Tips for Maintaining Your Garage Door
Door Opener Adjustments That Will Keep Your Family Safe
To test your garage door for safe operation and make minor adjustments, you will need a flat head screwdriver, a ladder, scrap wood to test the safety reversing sensor, and a light penetrating oil like WD-40. Always disconnect the power to the garage door opener before you begin. Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling jewelry, and observe good ladder safety.
Cleaning And Lubricating Your Garage Door
Dirt and leaves can accumulate in the rail guides and arm of your garage door opener. Periodically clear all debris, dirt, and dead insects from metal parts with a soft brush, and lubricate the drive chain with a light penetrating oil.
Minor Garage Door Adjustments
Occasionally garage doors need adjustment. Over time springs and cables stretch, and doors can go out of balance. Chains can sag, limit screws may have to be tweaked if doors aren't opening or closing completely, and safety sensors may need to be realigned in order for the safety shutdown feature of your garage door to work properly.
Adjusting the Garage Door Chain
The chain tension on your garage door should not sag more than 1/2" below the rail. Left uncorrected, the chain will bang against the rail causing the drive sprocket to wear prematurely. Tighten the chain with a flat head screwdriver until it rests approximately 1/2" above the base of the rail, being careful not to over tighten.
Incomplete Opening
If your garage door partially opens and then stops, the limit screw may need to be readjusted. The power unit will have an open force adjustment that you can turn clockwise until the problem has been corrected. It should be clearly labeled. Be sure to unplug the opener before adjusting the unit, and plug it back in to test the results. A number of incremental adjustments may be necessary to achieve the desired result.
Verify Safe Garage Door Operation - Close Force
In order to test and calibrate the close force setting, place an object like a board in the center of the doorway and then trigger the door to close. After contact with the object, the door should strain only slightly, and then reverse. If the pressure is too great, you will need to make an adjustment to the close force screw on the power unit.
After making the adjustment, test the close force again, this time holding the bottom of the door and exerting pressure to stop it. In this way, you can determine the amount of pressure that will be exerted on the door when it comes into contact with people or pets. If the pressure is too great, make additional adjustments until you are satisfied with the results.
Verify Safe Garage Door Operation - Sensor Alignment
When door sensors are installed, they are mounted on opposite sides of the door and must face each other in order to operate properly. Periodically test to make sure that the reversing sensors are aligned by placing your hand in the sensor beam as the door closes. The door should automatically reverse and open completely. If this does doesn't happen, check the wire connections, sensor alignment, cleanliness of the sensor lenses, and then retest.
Keep Home Security in Mind When Using Your Garage Door
Your remote garage door opener transmits a frequency-coded message that triggers the door to open. Instead of sending the same code each time, more expensive garage door systems change codes randomly, making it harder for intruders to intercept your code.
There are kits available that can convert a single code garage door opener to a rolling code system, and your car's built-in garage door remote can probably be programmed for rolling code. If you have any security concerns, do a little research to see if your garage door can be converted to rolling code.
Make garage door maintenance part of your regular routine. If you notice any change in the sound of the door’s motor, or the force with which it closes, do a thorough inspection and make the recommended adjustments. Keep your family safe, and your garage door opening and closing smoothly.
Garage Door Maintenance
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