Periodic Maintenance For A Garage Door Opener
August 13, 2014A garage door opener makes life so simply. All you have to do is push on a button while inside the car as the garage door opens and closes, which cuts down on your time spent outside, especially in bad weather, manually opening and closing the door. You know that your car will be safe from the weather, vandalism and break-ins when it is safely closed up in your garage. Yet the number of times we operate garage openers can slowly wear out its working parts. To avoid garage door repair, you can perform some simple maintenance to keep it functioning as it should. Use these tips offered by us here at Houston Overhead Door.
Lubricating Parts
Garage door openers have moving parts that can wear out the longer you use them. The garage door is constantly being pulled up and down the track. Yet the more these parts are used, the more they become worn out and can start to stick in place, making the garage opener slow down the door along the tracks or stop completely. Lubricating moving parts gives them new life. The parts will have an easier time moving along the track as the garage door opener can pull on the door with little effort. Only lubricate the moving parts. Don’t touch the plastic idler bearings as you could cause damage.
Visual Inspection
So many garage door problems can be avoided if a person does a visual inspection regularly to spot issues. Often you can see that there will be a potential problem soon as having a professional come to your garage and perform maintenance will ensure the garage door will work properly. In addition, if the problem is seen early, then you may only have to pay a small fee for repairs versus ignoring the problem until it becomes a major issue that will require more expensive repairs. Places to look for wear-and-tear are the pulleys, door springs, and cables. Don’t try to repair the problem yourself, as you may end up damaging the garage door opener. Simply spot the issue, document it, and call the garage door technician to make a visit.
Reverse Testing
Garage door openers have reverse options so that the garage door will reverse itself automatically when an object is in the way so that it will not shut down on your car or a person. There are two different ways to test this setting. When the garage door is closing, place your hands on the bottom of the door and hold it. The door opener should reverse itself immediately. The other method is to place a thick piece of wood flat on the floor. The door opener should reverse itself when it comes in contact with the wood. If the garage opener does not reverse itself, it is time to call a technician. The garage opener may need adjusted or replaced.