Month: June 2023

As long as your garage door works properly, you probably don't think about it very often. You might use it several times every day, but it just goes up and down as needed. You should, however, be aware that like most other parts of your house your garage door does need upkeep from time to time, whether a repair because of immediate damage, general maintenance if parts have become out of alignment over time, or perhaps an upgrade which will provide a convenience for you.

Typical Damage Over Time

Garage doors face a heavy task and do need some upkeep. The motor can burn out, or the cables, springs, or chain can break. The rails can come out of alignment, as can the safety feature which prevents the door from closing if something is blocking it. Although these aren't intense repair jobs, there are tricks to conducting them efficiently and they require a professional garage door specialist to do them right the first time instead of spending days tinkering with it until it's right.

Storms and Weather

Repeated heavy storms and bright sunlight can cause damage over time to a door, or an especially heavy storm with either sleet or hail can cause an immediate problem. Often, such damage can be taken care of with a fresh coat of paint, but it's also likely the door may need to have dents and dings repaired with filler. Further damage from winds associated with such storms can be that the rails are knocked out of alignment or the wheels have come out of the tracks.

Accidents and Collisions

Accidents and collisions can cause worse damage to a garage door, whether the door is bumped by a car or by children who may play in the driveway. The repair can be as simple as re-aligning the different moving parts of the system, or may require a complete replacement, depending on the nature and extent of the damage.

Because of the precise measurements and tolerances of a garage door system, it is recommended to hire a professional garage door specialist such as Door Power to conduct repairs. It's also a good idea to have the door inspected annually so any problems can be determined and fixed before turning into a more expensive repair. With proper care, your garage door will look great and perform well for years to come.

This post first appeared on https://www.doorpower.com

Typically, a homeowner buys a house and doesn't put much thought into the garage door. As long as it goes up and down as needed and generally matches the style of the house, it seems as if there is little else to think about. However, garage doors can add style and function to the home through the use of different designs and features.

New Garage Door, New House

An older home may obviously need a new garage door because of damage or wear over time, and the purchaser would consider such an aspect of the house when making an offer. With a new house, the contractor who built the house likely only installed a generic door with meets the basic needs of the garage. You may want to replace the door with one that has windows for light, or you might decide you prefer a different contour for the rails, stiles, and panels. There are also different materials to choose from, whether traditional wood, metal, or vinyl, and each provides their own benefits.

Maintenance Over Time

Even if you are happy with the current garage door style, it will need maintenance over time. Motors can burn out, springs and chains break, and the rails can come out of alignment. If the door starts making too much noise, or simply doesn't seem to be raising or lowering properly, it's a good idea to go ahead and have repairs conducted before it gets worse and stops working altogether at which point the repairs are likely to be more expensive or a complete replacement might be needed.

Upgrades

Other than the actual door style, the most common upgrade is to add additional points from which you can open or close the door. A numbered keypad outside of the door is a nice feature because it allows you to close it from outside and prevents you from getting locked out of your house. It also comes in handy if you need to allow friends or workers temporary access to your house as you can reprogram it with a number for them to use.

If you need repairs and service, upgrades, or a new garage door be sure to contact the specialist garage door contractor Door Power in the Minneapolis metro area, we'll be happy to meet with you at your convenience and discuss the available options for your home.

This post first appeared on https://www.doorpower.com

Your garage door motor is an essential component as it is what drives the carriage and opens or closes the door whenever you press the button on your remote or type your code into the keypad. When working correctly, the motor should turn on immediately when you signal the door to open or close, and the motor should fully open or close the door within a few seconds. As with any other motor, a garage door opener only has a limited lifespan and can experience various issues that prevent it from working properly. This means that there will always eventually be a time when you need to have your garage door motor replaced, and here are some of the signs that can indicate you need a new garage door motor.

Motor Makes Excessive Noise

A garage door motor will always make some noise, but it shouldn’t be excessively loud or make unusual sounds. If your garage door opener is excessively loud, it usually indicates that the motor is beginning to wear out and is struggling to open and close the door. Grinding, scraping and squealing noises coming from the opener are almost always a sign that the motor is failing and needs to be replaced or possibly repaired. If your garage door motor is much louder than normal or makes any unusual sounds, we would recommend having it inspected as soon as possible.

Garage Door Opens and Closes Slowly

As a garage door motor ages, it will often start to have more difficulties pulling the door open and closed. When the motor is in good condition and working properly, your garage door should fully open or close in around 10 to 15 seconds. If you notice that it starts to take more than 20 to 30 seconds for your garage door to open or close, it’s a fairly good indicator that the motor is wearing out and will need to be replaced.

Garage Door Suddenly Won’t Open or Close

Garage door motors typically fail over time, but there are issues that can cause them to suddenly stop working altogether. If your garage door suddenly won’t open or close, you should first go inside and make sure that the trolley carriage is still connected to the motor and that none of the rollers have come off the rails. You’ll also want to inspect the torsion springs and lift cables for any obvious issues and make sure that nothing is blocking the door. If everything looks as it should and the door still won’t open and close, you’ll want to have the motor inspected. This problem could be related to an electrical in the outlet that the opener is plugged into or it could be that the motor has burnt out and needs to be replaced.

Garage Door Stalls When Opening or Closing

A garage door opener that stalls or only opens or closes the door part of the way before stopping is a fairly common issue. This problem most commonly occurs because the tracks are bent or the rollers are broken. If the rollers and tracks are in good shape and look normal, it may be that the motor is defective and needs to be replaced. In either case, this is a problem that you’ll want to have a professional look at immediately as a garage door that gets stuck can be extremely dangerous and could cause serious injury.

Garage Door Opener Isn’t Always Responsive

Again, your garage door motor should always kick on immediately when you push the button on the remote or use the keypad. If you find that you sometimes have to push the button on your remote several times before the motor responds, the first thing you should do is replace the batteries in the remote. If this doesn’t fix the issue or the motor also sometimes doesn’t respond to the keypad, you will want to have your opener inspected. In most cases, this problem indicates that the motor has some electrical issues and may need to be either repaired or replaced.

Garage Door Opens and Closes on Its Own

A garage door that randomly opens or closes on its own is obviously a serious issue since it could allow anyone to get inside if the door opened while you were away or at night when you’re asleep. The buttons on the keypad or a remote can sometimes get stuck and cause the motor to open or close on its own. However, this problem more commonly indicates that there is an issue with the motor’s circuit board, such as a short circuit. A short circuit can signal the motor to run and cause the door to open or close on its own. If you do ever find that your garage door opens and closes on its own, you should have the motor replaced immediately both for the safety of your family and your home security.

Garage Door Reverses and Reopens After Closing

Another common issue is when a garage door closes and then the motor immediately reverses and reopens the door. This problem most commonly occurs due to some issue with the safety sensors, which work to prevent the door from closing if there is anything in its path. The first thing to do if you ever notice this issue is to make sure that the two sensors are aligned, and then clean the lenses on each sensor. You’ll also want to make sure that nothing is blocking the path between the sensors.

The safety sensors work by sending a beam of light back and forth. If the sensors are misaligned or the lenses are dirty, the beam of light won’t pass between them. This will usually result in the door never fully closing or reopening as soon as it’s closed.

If the sensors are clean and properly aligned and the problem persists, it usually indicates that the motor has electrical issues or worn-out components. In this case, you’ll need to have the motor inspected and repaired or replaced.

Garage Door Opener Is Old and Outdated

On average, a garage door motor will be able to complete around 10,000 open and close cycles before wearing out. This means that the motor will typically last for around 10 to 15 years at the very most depending on how many times you open and close your garage door every day. If your motor is 10 or more years old, we would definitely recommend replacing it as soon as possible even if it is still working correctly.

Older garage door openers aren’t all that secure as many units are programmed with the same access code and this code never changes. This means that thieves can potentially open your garage by using a remote from a different door that has the same model of opener. Newer garage door openers use a rolling access code that changes every time, and this type of opener will only ever work with your remote. By replacing your outdated garage door opener, you can both ensure your garage door works correctly and make your home much more secure.

If you need to have your garage door motor replaced or your garage door needs any repairs, you can trust Garage Door Doctor for help. We specialize in garage door installation and repairs, and we work on both residential and commercial garage doors for customers throughout the Bloomington and Indianapolis areas. For more information or to schedule a garage door inspection, contact us today.

The post Signs That Your Garage Door Motor Needs Replaced appeared first on Garage Door Doctor.

This post first appeared on https://www.garagedoordoctorllc.com