1.Listen attentively.

Taking just a few minutes of time to notice any sounds that may be unusual when your garage door is in use, is an easy way to be sure there are no existing or potential problems. Ignoring questionable sounds like screeching, popping and clunking could cause unseen damage and end up costing you money in repairs that could have been avoided. 

2.Spend a few minutes looking at the door

~Be sure that there is no water damage, rust, or concerning bends or dents. ~Be sure the seal around and under the door is intact and without gaps or cracking.

~Check to see if both sides of the door and hardware look symmetrical. It should look level and square.

~Are the safety eyes and surrounding areas clear of items, debris and spider webs? 

~Be sure to inspect the rollers. If the rollers look worn and appear to be cracking and wobbling, it is best to get them checked by a professional and replaced.

~Look for cables that may be damaged or frayed. These cable will be under high tension. If do not know how to release tension safely, don’t DIY this one. You should never mess around with garage door high-tension cables as it is potentially dangerous. However, you can check on what kind of condition they are in. If you are unsure reach out to a pro. 

3.Check the balance of the Door. 

The door will either feel heavy or light if the door is not balanced. Also, The opener will work harder if the door is not properly balanced, which means that the opener will be under stress. Stress will cause the opener to wear out prematurely. In order to check the balance of the door, unlatch the door from the opener by pulling the red handle, then lift the door up approximately ¼ of the way, ½ way and then ¾ of the way. If the door does not remain in place and has a tendency to move up or down in any of the three positions, it’s a good indicator that the door is unbalanced. If your door is unbalanced, call a professional to make adjustments and repairs to the system. Be cautious here as there is high spring and cable tension associated with balancing a door properly. 

4. Test the opener “auto reverse” safety feature.

To test this feature, put something such as a 2×4 or a roll of paper towels on the ground where the door would normally come to rest. Be sure the 2×4 or the paper towels do not obstruct the safety eyes otherwise the opener will not operate. Once the object is in place, push the opener button to lower the door. When the door comes down to rest on the object, the door should reverse and go back to a fully open position. In other words, the door should automatically begin to reverse once it touches an object. If this does not happen effortlessly, then “limit” adjustments will need to be made.

If issues seem to be apparent, call the pro’s at Hutchins Garages Doors. Our commercial and residential garage door technicians have many years of experience and we are fully insured. Hutchins offers free estimates for door replacement, opener replacement, opener and door repair and more. Most repairs can be done the same day that you call. Call 512-442-5301 or email us at info@huthinsgaragedoors.com 

Check back next week for more tips on maintaining a safe and trouble free garage door!