The average garage door is 150 pounds and opens and closes around 1,500 times each year. That’s a lot of weight to move! It’s no surprise, then, that garage door problems arise from time to time. Our team here goes over the most frequent garage door issues in this post, as well as some expert troubleshooting strategies to help you save time and money.
1. My Garage Door Doesn’t Close
Start by checking the batteries in the opener remote and scrutinizing the keypad to make sure it isn’t broken if your garage door won’t move. Is that not a problem? Pay special attention to the garage door opener. If the lights go out, it means the motor has become detached from the power supply, a fuse has blown, or a circuit breaker has been tripped.
2. Garage Door Doesn't Open All The Way
This type of erroneous behavior is frequently attributed to photo-eye sensors. Make sure they’re clean and aligned properly. There could also be a stumbling block along the way (a branch, the end of a broom or hockey stick, or some other type of object).
If your garage door opens slightly before closing abruptly, the spring system is most certainly in need of replacement.
3. How do you handle garage door repairs?
The most straightforward solution is general maintenance and a quarterly check-up. Why do we recommend it? We say this because your regular checkups involve things like door inspections, safety testing, evaluating the hardware like chains, belts, springs, and seals, cleaning the door, replacing the battery and bulb, and measuring the pace at which the door opens and closes, among other things.
4. When a Garage Door Spring Breaks, What Happens?
Is your garage spring broken? Understanding how it happened in the first place is the first step in figuring out how to remedy it. When the enormous energy stored in a massive steel torsion bar hits the limit of its materials, it fails – and fails spectacularly. Your garage door spring can lose its ability to work – completely and more swiftly than you can snap your fingers – with a stunning cracking sound. There is only one choice at this point: replace the broken spring and call the expert.
Most typical garage doors have two springs; replacing both garage door springs at the same time, providing they are the same age and bearing the same number of cycles, is more efficient and cost-effective (openings and closings). A good spring will have a 10,000-cycle rating. There are further symptoms of metal fatigue to look out for: a spring that sags or has a “relaxed” length of more than 25 inches is losing tensile strength and maybe on the verge of breaking.
The final question is straightforward yet important. Who will be the one to accomplish it? You, as a do-it-yourself (DIY) project, or a professional who is skilled, adequately trained, and equipped? Because you’re reading this on our website, you’re probably expecting us to recommend the second option — hire a professional. Yes, you are correct. That’s what we do, and that’s what you should do as well. However, the reasons may require some clarification and a more thorough explanation, which is why we are writing this article.
- How to Tell if a Garage Door Spring Is Broken
Despite the “all-at-once” failure described above, a broken spring can sometimes go unnoticed until you open the garage door again. The opener will struggle terribly, and the door will rise slowly and haltingly, possibly grindingly. This is the first big clue, and it should never be overlooked. In a nutshell, it will be “heavy.” The difference will be evident even if only one of the two springs is broken. A garage door, especially ones made of wood or glass, can weigh several hundred pounds, and if the steel springs lose torque, the entire system is stressed beyond its intended capability.
- How Do I Open a Garage Door When One of the Springs Is Broken?
It’s recommended to leave your garage door closed if the spring is broken. If you really must open your garage door, though, make sure you do so manually. You ought to:
- Seek assistance. A second person will assist you to open the garage door faster and protect you from injury. Garage doors can be incredibly heavy.
- Disconnect the garage door opener from the door. A rope connected to the opener should have a handle. To disconnect the mechanism, pull on it.
- Open the door with cautious caution. Raise it like any other heavy thing — don’t lift with your back, keep an eye on your fingers, and don’t let it fall on your feet.
- Lift the door carefully until it rests on the horizontal rails.
5. If your garage door cables snapped, don't use them.
The most prevalent cause of cable failure is worn and tear. The cables can be strained or degraded by water or moisture on the bottom or sides of the door, corrosion, faulty pulley bearings, or improper track alignment. Do not operate your garage door if the cable is damaged or frayed. Additional damage may occur, necessitating costly repairs.
You might not notice a broken cable depending on where it is. A garage door that lifts unevenly or moves faster than usual is a sign that it has snapped. When opening or shutting, the door may appear crooked, imbalanced, or generate loud squeaking or other noises. It may also be impossible to manually open the door.
In these situations, calling a garage door repair specialist is the best alternative. Attempting a DIY garage door repair might result in significant injury; this happens to many people every year. Fortunately, by contacting a technician, an injury can be averted.
- How Can You Keep Your Garage Door Cable from Breaking?
Preventative maintenance can help to lessen the chances of a garage door cable breaking. You may avoid a situation like this by doing the following:
- Examining wires for frays, kinks, and debris or grime accumulation.
- Lubricate and grease your garage door cables and springs on a regular basis.
- Getting rid of any junk that may be preventing a cable from working properly.
- It also helps to replace older garage door parts. An automatic garage door opener will work more smoothly as a result, placing less strain on the cables. This has numerous long-term advantages for your garage door’s functioning, efficiency, and lifetime.
Conclusion
The safest and most practical thing to do when any garage door part breaks is to call a professional. We perform all types of garage door repair when you need it, as our team is available 24/7 to deal with emergencies. We shall help you resolve your problem, protect other components, and enable your garage door system to run reliably for a long time
Call Garage Door Calgary Repair For Your Same Day Appointment 587-333-0597
