Call the Pros for These Five Garage Door Repairs

Outdated garage doors

What happens when your garage door is not working right and it starts to make odd noises? You know something is amiss and you want to have it fixed. In some cases, it might just need a bit of oil.

However, it is not always that simple, and there are times when you will need help so you do not risk injury. Here are five times you should turn to the pros for repairs.

Springs: broken or stretched

The springs of the door help to provide a counterbalance for the door’s weight. When it is balanced properly, the garage door should only weight about eight to 10 pounds, or 3.5 to 4.5 kilos. When balanced in this fashion, it is possible to open the door with one hand, for most people.

When it comes to torsion or extension springs, their lifetime is between five to seven years. This equates to about 10,000 to 12,000 open and closing cycles. The torsion springs will typically lose between 10% and 15% of their tension per year. When they finally break, it can sound like a gunshot coming from the garage. When this happens, the door will not open and close.

The extension springs have problems over time due to stretching. Eventually, these springs will wear out and will not provide your door with the same performance it once had. The door might still open and close, but it will shake and cause a substantial amount of noise.

A broken TORSION spring

A broken TORSION spring

A stretched EXTENSION spring

A stretched EXTENSION spring

Worn rollers

Another issue you might face would be problems from the rollers. The quality of the rollers can vary greatly. Those that have no ball bearings or few bearings do not typically last as long as those that have more ball bearings. In addition, there are black nylon rollers, and for double garage doors, the best option is to have long-stem rollers.

These can malfunction when they come out of the track. They can break on double doors that do not use the long-stem rollers mentioned earlier, along with double hinges on the door. A lot of stress can be put on the rollers on single doors when the door is open for long periods.

A broken TORSION spring

Worn‑out roller

Lifting cables: Broken, Slacked, or Frayed

The lifting cables connect the spring system and the bottom of the door. The cables go around a grooved drum to keep it in place. The cables, like many other parts of the garage door, tends to be under high tension. If there are problems with the lifting cables, it can be dangerous. Trying to remove the cable on your own can be risky, as well.

These cables will often malfunction because the drum is misaligned or in the incorrect position. This can cause them to fray. Another problem could stem from the cable not being the right diameter for the door’s weight and size.

A broken TORSION spring

Broken lifting cable

Misaligned Horizontal tracks

The horizontal tracks attach to the ceiling via metal brackets that are at right angles. They need to be affixed solidly, which you can expect from a professional installation. There is also a possibility that they can malfunction. This can occur if the installation was not performed properly. The vibrations from opening and closing the door will then cause the tracks to misalign, and this could cause the door to fall. Never try to lift the door on your own if it has fallen. Instead, you will want to get away from the door to eliminate the risk of injury and then get in touch with a garage door professional.

Misaligned horizontal tracks

Misaligned horizontal tracks

Broken or stripped door opener gear and sprocket

Certain elements of the garage door opener are made from plastic. This could include the gear in the motor. When there is too much pressure on the gear, it could break. If the spring breaks and the door becomes unbalanced, it can cause problems with the gear and sprocket. Poor quality door openers do not have the capacity to lift heavy weights, so you might notice a grinding sound when you open the door. You can use the emergency cord to manually open and close the door, but it is important to have a professional come and take care of it as soon as possible.

A door opener gear that needs to be replaced

Opener gear in need of replacement

Some parting advice

It is always important that you let professionals who have a strong understanding of garage door systems take care of all the above problems. If you try to take care of these issues on your own, it could put you and your loved ones in danger. Even if you think you have the ability to take care of the problem, it is better to work with the pros. Fortunately, you can contact us whenever you need by calling 978-342-3344.

Perhaps you need to change your garage door. If so, we can visit you at home and provide you with information on all of the products we offer. In addition, we can provide you with a quotation by email. You may also want to consider checking out the Design Centre and the image gallery. This will give you a much better idea of how your garage door will actually look once it is installed. This way, you can make sure it works well with the décor of the rest of your home’s exterior.

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