The garage door opener is the most critical part of a homeowner's garage system, and can cause big headaches if it is not functioning properly. Often a little know how and some simple tips can fix the problem and avoid a costly call to a service technician. For problems that are not immediately clear or for larger problems you still may want to refer to your owner's manual or a professional. This article highlights a few common and easily fixable issues that the average homeowner may face.
1. Transmitters will not operate the door.
This problem could be connected to malfunctioning sensors or infrared 'eyes'. Every garage door system is required by law to have a safety system that will not allow the door to close if an invisible path is blocked or interrupted. These sensors can be found on either side of the door close to the floor. If these are in any way blocked, the 'eyes' that supply the beam are dirty, or the wires connected to this part of the system are loose, the door will not close. Sometimes the sensors can be bumped and their alignment offset, which will also cause the system not to operate properly. Obviously these are all easy fixes and are the most common problems, however unplugging the garage door opener may also be a solution as a loss of power usually acts as a reset switch.
2. The door closes completely and then opens again.
Your garage opener system is configured with an open limit and a close limit. Both of these functions must be properly set as they control the distance the door is allowed to open or close before stopping. For example, if the doors' close limit is set at a distance larger than it takes for the door to close completely the system reads a safety hazard and automatically reverses the direction. The limit controls vary between several different styles of garage opener so in order to correctly make this adjustment you will have to research your specific model online or refer to your owner's manual for the specific location of these adjustments.
3. The opener makes grinding, scraping, or whirring sounds during operation.
These noises can indicate a variety of issues related to a range of components within the system. Problems with gears, motors, or the wheel tracks can all cause these noises so if you are not exactly sure what the problem is get a professional opinion rather than tinkering with the entire system. However, sometimes the track may need lubrication on some of the hinges or rollers. As part of your maintenance, you should be applying a low viscosity, permeating oil to these parts to prevent this. Sometimes springs can also squeak and groan due to use. While there is no way to test springs for their remaining life, be assured that the door will not fall when open due to a malfunctioning spring as there is no tension on them when the door is raised. The easiest way to check if your opener springs are ok is to disconnect the opener and raise the door manually. If you can do this without much trouble the springs are fine.
While there are countless other issues that undoubtedly arise with the varying garage door openers, those listed above are some of the most common and can be easily fixable. Obviously the best way to prevent issues is to perform proper scheduled maintenance and read your owners manual to ensure correct operation of your garage door and door opener. If you are having major problems with your system be sure to seek professional advice to avoid any accidents, and don't be afraid to ask lots of questions!
For more information and guidance about garage door openers and systems, visit http://www.premiumgaragedoorservice.com. Premium Garage Door Services specializes in garage door openers and helping you troubleshoot your problems.
Posted by WebDrafter.com, Inc. with permission.
Article independently authored by Matthew Eddington. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Premium Garage Door Service.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Easy Garage Door Maintenance and Troubleshooting
While automatic garage door openers can be extremely useful and convenient they can also become a burden when not working properly. Here are a few tips and pointers to help keep your door opener in tip top shape, or help you determine the solution to fixing a malfunctioning one. However, since all garages are different and operate in many ways, be sure to consult your owners manual or professional repairman for more help if needed.
Maintenance
The first step to a properly functioning door is to properly maintain its many moving parts. Here are four simple and effective ways to ensure years of use:
Troubleshooting and Repair
Several problems can arise in your garage door or opener because of their many parts and exposure to weather. The most common problems can usually be fixed fairly easily, but since garage doors differ, be sure to check your owners manual to ensure proper repair.
One of the most common problems can be that the door becomes difficult to open and close. This problem could potentially be with the electric opener, in which case you should address your owners manual. The simple way to check this is to pull the release cord that often dangles below the opener to raise the door manually. If it works fine when you do this, then the problem is most likely with the electric opener. If the door seems exceptionally heavy, the problem could be spring tension. Do not try to adjust the spring tension yourself as they are under extreme amounts of pressure and can be dangerous to adjust, call a properly certified repairman instead.
If your house is fitted with a swing-up, one piece door that is sagging in the middle when it is raised, you or a repairman can install metal reinforcing rods across the center of the interior door.
If your door does not open completely but only opens 4 or 5 feet, the limit adjustment screw should be adjusted according with the owner's manual. If the door does not close entirely, the adjustment screw needs to be manipulated as well. Refer to your owners manual for the placement of these screws on your model of opener.
Most problems with doors and openers can be solved relatively simply with a few adjustments every few months, and can be prevented with simple maintenance. If the proper steps are taken, garage doors should last more than 20 years, and garage door openers should last at least 10, but small steps like those described above can make a big difference.
For more information and guidance about safety and operations of garage doors, visit http://www.premiumgaragedoorservice.com. Premium Garage Door Service provides installation, repairs, and inspections, and has a series of slide show picture depicting many styles of doors.
Maintenance
The first step to a properly functioning door is to properly maintain its many moving parts. Here are four simple and effective ways to ensure years of use:
- Yearly Inspections: The best and most effective way to solve a problem is to prevent it. Be sure to inspect your door and electric motor for anything that seems out of the ordinary. Loose and worn hinges, tired springs, and wobbly nuts and bolts are some common issues that may arise. Be sure to address any potential problems before they worsen and create additional, more complex problems.
- Paint and Stain: Be sure to keep your garage door properly painted and stained. What most homeowners do not realize is that this step includes both the inside and outside of your door. Only painting the exterior door can weaken the paint through moisture, causing your door to warp.
- Lubrication: The many moving parts must be kept lubricated, especially the rollers and hinges that allow the door to bend and move smoothly. Apply a low viscosity, permeating oil such as WD-40, PlusGas, Liquid Wrench, PB Blaster, Mouse Milk, Unilease, GT85, Kroil, or CRC 5-56 at least once a year.
- Watch the Door Tracks: The tracks that guide the door must be kept in proper alignment to effectively guide the rollers. If the track needs adjusting, loosen the support bolts and use a hammer and small wood block to return it to its correct position.
Troubleshooting and Repair
Several problems can arise in your garage door or opener because of their many parts and exposure to weather. The most common problems can usually be fixed fairly easily, but since garage doors differ, be sure to check your owners manual to ensure proper repair.
One of the most common problems can be that the door becomes difficult to open and close. This problem could potentially be with the electric opener, in which case you should address your owners manual. The simple way to check this is to pull the release cord that often dangles below the opener to raise the door manually. If it works fine when you do this, then the problem is most likely with the electric opener. If the door seems exceptionally heavy, the problem could be spring tension. Do not try to adjust the spring tension yourself as they are under extreme amounts of pressure and can be dangerous to adjust, call a properly certified repairman instead.
If your house is fitted with a swing-up, one piece door that is sagging in the middle when it is raised, you or a repairman can install metal reinforcing rods across the center of the interior door.
If your door does not open completely but only opens 4 or 5 feet, the limit adjustment screw should be adjusted according with the owner's manual. If the door does not close entirely, the adjustment screw needs to be manipulated as well. Refer to your owners manual for the placement of these screws on your model of opener.
Most problems with doors and openers can be solved relatively simply with a few adjustments every few months, and can be prevented with simple maintenance. If the proper steps are taken, garage doors should last more than 20 years, and garage door openers should last at least 10, but small steps like those described above can make a big difference.
For more information and guidance about safety and operations of garage doors, visit http://www.premiumgaragedoorservice.com. Premium Garage Door Service provides installation, repairs, and inspections, and has a series of slide show picture depicting many styles of doors.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
New Garage Doors - What to Buy
While most garage doors last for years and years there still inevitably comes a time in some homeowner's life when replacement is necessary. If events should occur in your own life that would warrant the replacement of a new garage door, be sure to do your research as they tend to last for many years and chances are you won't be replacing it again. For this reason a few extra dollars here and there may be quite worth it.
Today the two most popular styles of garage doors are tilt ups and sectional roll downs, which are usually in the median price range. Tilt up doors, also known as overhead or roll up doors, are attached by metal hinges and simply tilt or swing outward to allow access to the inside space. They are usually somewhere between 25-30% cheaper than the alternative, making them more attractive to some buyers. Sectional roll downs on the other hand are broken into four or more sections attached by joints and use a roller system to move the door parallel to the garage ceiling. The major advantages of this kind of door are its space efficiency and ease of use.
A second important decision when purchasing a new door for your garage is the kind of construction material that is used in doors manufacturing. Listed below are the most common materials used:
Steel: Extremely durable, steel is one of the most popular choices due to its appealing properties. It is a low-maintenance material that will not warp or bend when put under mother natures strains, and can be fabricated in a variety of different textures. Energy efficiency can also be increased with a steel door due to their double pane construction, as most steel garage doors are made of two plates with insulation in between.
Aluminum: Aluminum garage doors are also a common choice among consumers. They also offer a low maintenance option that costs approximately half as much as a steel door, and in manual garage door situations allows for ease of use due to its light weight. However, aluminum doors are more likely to incur more dents and nicks than steel doors.
Wood: Wood can be greatly appealing due to its natural look and can be quite beautiful in the correct applications. However, while easy to paint wood does require the most maintenance, including staining or painting, refinishing, and general care that must be taken towards any form of wood that is exposed to the elements.
With the green, energy conscious minds of many consumers and potential buyers the insulation used is also an important factor. The kind and amount of insulation used in a garage door can be just as valuable as the insulation used elsewhere in your home, and because of this insulated garage doors are becoming ever less popular. Polyurethane and Polystyrene are the most conventional forms of insulation used in door construction, but with such long names who can tell the difference? To most homeowners, insulation is either thick or thin. But don't be fooled. Polystyrene can be much thicker than its competition but does not always offer the best efficiency. Polyurethane, although appearing thinner in its post-production state actually offers greater energy efficiency because of its ability to expand to completely fill the space between two surfaces, and adhere to them both. This also helps decrease noise during operation and the strength of the door due to its chemical properties.
Garage door shopping can be a daunting task to any homeowner, but as always, the key to making the best purchase is to do your homework before hand. Talk to a local repairman or ask questions of many different manufacturers, as everyone has important and different advice to add. A well thought out purchase will be a better one in the future.
For more information and guidance about the variety of materials, styles, and specifications, visit http://www.premiumgaragedoorservice.com. Premium Garage Door Service specializes in installations and maintenance, and they have a great slide show on their site's banner that illustrates a variety of styles to help you visualize the look you want.
Today the two most popular styles of garage doors are tilt ups and sectional roll downs, which are usually in the median price range. Tilt up doors, also known as overhead or roll up doors, are attached by metal hinges and simply tilt or swing outward to allow access to the inside space. They are usually somewhere between 25-30% cheaper than the alternative, making them more attractive to some buyers. Sectional roll downs on the other hand are broken into four or more sections attached by joints and use a roller system to move the door parallel to the garage ceiling. The major advantages of this kind of door are its space efficiency and ease of use.
A second important decision when purchasing a new door for your garage is the kind of construction material that is used in doors manufacturing. Listed below are the most common materials used:
Steel: Extremely durable, steel is one of the most popular choices due to its appealing properties. It is a low-maintenance material that will not warp or bend when put under mother natures strains, and can be fabricated in a variety of different textures. Energy efficiency can also be increased with a steel door due to their double pane construction, as most steel garage doors are made of two plates with insulation in between.
Aluminum: Aluminum garage doors are also a common choice among consumers. They also offer a low maintenance option that costs approximately half as much as a steel door, and in manual garage door situations allows for ease of use due to its light weight. However, aluminum doors are more likely to incur more dents and nicks than steel doors.
Wood: Wood can be greatly appealing due to its natural look and can be quite beautiful in the correct applications. However, while easy to paint wood does require the most maintenance, including staining or painting, refinishing, and general care that must be taken towards any form of wood that is exposed to the elements.
With the green, energy conscious minds of many consumers and potential buyers the insulation used is also an important factor. The kind and amount of insulation used in a garage door can be just as valuable as the insulation used elsewhere in your home, and because of this insulated garage doors are becoming ever less popular. Polyurethane and Polystyrene are the most conventional forms of insulation used in door construction, but with such long names who can tell the difference? To most homeowners, insulation is either thick or thin. But don't be fooled. Polystyrene can be much thicker than its competition but does not always offer the best efficiency. Polyurethane, although appearing thinner in its post-production state actually offers greater energy efficiency because of its ability to expand to completely fill the space between two surfaces, and adhere to them both. This also helps decrease noise during operation and the strength of the door due to its chemical properties.
Garage door shopping can be a daunting task to any homeowner, but as always, the key to making the best purchase is to do your homework before hand. Talk to a local repairman or ask questions of many different manufacturers, as everyone has important and different advice to add. A well thought out purchase will be a better one in the future.
For more information and guidance about the variety of materials, styles, and specifications, visit http://www.premiumgaragedoorservice.com. Premium Garage Door Service specializes in installations and maintenance, and they have a great slide show on their site's banner that illustrates a variety of styles to help you visualize the look you want.
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