IF YOU CAN’T OPEN OR SHUT YOUR GARAGE DOOR, HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO!

If your garage door goes on the fritz, there are numerous causes that your garage door is acting up. Some reasons are simple, and some are more complex. But don’t waste time getting upset. There’s still plenty you can do.

 

 

Problems and Solutions

 

What if your garage door won’t close? The garage door has a photo sensor eye on each side. Between them is an invisible beam, which, when broken, prevents the garage door from shutting. Check to see if they’re grimy or misaligned. Depending upon which brand and style of sensors you have, if the light’s blinking, there’s surely something wrong. Or, if you have sensors with red and green lights, the red one generally means it’s not fully functioning.

 

Another sensor issue can be the wiring. Examine the sensors’ connections, making sure the wires haven’t come loose or become hindered by corrosion. Another possibility is that there’s a short in the wiring, which can sometimes result from a staple that was used during the initial installation; vibrations over the years can eventually lead to a disconnect. Also, wires can become stretched, resulting in a disconnection.

 

If your garage door won’t open, the springs are likely failing, not staying contracted as they should. Adjustment is possible, by shortening the cables using a bracket in order to add additional tension on the springs. If your garage door has one or two torsion springs, one or both could be broken. Never try adjusting your own garage door! If improperly serviced, a garage door spring can cause injury or even death. The cables, drums, or bottom brackets may require adjusting. Or, it’s possible that the springs require replacement. Either way, it’s wise to hire a dependable garage door professional. If you live anywhere in Duluth, Georgia, consider a legitimate local garage door company such as Duluth Garage Door Repair.

 

Does the garage door go all the way down, but open again? It’s likely that the open-and-close limit settings of your garage door opener are malfunctioning. The settings tell the garage door opener how far your garage door should move before it shuts all the way down. If it’s set too high, the door will hit the ground before the opener thinks it ought to, presuming the door is touching an object in its path. If that’s the case, it will reverse so as not to crush it. Read your operator’s manual for the steps to follow to set the open-and-close limits.

 

Does the garage door opener run a few seconds, and then turn off? This can happen when the garage door’s shut, while the motor tries but fails to lift up the door.

 

1. Check the track for any obstacles.
2. Examine the springs.
3. See whether your garage door is the kind that has a built-in lock, because maybe it’s been engaging inadvertently. This commonly occurs with older garage doors.

 

Does the garage door close part way, but open again? A garage door has a reversing mechanism so it won’t smash objects in its path. The reversing instruction is triggered by any objects on the floor blocking the garage door’s path ~ a trash can, bicycle, or box. You may observe debris on the tracks ~ grime or a tiny object ~ that’s stopping the rollers from moving forward. This calls for professional attention.

 

The garage door track may be out of alignment. The metal track of your garage door has to be aligned correctly, or it won’t budge. Check for any gaps between rollers and the rail, or bends in the rails. As the years pass, the garage door’s weight can compound these problems, so locate a garage door professional, because the door will become increasingly dangerous to operate.

 

You may have low transmitter batteries. Perhaps all you have to do is replace them, and the garage door will open.

 

Is your garage door closing and opening randomly? If your garage door opens or closes on its own, that’s a security risk and a nuisance. Try this:

 

1. Check the transmitter. Make sure it’s not wedged underneath an object that’s pressing down on the control mechanism unintentionally. For instance, the transmitter could be underneath some item you forget you left in your vehicle, or somewhere else nearby.
2. Test the transmitter’s frequency. It’s possible a neighbor has your same exact frequency.

 

Does the garage door opener run, yet the garage door won’t move? In a power outage, your garage door opener has a disconnect switch, so you can manually open or close your garage door. The switch, attached to a knob or rope, can accidentally come unhooked.

 

1. Open or shut the garage door all the way.
2. Reattach the hook securely.
3. Using the transmitter, try opening or shutting the door again. This time it should work.

 

Does your garage door slam down with a loud bang? You may have a broken tension spring, which counters the weight of the garage door. The cables connected to the tension spring are probably broken. Either case can be hazardous. Contact an expert garage door technician immediately.

 

 

Prevent Future Problems

 

Maintaining your garage door is fairly easy. The minimal effort required to keep your garage door in tiptop shape means you won’t have to replace it for a good long time.

 

Schedule an annual inspection with a local reliable garage door repair company. Springs, pulleys, cables, and wires need professional attention.

 

Every two years, clean your garage door.

 

1. Wash each side with a sponge using mild dish soap and water. Rinse well.
2. Clean the sensor eyes using a dry, fresh cloth.
3. Keep the area around the sensors free from cobwebs and grime.
4. If you have a steel garage door, for cold-weather protection apply car wax.
5. If you have a wooden garage door, if you notice chipping or peeling, put on a new coat of paint.

 

Once a month, take a look at your garage door system’s components.

 

1. Tighten loose bolts.
2. Replace worn parts.
3. If you hear any odd noises when your garage door opens and closes, investigate further.

 

Establish a routine maintenance schedule to lengthen the life of your garage door. If your garage is also a game room, workshop, or office, it’s important to lubricate your garage door springs, rollers, and hinges ~ once a year, before winter comes. Otherwise, ultimately the springs will rust, and the coils will bind. Choose a reputable brand, so it won’t dry out. You’ll need only a light coating.

Article source here: IF YOU CAN’T OPEN OR SHUT YOUR GARAGE DOOR, HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO!

Duluth Garage Door Repair: Garage Door Issues In Cold Weather

Garage doors can have all kinds of issues ranging from improper balance to garage door springs not operating as they should. However, sometimes, even with regular maintenance and servicing, there are other factors that can cause a surprising amount of issues for your door. Primarily, there are quite a few garage door issues in cold weather which don’t arise during regular climates.

The cold affects more than you may think within your home. Sure when you walk outside, you feel the frost on your face and bundle up, but your home is affected by the cold in a similar way. For instance, during winter, have you ever noticed how that one always sticky bathroom door is nice and loose but in the summer it just can’t seem to open fast enough? That has to do with the wood and metal of the door contracting and expanding respectively.

The garage door is a mechanism made of mostly metal and as such, it also has these similar effects although it isn’t to as much of an extreme degree. The main thing to remember is your garage door is out against the elements and does not have any heating or air conditioning (typically) to help alleviate the stress put on it by the climate. There are a few warning signs to look out for during cold weather when it comes to your garage door.

Garage Door Just Won’t Open

As Duluth Garage Door Repair in Duluth, GA will tell you, the number one complaint about garage doors during cold weather, is that they just won’t open or close all the way which is a major issue. This can happen to both hand operated and opener enabled doors and there are a variety of reasons why this may occur.

One of the more common issues of this particular problem has to do with the cold temperature warping the brackets and thus causing the runners to become slightly out of alignment. This is due, as mentioned before, to metal’s nature to begin contraction during cold weather. This can cause the issues above and are often hard to help on your own outside of applying some different anti frost elements to the frame which actually may cause debris to build up and make the problem worse.

Electric Opener Issues

Electronics for the most part, love the cold. In fact, if someone was wild enough, they could have their whole personal computer setup outside during winter temperatures and it would actually perform better than under normal home cooling temps. This is due to the machines getting hot and if they are capable of staying cooler for longer, they can hit higher performance caps.

However, your garage door equipment for opening and closing is not as friendly to the cold. Often, the wiring, sensors, and receiver are encased in plastic. Plastic suffers from the same issues as most other materials in the cold but can go further and actually crack or split depending on how severe and prolonged the chill is.

Sensors, in particular, will often incorrectly read if they have frost covering the lens or water dripping down the front. This is a hassle as even after cleaning them perfectly, it could very well be the housing of the receiver or switch that have been damaged and need immediate care.

The worst case scenario however is the cable housing is damaged and you now have exposed wire running from your switch box up to your receiver. Most units are not primarily insulated against severe cold and chill so if there are any gaps in your door, it’s possible that this could cause your whole system to malfunction and leave you stuck inside on a nice winter day.

Creaky Door

If your door does open and close as it should, then you probably have heard the infamous creaking/door opening sound that sometimes occurs during winter. Chances are, it is damaging itself. Having a misaligned door is the first sign of a door getting ready to fail and, in addition to the springs having to work harder, you are actually heading closer and closer to having a door that refuses to open or is ready to collapse.

In addition, the garage door springs which support the door itself may be the items that are damaged by frost. The garage door springs are used to provide a “spring force” equal to the weight of the door and provide support for the door itself. If these are in a contracted state, it’s possible that the force provided could be affected which can and will cause an issue.

What Can You Do To Help Prevent Any Of These Situations?

The garage door, anytime of the year, is a tool to help protect your valuable objects and your family. If it is malfunctioning, then it decreases the security of your home and begins to increase in repair costs the longer it goes without service.

The best thing to do to help during cold weather however, is to speak with a local Garage door repair service that is equipped to not only effectively lubricate the right parts of the door to prevent too much contraction and extra wear and tear, but to also replace and properly insulate any wires that may have been exposed during the cold weather.

Sure, it would be easy to try and DIY as is common nowadays, but the thought of trying to repair a garage door in the cold and then finding out that it’s outside of your ability is the worst. To prevent being stranded inside and missing days of work, or worst yet, having the garage door collapse on you because of winter coming suddenly, hire an expert to inspect and service your door regularly.

The winter is a great time to frolic with friends and family as well as get cozy in your home, so don’t let cold weather affect your good time by being proactive with your garage door maintenance.

Article source here: Duluth Garage Door Repair: Garage Door Issues In Cold Weather