Do you remember the days of using a manual garage door? Straining your back at the end of a long day, rushing in the pouring rain or holding your keys as a weapon when you get home in the wee hours are just some instances synonymous with life before electric garage doors. Nowadays, the safety, comfort and convenience of driving straight into your home at the end of a long day is something that is all too easy to take for granted. That is, until something in your electric garage door breaks or malfunctions and you’re shot back in time to life before automation.
There is no question that automatic garage doors have changed our lives for the better, and as such, they must be kept in perfect working order come rain, hail or shine. If you’re experiencing issues with your garage door, we are always here to help and have branches in most major Australian cities with experienced garage door technicians to sort out your misbehaving garage door. On our blog How to Maintain Your Garage Door, we give some key tips that you can use to prevent major issues and extend the life of your garage door. In the rare instance that something does go wrong and you’re looking to get your garage door back to function quickly, here are some of our top troubleshooting tips:
- Make sure the opener is plugged in and switched on
A garage door opener is a motorized device that opens and closes the garage door through switches on the garage wall. Your handheld remote communicates with this device to inform it when to engage and open or close the garage door. This should be the first port of call when your garage isn’t opening or closing how it should, and if you’re lucky, you will simply need new remote batteries.
- Pull the emergency release chain
It is now industry standard to have an emergency release chain on electric garage doors. This allows people of most strength levels to open or close the garage manually. The chain is attached to the top of the garage and becomes invaluable when you’re rushing for work or stuck during a blackout.
- Check the tracks
If your garage door track is out of alignment, it can cause serious problems with your door. Check for any gaps between the rollers and the rail, or bends in the rail, and if you have either – a call to a professional is in order.
- Check the doors’ structure
You may not have had a run-in with your door, but a passer-by, sneaky teenager or even a rouge football could have come into contact with the door, causing warping and impact damage. This can be enough to limit the doors’ ability to function, and often warrants a visit from a professional to address.
- Cool the motor down
We are all familiar with the many trips to and from home that often happen throughout a busy weekend. If you’ve been opening and closing your garage door many times in short succession, the motor may have overheated and simply needs a moment to chill out.
- Change your frequency
Suburb streets are lined with electric garage upon electric garage, and in rare cases, the frequencies of each remote can match, and you can end up opening your neighbour’s door instead of your own. It’s possible to change your garage door frequency to avoid this with help of your manual or a professional.
- Check the header and door bracket
Misalignment or looseness in your door bracket may be preventing the door from opening or closing how it should. Check the status of these and you may discover the root of your garage door problem.
- Check the drive belt
Drive belts are the modern equivalent of the chain, using rubber belts to open the garage door. The rubber belt triggers the door to open or close, and if it is loosened, it may need a simple tightening to be able to get back to doing its job.
- Check the safety sensitivity control
- Garage doors are built with red-eye sensors that are responsible for making the door open suddenly if a person or object is detected. These sensors may be overreacting over some dirt, rocks, or debris. A gentle wipe of your sensors, a realignment of them or a clean out of anything in the way may be all that’s needed to get your garage back on track.
- Check the height adjustment screws
Your garage door opener motor will likely have a screw feature that controls the height limit switches. Sometimes, these switches are set improperly and can prevent the door from opening and closing to the right points. Adjust these according to the manufacturer’s instructions and you may find your door works perfectly.
We are here to help…
The best way to prevent garage door issues from becoming a major concern is to keep an eye out for any of the above and to perform regular maintenance through a professional. Having garage door experts on speed dial will be an essential perk if you run into problems with your garage that can’t be fixed on your own. After decades spent working with garage doors just like yours, we can work with you to complete your annual inspections, new installations, and ongoing maintenance to make your door as efficient, durable, and safe as can be.
Garage doors are one of the heaviest and hardest working parts of machinery in your home. We rely on them day in, day out, to help us to get out on time and back home safely. Therefore, it’s integral for the safety and comfort of your life that your garage door is kept in perfect working order. Get in touch with our team today for your free measure and quote, or to discuss what the best solution is for your garage from our wide range. Visit our home page for more information on what sets us apart, and find out why our garage doors are a league above the rest.