Repair & Replacement
How do you know when your garage door needs a repair or when it needs to be replaced? Proper installation, operation, maintenance, and testing of the garage door and electric garage door opener are necessary to provide safe, trouble-free operation. An improperly adjusted garage door or garage door opener can exert deadly force when the door closes. Here are a few common garage door issues that you may experience and repairs that you may consider.
GARAGE DOOR REPLACEMENT
A new garage door is one of the best remodeling investments that you can make in your home. According to Remodeling Magazine's 2019 Cost vs. Value Report, garage door replacement ranks first in the upscale project category for highest return on investment (ROI)! According to the report, homeowners recoup 97% of project cost when the home is sold.
Not only can you update the look of your home by replacing the largest and most prominent door to your home, with today’s selection of garage doors, you can improve the energy efficiency, storm and wind protection, and curb appeal of your home. Also, today’s garage doors are much easier to maintain and will provide long-lasting beauty to your home.
Common Issues
The door is squeaking when it opens and closes.
Springs, roller stems, and hinges can squeak and be noisy. This is caused by normal use and does not necessarily indicate a problem. We lubricate our garage doors upon installation and with every service call. Lubricating your doors every three months by using a spray-on lubricant, such as a light machine oil, can help extend the life of your garage doors. Never use grease or dry lubricant. If the noise persists, give us a call.
The springs are broken.
Contact a professional garage door dealer/installer. Do not attempt to remove, repair, or adjust springs or cable. Do not continue to try to open the door. HIGH SPRING TENSION CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
The garage door does not open smoothly, but in a jerky motion or with loud noises.
This may be due to the lack of maintenance of the garage door or garage door opener. Call us for a service check-up.
When I push the button on my garage door remote, the garage door doesn’t open.
This could be due to several issues. The most common is that your garage door remote may need the batteries replaced. There also may be no power going to your operator or your spring(s) may be broken. We are happy to help with any of these issues.
The garage door does not close all the way, but goes back up into the open position.
An object may be blocking the path of the photo eye sensors of a garage door opener or the photo eye sensors of the opener may be misaligned.
Still have questions?
Owner’s Manuals
Residential Doors
Amarr Owner’s Manual - English
Amarr Owner’s Manual - Spanish
Residential Openers
Amarr 860-840 Owners Manual Download pdf
Liftmaster 1345 Owners Manual Download pdf
Liftmaster 1355 Owners Manual Download pdf
Liftmaster 3130 Owners Manual Download pdf
Liftmaster 3240 Owners Manual Download pdf
Liftmaster 3245 Owners Manual Download pdf
Liftmaster 3255 Owners Manual Download pdf
Liftmaster 3265 Owners Manual Download pdf
Liftmaster 3275 Owners Manual Download pdf
Liftmaster 3280 Owners Manual Download pdf
Liftmaster 3585 Owners Manual Download pdf
Liftmaster 3595 Owners Manual Download pdf
Liftmaster 3800 Owners Manual Download pdf
Liftmaster 3850 Owners Manual Download pdf
Liftmaster 8360 Owners Manual Download pdf
Liftmaster 8550 Owners Manual Download pdf
Linear LSO50 Owners Manual Download pdf
Linear LSO75 Owners Manual Download pdf
Linear LDCO800 Owners Manual Download pdf
Linear Model LDO33 & LDO50 Owners Manual Download pdf
Garage Door Maintenance
Take a few minutes to inspect and test your complete garage door system. Make monthly inspection and testing a part of your regular routine. Consult the owner's manuals for additional recommended maintenance for your models of door and opener.
MONTHLY MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST
Garage Door Opener Tests: Reversal Test, Force Setting Test, Additional Safety Devices
Garage Door Visual Inspection: Springs, Rollers, Pulleys, Cables and Track Lubrication, Door Balance.
GARAGE DOOR OPENER MAINTENANCE TIPS
There are routine safety and maintenance steps that you should follow once a month. Review your owner's manual for the door opener. If you don't have the owner's manual, look for the opener model number on the back of the power unit and request a manual from the manufacturer.
Garage Door Opener Reversal Test
Make sure your opener has a reversing feature. If a reversing feature is not present, it should be replaced. Garage door openers manufactured after January 1, 1993 are required by federal law to have advanced safety features that comply with the latest U.L. 325 standards. Contact your manufacturer or installer for additional information.
Test the reversing feature every month.
First, test the balance of the door (see "Testing and Maintaining The Garage Door"). If the door is properly balanced, then proceed.
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.
Push the transmitter or wall button to close the door. The door must reverse when it strikes the wood. (Note that the bottom part of "one piece doors" must be rigid so that the door will not close without reversing.)
If the door does not reverse, have it repaired or replaced. Have a qualified individual adjust, repair, or replace the opener or door.
Garage Door Opener 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 may be excessive and need adjusting. See your owner's manual for details on how to make the adjustment. Test the reversing feature after any adjustment.
Additional Safety Devices for Garage Door Openers
Many garage door openers can be equipped with additional safety devices. Consider adding a photo eye or edge sensor as an extra measure of safety to protect against entrapment. Keep in mind that adding more safety devices will not make an old opener meet the current U.L. standards.
Make sure the additional safety devices, such as photo eye or edge sensors, are properly installed and adjusted (see owner’s manual).
Never remove, adjust, or loosen the screws on the bottom brackets of the door. These brackets are connected to the spring by the lift cable and are under extreme tension.
GARAGE DOOR MAINTENANCE TIPS
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.
Visual Inspection
Look at the garage door springs, cables, rollers, pulleys, and other door hardware for signs of wear. If you suspect problems, have a qualified person make repairs.
Lubrication: Regularly lubricate the moving parts of the door. However, do not lubricate plastic parts, such as plastic rollers and plastic idler bearings. Consult the door’s owner's manual for the manufacturer's recommendation.
Steel Garage Doors and Salt Exposure
Rock salt, other forms of ice melt and salt spray (in coastal areas) are extremely harsh on concrete and asphalt driveways, but especially harsh on steel garage doors and door components. Salt is considered a corrosive, and if not washed off, will deteriorate steel over time. Removing corrosive material from garage door.
WARNING - Springs are under high tension. Only qualified persons should adjust them.
Garage door springs, cables, brackets, and other hardware attached to the springs, are under very high tension and, if handled improperly, can cause serious injury. Only a qualified professional or a mechanically experienced person carefully following the manufacturer's instructions should adjust them. The torsion springs (the springs above the door) should only be adjusted by a professional. Do not attempt to repair or adjust torsion springs yourself.
A restraining cable or other device should be installed on the extension spring (the spring along the side of the door) to help contain the spring if it breaks.
Door Balance
Periodically test the balance of your door. Start with the door closed. If you have a garage door opener, use the release mechanism so you can operate the door by hand when doing this test.
You should be able to lift the door smoothly and with little resistance. It should stay open around three to four feet above the floor. If it does not, it is out of adjustment. Call us to have it adjusted.
Garage Door Safety
A garage door is the largest moving object in the home. It is often operated by electric garage door openers. Proper installation, operation, maintenance and monthly testing of the garage door and electric garage door opener are necessary to provide safe, trouble-free operation. An improperly adjusted garage door or garage door opener can exert deadly force when the door closes. This could lead to serious injury or death from being hit by a closing garage door or from being trapped under the door.
Below are some safety tips to keep in mind. Always consult your owner’s manual for specific safety information about your model.
1. Replace old springs
Your garage door’s springs an extremely important part of your door. However, when springs wear out, injury can result. Have your springs inspected by a professional technician and replaced if needed, especially if you have an older garage door. If your door has two springs, it’s best to replace both at the same time, even if one is not broken. This will prevent any damage caused by the breaking of the second spring and keep your door working efficiently.
2. Squeaky springs
Squeaky springs is caused by normal use and does not necessarily indicate a problem. We lubricate our garage doors upon installation and with every service call. Lubricating your doors every three months by using a spray-on lubricant, such as a light machine oil, can help extend the life of your garage doors. Never use grease or dry lubricant. If the noise persists, give us a call.
3. Check 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. Remember, the high spring tension is extremely dangerous. These cables should be replaced only by a trained technician.
4. Installing a garage door or opener
Installing a garage door can be very dangerous and is not recommended for a novice. A trained technician should always install garage doors. Installing a garage door opener is generally easier and safer than installing a garage door. But improper installation can create a hazardous situation. We are happy to install your opener.
5. Safety cables
For a garage door that has extension springs, a safety cable that runs through the spring and secures to the wall or ceiling at each end is needed. 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 us for a safety inspection.
6. Struggling door
A door that does not go up and down smoothly could indicate 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. Give us a call to take a look.
7. Manually operating
Many homeowners injure their fingers by placing them between the door sections to pull down on the door. 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.
8. 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 technician. Many manufacturers now include tamper resistant hardware that prevents loosening of the brackets by a novice.
9. Using an old track
When buying a replacement garage door, it can be tempting 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 replace the track when replacing the garage door.
10. Regular service
Your garage door 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 technician can keep your door operating safely and smoothly for a long time.
11. Installing photo eye sensors
The photo eye sensor should not be installed higher than six inches above the garage floor. If the eyes are installed higher, a person or pet could get under the beam and not be detected by the photo eyes.
12. Installing a wall button
The wall push button for your garage door opener should be mounted at least five feet above the floor, out of children’s reach. Running under a closing door can be a deadly game. Teach your children never to play with opening and closing the door.
13. Always watch
When closing your automatic garage door with a push button or a remote control transmitter, always watch the door until it completely closes to make sure no person or animal gets caught under a closing door.
14. Know where your remote controls are
Keep the remote controls for your openers where children cannot play with them. Warn children of the dangers of playing with the garage door. For security reasons, keep your remote controls locked up. If you park a car outside your garage, lock your car so that potential burglars cannot access your remote control and gain easy access to your garage.
As always, give us a call if you have any questions about these safety tips, your garage door, or services. 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. You can find a list of Amarr owner’s manuals here.
Choosing the Right Garage Door
It’s time to choose a new garage door – how exciting! Not sure where to start? Follow these five steps to help you choose a garage door you’ll love for years to come. We’re happy to help with any of these steps. Just give us a call!
Step 1 – Select the perfect material to fit your lifestyle.
Step 2 – Choose a style that enhances curb appeal.
Step 3 – Choose a garage door design that matches your home's architecture.
Step 4 – Learn how to select the right color garage door to complement your home's exterior.
Step 5 – Select the garage door construction and performance features that meet your needs.