
Benefits of Garage Floor Epoxy
Epoxy floor coatings offer many advantages when compared to other traditional coatings applied over concrete:
- Epoxy offers a hard wearing durable surface able to withstand heavy and continuous traffic.
6 Steps to Planning Your Garage Storage
Winter is coming. What better time than now to set up storage for items you do not plan to use within the next 6 months? Generally underutilized, your garage has more potential for storage than you think. In this week's blog, we share 6 tips for planning your garage storage that will increase usage and reduce garage clutter.
1. Clear Out Unnecessary Junk
Weed out all the junk you don't need. Keep only what you use; give away what you don't, and throw away what's broken and taking up precious space.
Related: How to Clean Your Garage
2. Make a Plan
Treat your garage like any other room in the house. Take measurements and draw a floor plan to help you visualize what will fit and where it can be placed, just as you would for a kitchen or a dining room.
3. Categorize and Organize
Decide what items you'll use often, like garbage bags and cleaning supplies. These things should be kept nearest the door. Next, map out space for seasonal equipment: lawn mowers, weed-trimmers, snowblowers, etc. Avoid planting big items, such as lawn mowers, in a corner where they'll chew up space. Try to park them under a shelf unit. And be sure to clip ladders, shovels, rakes, and other garden tools into a wall rack off the floor.
7 Benefits of a New Garage Addition
Once you consider all of the benefits a garage addition can provide, you may wonder why it took you so long to move ahead with the project. Here are just some of the reasons you might want a new garage:
1. Car storage
The ability to jump in a clean, dry car without having to scrape ice off the windows or endure sun-baked seats is a major advantage to having a garage addition.
2. Household storage
Garages are great storage spaces. Even with cars, mowers, bikes and other items taking up floor space, you can still create an enormous amount of additional storage on the walls and ceilings.
3. Car maintenance
Whether you are the type of car junkie who can happily spend entire days rebuilding an engine or a weekend warrior who likes to change the oil yourself, a garage addition will make your life much easier.
4. Workshop
Thinking about taking up woodworking, gardening or some other craft? A garage addition will provide the room you need to work and a safe, secure place to keep your tools and equipment.
Ugliest Garage Contest Winner Announced
This summer, Blue Sky Builders, Inc. held our "Ugliest Garage Contest". We'd like to thank all of those who participated. And we are pleased to announce we've selected a winner!
The winner of the 2014 Ugliest Garage Content is located in Glen Ellyn, IL.
With a garage on the verge of collapsing and doors that no longer functioned/closed, they were very deserving of the title.
When the owner was asked how she felt about being the Ugliest Garage contest winner she said, "Actually, I kind of expected it".
Scott from Blue Sky Builders, Inc. commented, "It's going to be a fun project and it's going to look really great when it's done".
Stay tuned for pictures of the brand new garage!
Troubleshooting Common Garage Door Opener Problems
When your garage door opener suddenly stops operating properly, the explanation and solution are usually pretty easy to deal with. Here are the most common problems, along with the most likely repairs for each. For adjustments and repairs that aren't self-evident, check the owner's manual or contact a professional.
1. Garage door opener does not operate with either the remote or the wall switch.
The power source has probably been disrupted. Make sure the motor unit is plugged in. Check the circuit breaker, fuse or GFCI.
2. Garage door won't close all the way.
The close limit switch needs adjusting. If not, see if the door is binding when raised and lowered manually.
3. Garage door reverses immediately after hitting floor.
The close limit switch probably needs adjusting.
4. Garage door reverses before hitting floor.
The close force probably needs adjusting.
5. Garage door does not open completely.
The limit switch may need to be moved toward motor unit.
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