When was the last time you took a close look at your garage door? With over 7,500 accidents a year, it’s important to inspect your garage door at least annually, if not twice a year, to ensure it works properly. Make sure you know how to spot obvious wear and tear, otherwise you might face a broken door later down the road.
Remotes
The first item on your inspection checklist is the remotes. If the remotes don’t work, the garage door won’t open. With each push of the button, make sure to wait for the door to fully open and close. Do not walk under the door while testing the remotes. If they are responsive, you’re good! If not, try changing the batteries. Also, don’t forget to test the push-button mounted on the wall of your garage. This will be located on one of your garage walls, about five feet above the ground. The push-button mount should be just as responsive as your remotes.
Eye Sensors
Garage doors are heavy, you don’t want one landing on your car or worse, you. Eye sensors are a safety feature located on the floor near the garage door. These “little eyes” can see when an object is obstructing the closure of the garage door and will prevent the door from closing. When inspecting them, check to make sure they are 6 inches off the ground and aren’t blocked.
The best way to test this is by getting a 2x4 (or something similar that is at least 1.5 inches tall) and placing it under the doorway when the door is open. Next, close the door. If the garage door stops and begins to auto-reverse, the eye sensors are working! If the door closes, you have a problem. Before you panic, try dusting these sensors and do a retest. If the door still closes, it’s time to call the professionals.
Springs
Next on your inspection checklist is the springs. There are two types of springs used by most garage doors: torsion or extension. Torsion springs are used in newer garage doors and include more safety features. Extension springs are old school and the only thing stopping them from coming down hard are retention cables. Whatever the springs are, it’s important to check them for depletion and rust.
Upon inspection, you may find your springs squeaking when the door tries to open or close. The first solution is to try lubricating them. If the squeaking persists, do not try to tamper with the springs. One wrong move and the whole door is coming down. Instead, call a garage door repair company.
Tracks & Rollers
Tracks and rollers help garage doors move freely. If your door is struggling to chug along, look for these signs of wear and tear:
- Tracks are bent or rusted
- Door strains to open
- Door can’t stay fully open or halfway open
- Rollers don’t stay inside track
Do not try to replace the tracks or rollers. Instead, try to wipe down the tracks. Your garage isn’t the cleanest place, often dirt and debris can clog the track or rollers. After that, it’s time for a garage door company to do a more in-depth inspection and pinpoint the problem.
Get a Professional Inspection
Discovered a problem during your inspection? While you can try to fix the problem yourself, we don’t recommend it. Instead, we recommend contacting the garage door experts at Precision.
