Professional Garage Door Repair

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December 3rd, 2023

Your garage door is a workhorse, providing convenience and security for your home. However, like any mechanical system, it may encounter issues from time to time. In this guide, we'll explore some common garage door problems and provide troubleshooting tips to help homeowners address them effectively.

1. Unresponsive Garage Door Opener

Problem: Your garage door opener isn't responding to remote commands.

Troubleshooting Tips:

Check the remote batteries and replace them if needed.

Ensure the opener is plugged in and receiving power.

Verify that there are no obstructions blocking the garage door sensors.

2. Noisy Garage Door Operation

Problem: Your garage door is making unusual or loud noises during operation.

Troubleshooting Tips:

Lubricate the moving parts, including hinges, rollers, and springs (don't touch springs by hand).

Inspect the tracks for debris or misalignment and clean or realign as necessary.

Tighten any loose hardware, such as nuts and bolts.

3. Slow or Jerky Door Movement

Problem: Your garage door is moving slower than usual or exhibiting jerky movements.

Troubleshooting Tips:

Check for obstructions in the tracks and remove them.

Lubricate the garage door springs, rollers, and hinges.

Examine the cables for fraying or damage and replace if necessary.

4. Uneven Closing or Opening

Problem: Your garage door is closing or opening unevenly.

Troubleshooting Tips:

Inspect the tracks for bends or misalignment and correct as needed.

Check the balance of the door by disconnecting the opener and operating it manually.

5. Garage Door Reverses Before Closing

Problem: The garage door starts to close but then immediately reverses.

Troubleshooting Tips:

Clear any debris or obstructions from the garage door sensors.

Check the alignment of the garage door sensors

Check for broken or damaged springs and replace if necessary.

Regularly troubleshooting and addressing common garage door problems can prevent larger issues and extend the lifespan of your garage door system. While some issues can be resolved with simple maintenance, others may require the expertise of a professional garage door repair service. If you find yourself unable to resolve a problem or if the issue persists, don't hesitate to seek professional assistance to ensure the continued safety and functionality of your garage door.

November 12th, 2023

When it comes to garage doors, achieving the ideal balance is more than just a matter of convenience; it's a fundamental aspect of safety and functionality. To test this, disengage your automatic opener so that the door can be raised and lowered manually. A perfectly balanced garage door should stay in position halfway up, remain securely open without any unexpected falls, and close effortlessly without requiring excessive force. Let's delve into why this equilibrium is crucial and how you can ensure your garage door achieves it.

Staying Put at the Midway Point

A well-balanced garage door should effortlessly hold its position when opened halfway. When the door remains steady at the midway point, it illustrates that your counter-balance system is in equilibrium. If your springs aren't producing enough upward force, the door will likely descend down. If they're producing too much force, the door will tend to continue opening higher.

Securely Open

If the door held in place at the midway point, there's no chance it will fall from the raised position. However, it is essential to test the upward force here and confirm that the door will stay in place. If it tries to open beyond the garage frame, it may be producing too much opening pressure.

Closing Effortlessly: A Gentle Descent

Closing your garage door shouldn't feel like a battle of strength. A balanced garage door should glide down smoothly without requiring a ton of force. Excessive resistance during the closing process not only indicates a potential balance issue but also puts strain on various components, potentially leading to premature wear and tear. While your garage door operator aids in lifting the door, if it has to struggle against the springs during lowering, it can cause equal damage. 

Tips for Achieving and Maintaining Balance:

Spring Tension Adjustment: The garage door springs play a pivotal role in achieving balance. We can help ensure the correct tension for your specific door.

Regular Lubrication: Keep all moving parts, including hinges and rollers, well-lubricated. This minimizes friction, allowing for smoother operation.

Visual Checks: Regularly visually inspect the door for signs of wear, misalignment, or damage. Addressing issues promptly can prevent them from evolving into more significant problems.

October 7th, 2023

If there's one constant in the world, it's that moving parts break. Garage door springs are no exception. While torsion springs are made of high-strength steel, the constant stress of winding and unwinding leads to eventual failure. American-made springs have an industry standard life of at least 10,000 cycles. A cycle is comprised of one open and one close. To put this into perspective, two cycles per day would mean the spring would last 14 years. Most families use the garage door more than this, so the actual duration will likely be shorter.

There are some tips to extend the lifespan of your springs. The best thing you can do is keep them lubricated with garage-specific lubricant. This cuts down on the friction and heat produced, thereby helping the springs last longer. You can also avoid unnecessarily opening your door. For example, take that trash bag out of the front door as opposed ot the garage door.

If you find that your springs are breaking in a relatively short time, you may require high cycle springs. These are rated to last longer, sometimes 20,000-50,000 cycles.

September 22nd, 2023

Your garage door rollers, or wheels, could be responsible for most of the noise you hear when it's in operation. One idea most people get is to apply some grease to the rollers in order to quiet them down. Yes, this works...at first. The problem with grease is that it attracts surrounding dirt and grime. When you use grease on the garage rollers, it will eventually start penetrating into the ball bearings inside of the wheels themselves. This grease and dirt mixture will begin to cause more problems that it solves. In addition to this, the now-dirty grease will expand into the door tracks and create an even bigger mess.

Using a liquid lubricant is significantly better in the long run. Most hardware stores sell lubricant made specifically for garage door parts, but most lubricating sprays will do the trick. You can spray the wheels themselves and the stem of the wheels inside of the door hinges and brackets.

September 10th, 2023

If you have ever looked into garage door springs, you'll notice there are a million different variations. The first reaction to this is to wonder why sizing can't be simplified and standardized. The problem has to do with the varying weights of garage doors and the path in which they open. The garage springs have to do two things. They have to absorb the weight of the door to make opening possible, but they also have to keep the door heavy enough that it closes just as easily. Much like most things in life, it's a balancing act.

If there was a standard spring size, but non-standard garage door weights, you could never achieve the balance needed to both easily open the door AND keep it closed when it needs to be. The springs have to be wound a specific number of times because they have to turn the cable drums a specific number of times to lift the door a specific amount of feet. Because the lift distance is fairly standardized, and therefore the drum spins are standardized, and therefore the spring spins are standardized, the only thing that can vary to accomodate the different weights of garage doors is the size and length of the springs.

August 29th, 2023

Garage door springs supply the upward force needed to allow your opener to lift your garage door. Even a standard two car door could weigh nearly 200lbs. Without a system to counterbalance this weight, your automatic opener would need to be the size of, basically, a jet engine! The spring system delivers torque by way of tension. When the garage door is closed, the springs are wound to maximum tension. As your garage door rises, the springs naturally want to unwind. This unwinding pressure turns a tube that is attached by wires to your garage door. This torque turns the tube and helps lift the garage door.