How To Make Running Repairs On Your Garage Roller Door

For the big maintenance projects on your garage door such as such as replacing the electric motor or the spring bar, you will need to get a trained technician. However, there are some small maintenance tasks that anyone can handle. This is the kind of maintenance that will keep you out of a jam, and make sure you get the maximum life out of your roller door.

Keeping up with routine maintenance

 Checking your garage door regularly is important for making sure it always runs smoothly. Not every time you use it, but at least once every month, you should give it a good once-over, and make sure you notice any potential problem before it becomes a major headache.

Like looking for a car’s flat tyre, you just have to look over the parts and make sure the spring, the track and the motor are not worn or bent. If you have an automatic garage door, check that the bounce-back mechanism is working, by setting the door to close and then trying to stop it by holding your hands under it. If it won’t stop, pull your hands back and get a trained repairman to see what’s wrong.

Finally, you should put some lubricant (like silicone) onto the track and wheels once or twice a year. This regular lubrication will prolong the life of the equipment, and make it run smoothly and more quietly.

Some basic troubleshooting

What if it just won’t open? Sometimes the problem is the electronics. Did someone leave a shovel or a toy in the corner of the garage? If so, it’s possibly blocking the electric eye beam, and no automatic garage door will shut with something blocking the motion sensor safety feature. The beam can also be blocked with cobwebs, insects and dust. If it looks like you haven’t cleaned that corner of the garage in a while, try cleaning the photo electric eye very carefully, and see if that gets things operating normally.

If it’s still not working, make sure the two eyes are directly facing each other. If one has been knocked out of kilter and is facing away from the other eye, the beam won’t connect and the door will think something is blocking it. A laser level makes this re-alignment easier, however a regular spirit level can also do the job.

When you have a blackout, of course, the electric motor won’t run, but it should return to normal as soon as the power is restored. If it still won’t work when the power comes back on, check that the fuse hasn’t been tripped. If that’s working as it should be, then plug another appliance into the powerpoint to make sure the power is still working from that particular point.

Your remote may be another reason as to why your garage door isn’t opening. Make sure the antenna (usually a wire about 20 centimetres in length) is hanging down from the motor, because that’s the part that picks up the coded signal from the remote.

Batteries in a remote control last a long time, but they do eventually wear out. The best way to check if low power in the remote is the problem is to try the wall switch. If that operates the garage door but the remote doesn’t, get some new batteries. If neither of those work, then try reprogramming the remote so that you’re sure the signals it’s sending are the right ones.

Staying on top of your garage door hardware

 Problems with the rollers and the rail they run on can grow from a small glitch to a major problem that prevents the door working altogether. Eventually, the unit can become dangerous because of the weight of the door and the strength of the spring. If it seems to have a problem in just one spot, then you can get the door operating properly by yourself. Check visually to see where it is bent. If this is the case, you’ve probably been hearing an odd rubbing sound as the rollers pass that spot in the track for some time, and it might even seem to slow down or hiccup.

If it just looks like dirt and grime in a particular spot, use a strong household cleaner to get rid of any dust and dirt that’s accumulated. If that spot is bent out of shape, you need to loosen the screws near the position, and then straighten out the problem part of the running track with a rubber mallet. When the alignment is right and you’ve checked it with a level, tighten the screws back up and see if the problem has been solved. You might have to repeat the process on the other track once the first problem is corrected.

Sometimes, the screws that hold the track to the garage wall are loose. Tighten them up if you can, and see if this remedies the problem. If the hole is enlarged, remove the bracket and insert a plug to tighten the screw. If the wall has gaps near the screw, use wood filler to repair the cracks and re-attach the running track. If possible, you should move the hinge to a new piece of wood, and not simply re-attach it where you’ve used the wood filler.

If the damage has got beyond the rubbing or slight grinding stage, and especially if the garage door won’t move at all, you’ll have to get some professional help. Ordinary tools won’t fix the tracks, and you might even need new tracks to ensure the door operates properly.

Easy steps to maintaining your garage door

 Ensuring your garage door has a long and happy life is possible if you follow some rules. Do not let small problems develop into big ones, and always check your door frequently or if you hear any rubbing or grinding sounds. Also, if the spring or another large part of the equipment fails... it’s time to call the repairman.