Garage Door & Operator Maintenance
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Home >> Maintenance
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 Take a few minutes to inspect and test your complete garage door system. Make monthly inspection and testing a part of your regular routine. Regular Service Your garage door is probably the largest moving part in your home and is typically used every day. Over time, parts can wear out and break, creating potential safety problems. Although you should provide monthly safety checks and maintenance to your garage door system, an annual visit from a trained door systems technician can keep your door operating safely and smoothly for a long time. |
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This list is not intended to be a
comprehensive list of every safety precaution. Always consult your
manufacturer’s installation or instruction manual for safety
information about your model.
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Additional Safety Devices
Many garage door openers can be equipped with additional safety devices, such as photo eyes or edge sensors, to protect against entrapment. Keep in mind that adding more safety devices will not make an old opener meet the current UL standards. Make sure the additional safety devices are properly installed and adjusted (see owner's manual). |
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Perform routine maintenance steps once a month. Review your owner’s
manual for the garage door. If you don’t have a manual, look for the
model number on the back of the door, or check the lock handle, hinges,
or other hardware for the manufacturer's name and request a manual from
the manufacturer.
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 Reversal Test1. Check the balance of the door. If the door is properly balanced, then proceed.
2. With the door fully open, place a 1-1/2" thick piece of wood (a 2" X 4" laid flat) on the floor in the center of the door. 3. Push the transmitter or wall button to close the door. The door must reverse when it strikes the obstruction. (Note that the bottom part of "one-piece doors" must be rigid so that the door will not close, but will reverse when it contacts the obstruction.) 4. If the door does not reverse, have it repaired or replaced. Have a qualified technician adjust, repair, or replace the opener or door  Force Setting Test
Test the force setting of your garage door opener by holding the bottom of the door as it closes. If the door does not reverse readily, the force setting may be excessive and need adjusting. See your owner’s manual for details on how to make the adjustment.
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Your garage door’s springs
are arguably the most important and most dangerous part of your door. Springs wear out. When they break, injury can result. If you have an older garage door, have your springs inspected by a professional technician and replaced if needed. If your door has two springs, replace both, even if one is not broken. This will not only prevent any damage caused by the breaking of the second spring, but also keep your door working efficiently. The garage door springs can squeak and be noisy.
This is caused by normal use and does not necessarily indicate a
problem. Before calling a professional service technician, use a
spray-on lubricant (recommended especially for garage doors). If the
noise persists, call a professional garage door installer for service.
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 Check Your Cables Visually inspect the cables
that attach the spring system to the bottom brackets on both sides of
the door. If these cables are frayed or worn, they are in danger of breaking, which can cause injury.
Due to the dangers associated with high spring tension, these cables should be replaced only by a trained technician. Safety Cables If your garage door has extension
springs, you need a safety cable that runs through the spring and
secures to the wall or ceiling at each end. When your garage door is
down, extension springs are under high tension. If the spring breaks,
it may cause injury. A safety cable can keep that broken spring
contained. If you have extension springs but do not have a safety
cable, call your local dealer for a safety inspection.
Struggling Door?
If your door does not go up and
down smoothly, you may have an unsafe condition. Even older door
systems should operate smoothly. If the awkward operation continues
when the door is manually operated, you may have a spring system that
is out of balance. This can cause premature wear and tear on other
important door components. Spring systems are dangerous and should be
repaired only by trained professionals. |
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A Do-It-Yourselfer, Eh? Installing a garage door
can be very dangerous and is not recommended for a novice. DASMA
recommends that trained door systems technicians install garage doors.
If you attempt the installation by yourself, be sure to follow the
manufacturer’s installation instructions carefully.
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Watch Your Fingers! Every year, many unsuspecting
homeowners injure their fingers by placing them between the door
sections to pull down on the door. According to DASMA Standard 116, if
your door lacks pinch-resistant joints, you should have lift handles or
suitable gripping points on the inside and outside of the door. Even if
your door has an opener, the door must occasionally be operated
manually. Never place your fingers between the door sections. If you manually open or close the door, use the handles or the safe gripping points!
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Tamper Resistant Brackets. Since the bottom
brackets on a garage door are connected to the door’s springs, these
brackets are under extreme tension. They should be adjusted or loosened
only by a trained door systems technician. Many manufacturers now
include tamper resistant hardware that prevents loosening of the
brackets by a novice.
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Use the Old Track? When buying a replacement
garage door, some homeowners are tempted to save a few dollars by
putting the new door on the old track. However, your old track may not
fit with your new door, depending on the thickness of your sections,
the weight of the door, the headroom required, the location of the
garage door opener, and other considerations. The track and sections
work together as a system. For maximum performance and long life, you
should use the track that is designed for your specific door.
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Man the Manual. Keep the owner's manuals for your
door and opener hanging near the door for easy reference. Every model
of door and opener has specific safety instructions unique to that
model. Where is your manual?
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Advance Overhead Doors 1051 Waverly Drive Lawrenceville,GA 30045 770-962-5600 info@advanceoverheaddoors.com |
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| Proudly Serving Atlanta, Georgia Counties of: Barrow-Cobb-Dekalb-Fulton-Gwinnett-Hall-Walton All Garage Door Repairs-Broken Springs-torsion spring-Door off Track-Electric Operator/Opener repair-Replacement Sections-New garage doors-New openers-Complete Garage Door & Operator Services-Wood Carriage Doors-Steel Carriage Doors-Custom doors |
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