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Most Commonly Needed Garage Door Repairs

With any mechanical piece of equipment, repairs will inevitably be needed every now and then. Garage doors are no exception. With so many moving parts, frequent examination and repair is the best way to keep your garage door parts running smoothly. Some garage door repairs are less troublesome than others, but most of them should be undertaken by a professional garage door repair service. Here’s a list of the top five most commonly needed garage door repairs in the Houston area, and what you can expect from the repair service for each one.

1). Photo Eye Malfunction

Since 1993, all garage doors have come equipped with the safety feature of two small “photo eyes” on both sides of the garage door opening. The photo eyes transmit a sensor across the door-frame that detects any object in the door’s path, and keeps it from closing if something is in the way. If the door opens normally but fails to react when you attempt to close it, examine the photo eyes. The lenses can accumulate dirt, blocking the sensor. In this case, try carefully cleaning the lenses with a clean cloth dampened with a mild glass cleaner. If that doesn’t work, your photo eye sensors may have become misaligned, meaning the eyes don’t match up between sides. Photo eye misalignment is best addressed by professional analysis and repair.

2). Track Misalignment

The metal track in the ceiling of your garage that the door runs along must be aligned properly in order to move the door. Gaps between the rollers and track and dents or curves in the rails could all indicate a track misalignment problem. A heavy door can worsen these issues until, over time, it becomes dangerous or impossible to open the door.

If an alignment problem is causing your door not to move at all, this is a good time to call a professional garage door service in Katy TX. A garage door repair professional will have the needed equipment and expertise to safely and accurately realign and repair the door. Occasionally, the track may be misaligned beyond repair, in which case a professional will install a new garage door track.

3). Transmitter Issues

There are several possible reasons that transmitters might need repair. Be sure to check the batteries in your remote transmitter first, as that is the most common cause of a non-working transmitter. If you have fresh batteries and you know you’re in range of your garage door and it still won’t open/close check the antenna hanging from the motor to make sure it’s not being covered or blocked by something that could hamper the signal. Also, check the antenna for any signs of damage. If the antenna has been damaged, a garage door technician will need to replace it.

If you’ve tested and tried to remedy other problems and you’re still having transmitter issues, you may need to reprogram the garage door transmitter. Transmitter remotes have a “learn” button; press and hold the it for a few seconds until the indicator light begins blinking, then press the remote button again to reprogram the remote. Check the owner’s manual to make sure there aren’t additional measures that need to be taken to reprogram your transmitter. Hopefully with this simple fix your garage door transmitter will begin working properly again; if not, a professional garage door repair service can examine your transmitter in closer detail.

4). Broken Torsion Springs

Torsion springs are the heavy-duty springs responsible for lifting and closing your heavy garage door. They are bound to wear out and break eventually, because they take the brunt of the weight each time you open and close your garage door. If your garage door suddenly refuses to open or close, it may be a result of broken torsion springs. If you’re home when these break you’ll know, because you’ll hear a loud “bang” sound from your garage, similar to a firecracker. Garage doors either have one or two torsion springs; if just one spring is broken, your door may struggle to open. If both are broken, or if your door only has one spring, your door will not open at all. If you suspect broken torsion springs, call a professional garage door repair service before attempting a DIY repair, since torsion springs can be dangerous and difficult to work with. Don’t try to open the door until a professional has inspected it, as that puts even more stress on the torsion springs.

5). Broken Tension Springs, Chains, or Cables

Garage doors also have tension springs, chains, and cables that help to smoothly, slowly lower the door closed. If these break, your garage door will start closing too quickly, perhaps with a loud “bang” as it hits the ground. This can be dangerous, because the garage door can easily crush something (or someone!) below it. Broken chains, cables, or springs need to be repaired as soon as possible to prevent injury or damage. Also, if broken garage door springs are not repaired right away, it will put extra tension on the door cables, which will soon break from the added stress. When cables break, they snap and shoot out like broken rubber bands, which can be quite dangerous if anyone happens to be nearby. As soon as you suspect your springs or cables are broken, contact a garage door service. Also, don’t park your car in the garage until the door has been repaired, and avoid trying to open and close the door until it has been examined. The amount of force from broken springs or cables can damage your vehicle or other property, not to mention cause serious personal injury.

Garage Door Repairs

We can Help you With Your Garage Door Repair Needs

Regency Garage Doors provides professional garage door service & repair to Katy, Sugar Land, and the surrounding Houston area. Call us today! (713) 208-5255

2 Comments

  1. Jenderal Gatot Nurmantyo says:

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