Pro Can Help to Raise Garage-Door Clearance

Question: We have a 12-year-old home with a two-car garage that has a one-piece wood door. We recently bought a van that just barely fits inside; there’s only a quarter-inch clearance between the door’s bottom rail and the top of the van. Can the door be modified or raised?

T.R.

Anaheim Hills

Answer: “Unfortunately, this isn’t an uncommon problem,” says Cheri Massey of Britten Overhead Doors in Huntington Beach. “Depending on the space in the doorway, the door can be raised to accommodate larger cars and vans. However, if you’re not accustomed to working on door hardware, it may be best to call in a professional for the job. You could also remove or modify the bottom rail, which may give you more clearance for your van.”

Q: We’re having a problem with noise from the alley below our bedroom at night. Will replacing our regular windows with double-paned glass help?

W.C.

Tustin

A: “You will notice a difference, but it may not be what you expected,” says Dee of College Glass & Mirror in Fullerton. “Noise will still be getting into your house because the other windows aren’t secure. Many of the modern dual-glazed windows can be installed without creating a new window opening. They retro-fit into existing openings; you just have to replace the windows and frames themselves and don’t have to worry about having to repair drywall or plaster.”

Q: I recently moved to a house with lots of windows and light. I have a number of framed prints that use white matte, and I fear that once they’re hung on the walls, over time they’ll yellow because of all the light. What can I do to prevent this?

S.D.

Irvine

A: “If this really concerns you, there is a UV glass available for frames that blocks harmful ultraviolet rays,” says Randy Findley of Bayne Custom Picture Framing in Fullerton. “It’s more expensive than regular glass, but it looks just like regular glass. If you’re concerned about too much light, you also might want to consider a non-glare glass. This has been finely etched and is clear up to a three-matte depth, and it also keeps your pictures visible in high-glare situations.”

Q: I painted some rooms in my house and, in order to hide the old paint and marks, I had to use four coats, which can’t be right. Is that what happens when you use cheap paint?

R.R.

Corona del Mar

A: “It could be the paint, but that often happens when you fail to prepare the surface,” says house painter Jay Grebs of Anaheim. “If the walls you had were a yellow or orange and you’re trying to paint them white, you may have a problem covering them with one or two coats. You also may be spreading the paint too thinly over the walls. Do an even job, with a roller full of paint; make an ‘M’ over an area, then fill it in. With really bold walls, you might want to use one or two coats of a primer that will hide colors and marks and provide a flat, adhesive surface for your new paint.”

Q: We have two sliding glass doors that don’t glide as easily as they used to. What can we use to make them slide like new?

E.E.

Buena Park

A: “You’ll need to keep the tracks of your doors clean and free of grime, since that often slows the rollers down,” says Lori Green of Green’s Discount Glass & Screen in Garden Grove. “Clean the tracks and lubricate the rollers with WD-40. If the doors still don’t slide correctly, the rollers should be checked for flat spots or excessive wear. You’ll also have to check the tracks to see if they’re straight. Rollers are easily replaced on the bottom of the door, and a ‘track cap’ can be used that fits in the track and provides a smooth surface for the rollers.”