A modern garage door is a complex piece of machinery that is called upon to work perfectly day after day, year after year. We tend to take our garage doors for granted until we arrive home one day and the door doesn’t open. There are myriad reasons why a garage door may fail and any of the major components may be to blame. In this post we’ll go over those major components, detail what they do and explain how they may contribute to the need for garage door repair.
Many feet wide and weighing hundreds of pounds the garage door is a behemoth that helps to make our lives a little easier. The average garage door in Broomfield has a number of vital components that all need to work in concert in order for the door to work as a whole. They are:
The Motor: The job of the motor is not to lift the door but to set the process of lifting in motion. Once the door has been set in motion the springs take over and do most of the lifting. Motors are one of the primary reasons people call for garage door repair. If you know the trouble signs to look for you can have the motor repaired or replaced before you get stuck out in the cold. Trouble signs include:
The Springs: There are 2 types of springs used in garage door openers. Torsion springs which run parallel to the length of the door and coil and uncoil, and extension springs which run perpendicular to the length of the door and lift or drop by stretching and contracting. Signs that the springs may be wearing down include:
Important: People have died trying to fix torsion springs. Leave spring repair to the professionals.
The Door Panels: The door panels are the ‘face’ of the door. Door panels may be made of wood, aluminum, steel, fiberglass or a composite. They may be insulated or uninsulated and they may incorporate glass panels or not. Trouble with door panels usually takes one of the following forms:
The Tracks: Garage doors rise and fall along a pair of parallel tracks that run from the floor to the motor. The tracks are not mechanical, they’re simply guides to show the door the way. While they may not be high tech it’s important that they be kept clear at all times. Signs of trouble include:
The Rollers: The door uses rollers that extend out from the door’s side and lock into the track to keep it in place. The rollers are typically made of high-quality steel and bear all the weight of the door when it’s fully opened. Signs you have trouble with the rollers include:
The Weatherseal: Along the bottom of your garage door is a funny looking strip of material that is intended to fill in any gaps between door and pavement when the door is closed. This is called the weatherseal. Signs the weatherseal may need to be replaced include:
The Electric Eye: The electric eye is a sensor that sends a beam of light from one side of the door to the other. If this beam is broken while the door is closing the door will automatically reverse so that it does not come down onto an unsuspecting child, pet or someone else. You should have the electric eye tested periodically to ensure it’s in good working order.
The garage door is certainly a marvel of engineering but it needs to be well maintained in order to perform to its capabilities. If you see, hear or sense any of the above warning signs be sure to call us for immediate garage door repair. We’ll send someone straight out to your home be it in Bromfield or anywhere else in the area and restore your garage door to proper working order in no time.
Nobody gives too much thought to their garage door until a problem arises. Even then some folks just assume minor problems will stay minor problems and they’ll get around to fixing it when they have the time. But this approach ignores the nature of the garage door as well as the important role it plays in securing your home against intrusions, energy waste and more. A malfunctioning garage door is not the same as a malfunctioning TV or a dodgy Internet connection. If garage door repair is called for it really needs to be addressed quickly and efficiently.
Garage doors may seem like big, boring pieces of home technology that don’t merit much attention but they in fact play a variety of important roles in the life of your home. Below are 7 reasons failing to address problems with your garage door when they arise is never a good idea:
It can be tempting to look at a garage door problem as something that can be handled later. You’d be wise not to succumb to this particular temptation. Failing to enact garage door repair work when it’s necessary will lead to a slew of problems you’ll wish you didn’t have. Do the smart thing. If the garage door on your Henderson home is acting up, call the professionals at A Better Garage Door and prevent that molehill from growing into a mountain.