MSN House & Home - Garage Door FAQ, Troubleshooting, Maintenance & Tips
MSN House & Home - Garage Door FAQ, Troubleshooting, Maintenance & Tips
 House
& Home |
Garage
Doors - Introduction
Not only is the garage door one of the most visible elements of a typical
house, it's also the largest moving part. As such, it pays to keep it
looking good and working properly.
The two main types of garage doors are sectional roll-ups and swing-ups.
A swing-up door is made from a single panel that pivots out and upward.
A sectional roll-up door, by far the most popular type, is made of
four or more horizontal sections that are hinged together and mounted
with rollers to tracks at each side. With this type, the door can roll
straight up and back. Though these tend to be slightly more expensive,
they're worth the extra cost in most cases because they're easier to
use and more weather-tight.
Both types of garage doors are manufactured from wood, steel, and
fiberglass composites in flush, raised-panel, and recessed-panel designs.
They can be purchased with a variety of options such as windows and
electric operators.
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Garage
Doors -
Common Problems
Though they look relatively simple in construction, garage doors actually
have many components, especially if they're hooked up to an electric
opener.
Because
of this level of complexity—and the fact that a garage
door must stand up to harsh weather—a garage door may suffer
from any of several problems.
The most common problem is that the door becomes difficult to lift
and lower. This may be something that can be resolved with simple adjustments,
or it may be more serious. If the door is connected to an electric
opener, try disconnecting the opener mechanism from the door by pulling
the release cord or lever. If the door works fine manually, the problem
is with the electric opener; in this case, consult your owner's manual.
A door that seems unusually heavy to lift may have a problem with
spring tension. For help with springs, call a qualified garage door
contractor.
Problems with a garage door lock can usually be traced to a poorly
aligned lock bar. Fixing this is often just a matter of loosening a
couple of screws, realigning the mechanism, and retightening the screws.
If you have a wood door, be sure to keep it properly painted or stained,
both outside and inside. If you finish only the outside of a garage
door, the door may warp and moisture may cause the paint to peel.
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Garage Door Springs |
Garage
door springs are under extreme tension because of the loads
they must lift—and this makes
them dangerous to adjust. If your door's springs are out of adjustment,
do not attempt to work on them yourself. Call a qualified garage
door contractor. |
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Lubricating the Rollers |
Garage
Doors - Easy Repairs
Because a garage door is a very large, very heavy moving part, it's
prone
to fall out of adjustment with daily use. When this happens, the door becomes harder and harder to lift and lower.
The best way to prevent a garage door from growing obstinate is to
maintain it on a regular basis and, when you notice a problem, to
address it immediately before it has a chance to worsen.
The first line of defense is to lubricate the moving parts. As shown
at top left, apply penetrating oil to all rollers and hinges at least
once a year. Tighten any loose screws, bolts, or nuts so parts won't
fall out of adjustment.
To prevent binding, tracks must be properly aligned to guide the rollers.
If one or both of the tracks needs adjustment, loosen its mounting
bolt and use a hammer and a wood block to persuade it in the proper
direction, as shown at below left. Then retighten the bolt.
If you have a swing-up, one-piece door that sags in the middle when
it's in the raised position, you may be able to solve the problem by
having a garage door contractor install metal reinforcing strips or
rods across inner face of the door. Then again, it may be time to replace
the door with a roll-up door.
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Adjusting the Tracks
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