Your garage doors are an expensive home improvement. They are functional, add value to your property from a commercial and aesthetic point of view and they are super convenient. Looking after this valuable asset is therefore important. By conducting a few simple checks on a regular basis you will be engaging in necessary and valuable preemptive maintenance. This will save you money and time in the long term. You are also likely to avoid the unpleasant experience of arriving home to find your garage doors opening and closing at will.
Follow this short garage door repair checklist once a month –
Check the reverse mechanism on your garage door
– All garage doors manufactured and installed after 1991 require an automatic garage door reversal mechanism to prevent injury to people or damage to property. Check this by placing a piece of wood where you know the door will touch it when closing. If the door does not reverse automatically when touching the wood, you may need to call for expert advice or repair work.
– All installations from 1993 require “photo-eyes”. These create a beam and if broken, the door will automatically reverse. These “photo-eyes” are sensitive to bumping and need to be checked regularly and re-positioned if necessary.
– Disengage the garage door lever so you can open the door manually. It should move smoothly with the use of one hand. If it doesn’t you need to call for professional help.
Mount the control panel 5 feet above the floor surface
– Doing this will ensure that the panel is not easily accessible to children and therefore won’t be disturbed, resulting in unnecessary safety risks. Be sure to educate your children about the dangers involved and let them know that this control panel is not a toy. Check that the panel is undisturbed and undamaged once a month.
Garage door remotes
– Here again, educating your children is important. A garage door repair or installation is expensive and potentially dangerous. It is absolutely necessary that your children understand that the garage door control panel and remote controls should not be played with or damaged.
Ensure the garage door opener is firmly attached to your garage door
– Ensure that your door opener is attached to the wall with an appropriate reinforcement bracket. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to protect your garage door and to avoid unnecessary legal or insurance complications.
Test your garage door opener by pressing the remote to check if it opens and closes smoothly. If it doesn’t and becomes stuck or opens in an uneven manner, switch off the power supply and unplug the connection to your door opener. Wait for a short period of time, plug the supply back in and switch the power back on. The down arrow on the panel should then be pressed to close the door completely. This may be sufficient for a reset but it is advisable to check the manufacturer’s instructions.
This is a short check list that takes a few minutes. If you experience any problems, be sure to contact garage door repair Charlotte, immediately.
