Creating Beautiful Garage Doors

When it comes to improving the curb appeal of your home, there is a lot to think about. In addition to working on things like flowerbeds and lawncare, you also have to pay attention to creating beautiful garage areas that look well-kept and secure. I started focusing on garage door maintenance a few years back, and I was really happy to see how much it has improved my home's curb appeal. Check out this blog to find out more about garage doors, how to troubleshoot your system, and how to make your doors look brand new--without breaking the bank or ruining your entire weekend.

How To Tell If Your Garage Door Is Balanced

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Up. Down. Up. Down.  Your garage door opener has the thankless job of moving your garage door (likely the largest moving object in your entire house!) over and over.  Even if you only leave once in the morning and return once in the evening, your garage door opener does its duty four times a day, adding up to nearly 1500 motions each year.  Want to help keep your opener happy?  Take time to balance it once a year.  

Why?

When a garage door is well-balanced, the springs are able to counter-balance the weight of the door itself.  As the springs wear and distort, more of the weight of the door is supported by the opener.  Since most automatic openers are unable to detect the difference, they will continue to try moving the door even as it grows heavier, ultimately causing the opener to fail prematurely.  Checking the balance on the door annually will allow you to notice when the springs need to be replaced, extending the life of your opener and saving you money. In addition, an unbalanced door may not reverse automatically when it encounters an unexpected object underneath it, resulting in a potentially serious safety hazard.

Safety Precautions

Before beginning this procedure, make sure the area around the garage door is clear from debris or other obstacles so that you can move around freely. 

Also – while checking the balance of a garage door is an easy task for most home-owners, any actual repairs should be left to professionals.  Garage door assemblies include a number of springs, cables, brackets, and other hardware, all of which are under extreme tension and can cause serious injury.

Disconnect the Garage Door from the Opener

Virtually all garage door openers include a red plastic release handle.  Pull on the handle until the door completely disengages from the opener.  This will allow you to raise and lower the door by hand.

Check for Track Friction

Move the door up and down a couple of times.  Pay special attention for unexpected resistance or noises such as squeaks or grinding, which could indicate excess track friction, another source of wear on door openers.  Lubricate any areas of concern.

Balance the Door

Starting with the door fully closed, slowly lift the door until it is somewhere between knee-height and half-way open.  You'll want to look upwards at the track and find the point where the second roller is centered in the bend where the track begins to arc downwards.  Carefully let go of the door.

If the door is balanced, its weight should be perfectly countered by the force of the springs, and it should hold its position.  (If it begins to slowly drift up or down that is also acceptable.)  If that is the case, reconnect the door opener and set a reminder to check again next year.  On the other hand, if the door drops towards the ground or shoots back up, there is a balance problem and the door needs to be serviced by a trained technician, like those at AA Garage Door Co.  

Checking the balance on your garage door only requires a few minutes and is an easy way to extend the life of your garage door opener.  

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8 December 2014