Tag Archives: garage door spring
The Garage Door and the Broken Spring
If you think you have a garage door broken spring you should know for certain because generally when a garage door broken spring happens you may have to open you garage door manually.
Hopefully you know where the manual override is located so you can open you garage door manually.
If your garage door broken spring happens you may also have other problems with your garage door. This is a good time to call your garage door service company and schedule an inspection of your garage doors and also have them repair the broken spring. They may have to replace both springs. Just because one garage door spring breaks it doesn’t necessarily mean the other one is bad but since they have both been on there for the same length of time it is probable that the other spring has fatigue and may break soon. You don’t need to take that chance. Just have both garage door springs replaced or however many garage doors you have and then only pay for one service call.
A garage door itself can last for a long time. If it is metal it can be repainted if it begins to look tired. A wood garage door may [more]
That Annoying Garage Door Noise!
Why is my garage door so noisy? It’s so annoying!
Your garage door is made up of an intricate system of pulleys, cables, gears, and springs, so there are many parts that can cause the door to make noise. Some of these are easily fixed, and some require the services of a trained garage door technician.
First, you need to identify the type of opener you own: screw drive, chain drive, or belt drive. Chain drive doors are noisy. Period. This doesn’t make them a bad choice. Chain drive doors are relatively inexpensive, long-lasting, and reliable in extreme climates. Regular lubrication will lessen the noise, but it’s not going to go away. Screw drive doors are less noisy early but become as noisy as chain drive doors over time. A belt drive door is quiet when it’s working properly.
If the door is not balanced, it can become noisy, or it can even stop operating. You can check the balance of the door by pulling the red emergency release cord and operating the door manually. Raise the door manually about halfway, and then release it. If it is properly balanced, it will have little movement. If it is unbalanced, it will begin to [more]
Spring Into Action
If your garage door opener isn’t in operating properly, you could be setting yourself up for an expensive repair down the road.
Examine your spring for a break in the coiled metal. Another sign of a broken spring is if the steel cables that run along the wall near the door jambs are loose.
Is your garage door operating at full capacity, or is it poised to malfunction? It’s recommended that you regularly check the real muscle of your automatic garage door system: the spring.
Few homeowners realize that it’s the spring (or springs) that do 90 percent of the lifting when an automatic opener lifts a garage door. The garage door opener’s motor is only designed to handle 10 percent of the lifting.” Over time, the metal coil that makes up the spring becomes weak and loses some tension, causing the motor to work harder than it should. If the motor becomes overtaxed, the plastic gears inside may break and you’ll be facing an expensive repair.
How to Test a Garage Door Spring
To check to see if your spring is no longer doing its fair share, conduct the following test.
First, disengage the J-arm (the J-shaped lever) from the carriage by pulling on the [more]
My Garage Door is So Heavy!
Garage doors are generally the largest moving piece of machinery in your home, with an average size of 8′ wide and 7′ high for a single car door and 16″ by 7′ high for a double car door. Regardless of the type of material used, they will be heavy. That’s why there are springs and a counter balance system to take all that weight, and make it easy for you or your Garage Door Openers to handle easily.
Over time, springs do break and/or relax, making the doors feel heavier. Stripped openers gears are often caused by this type of problem. To check this – occasionally disconnect your door from the opener. Pull down on the Red cord to accomplish this… If the door is “heavy” and/or will not stay half open on its own… it’s a good idea to have some maintenance done. Note: Annual Maintenance is recommended.
Springs are dangerous – have a professional licensed garage door dealer check for proper spring tension, and adjust them if needed.