Learn how to troubleshoot issues with your garage door
Put off regularly servicing your car, and you could court disaster. The same can be said for garage doors. Anything mechanical requires a service, particularly when we need it running optimally at all times. Most of us operate our garage doors daily, sometimes several times a day. And if not kept in check, this heavy use can cause problems.
Here are some issues to look out for.
1. Spring weakness
Your garage door springs take the weight of the door. Over time, they lose tension and become weaker. When there is no longer adequate support, the weight of the door is transferred onto other door parts. These include the cables, hinges, tracks and motor. Consequently, these parts can become compromised and fail to function well. In a regular door service, we’ll check the springs to see if they need replacing.
2. Screeching or noisy door
Most doors make some operational noise when they are opening or closing. But it shouldn’t be enough to disturb your neighbours. Excessively noisy doors can be a sign that the door is too heavy. A well-serviced door will glide open and close with the rollers moving with ease. A door that has not been regularly serviced will drag open – and drop closed – as the springs can no longer take the weight. Unfortunately, this situation only gets worse. As time passes, and if left in this condition, it will require more than a service to fix. This strain can cause the rollers to wear, tracks to buckle and hinges to come loose.
A Guardian Doors service, available to anyone in the Perth metropolitan area, can rectify all these problems. We’ll ensure your tracks are clear and the door weight is adjusted to ensure your door glides open with ease. We’ll also show you how to keep on top of your garage door maintenance.
3. Garage door reopens after touching the ground
A garage or roller door that reopens or takes a few ‘clicks’ of the remote to wake up is a garage door under strain. Your door is not responding the way you’d like because each garage door motor has inbuilt sensors. Sensors are the brains of the operation and pick up anything that isn’t ‘quite right’. They can pick up on a heavy door as a heavy door is not good for the motor – nor safe to keep it operating when under strain. As a safety precaution, the sensors tell the motor to stop doing what your remote is requesting. This is part self-preservation, and partly a ‘nod’ to get your door serviced. When your door has a Guardian Doors service, we will reset your sensors and operator. This includes checking for any wear and tear that has occurred – which will also help prevent the issue worsening.
4. Cables have come off
4. Cables have come offAgain, the main culprit here is your torsion springs. If the weight of the door isn’t correct (which it won’t be without regular servicing) the door will not only sit heavily on the tracks, but the excess weight will not be evenly distributed. The cables or springs provide balance to the door. They work very closely with your springs, and any misalignment can cause the cable to snap under strain or slacken on one side. This will result in your door coming down crookedly. Even worse, the door could drop down on your vehicle. Alternatively, sections could come completely out of the track, breaking hinges and damaging your door hardware on the way.
Cable problems are the most common issues for after-hours emergency garage door callouts or repairs. They are in the top three reasons Perth homeowners end up replacing their entire garage door.
Guardian Doors carry and fabricate cables on a daily basis. However, cables are not a one-size-fits-all product. The core depends on the weight – and the length and tension depend on the size of your garage door. As we have these parts on hand, we can provide the best service to our customers.
5. Garage door stops & starts in different places
Suppose your garage door has the annoying habit of stopping and starting in different places. This it may be because the motor has an internal issue with the travel limit actuator. Unfortunately, this usually means that the door has been operating under strain for some time. It’s one of the last things to go wrong on a worn garaged door. This problem can be diagnosed at your door service. Because we don’t just service your door, we assess and service your motor and every component of your door and its hardware. The key to success is making sure your garage door works in sync with your motor.
“A general garage or roller door service can take care of your springs. Plus, it can save you hundreds of dollars in garage door repairs ahead.”
6. Springs rusty and ‘snaked’
Your torsion springs should be well-lubricated and straight. Suppose your springs are dry, rusty or snaked (curled). This means they are in poor condition, under-tensioned and needs some TLC. Applying the correct amount of tension and some lubricant can rectify this issue, preventing your garage door springs from snapping. A general garage or roller door service can take care of your springs and can save you hundreds in garage door repairs.
7. Remote control not working
7. Remote control not workingThere are several issues that could cause your remote control (door opener) not to work. Consequently, we work through the simplest options first.
Have you changed your battery? Sometimes, a flat battery may be the only cause of your remote door opener problem.
How old is your remote? Remotes are kept in cars, garages, kitchen bench tops and even on our keyrings, so they are exposed to numerous environmental issues – all which can cause stress to the remote. So if your remote/automatic door opener is quite old and you are experiencing problems with it, it may be time for a new one.
Is your remote control still new? If relatively new, it may be time to test the logic board on your motor. Any fusion to the garage door operator can cause issues with your logic board. Guardian Doors will test your remotes and logic board at every service. We can replace these parts while servicing your garage or roller door.
Have an urgent problem with your garage door? Call us. We’re available, 24/7.
Let’s face it, life doesn’t always go to plan. If you’re experiencing an issue with your garage door and need help ASAP, give us a call. We have a 24-hour emergency garage door repair service. We’ll be there within 3 hours.
Not an emergency? If you’re due for service, give us a call. Remember, regularly servicing your garage door (approximately once a year) is as important as regularly servicing your car.
Our Guardian Doors technicians have full police checks, carry all required stock in their vehicles and are always on hand to discuss any technical queries you may have.
