Your Automatic Garage Door Opener: Know When It's Time For A Replacement
Posted on: 8 May 2017
While you can expect your garage door to last about thirty years if you take good care of it, the opener itself is only going to last about ten years. There may be a number of reasons your garage door is having trouble opening, and they may have nothing to do with the opener itself. There could be something blocking the track that the door travels on. Your springs may be loose and having trouble holding the door open, or you may have lost power to the garage door opener itself. If your garage door opener makes grinding noises as the door opens, or doesn't work periodically, it could be time to change out the opener.
When the Track is Bent
A small bend in your track can cause your garage door to struggle to open. If a bracket is missing, this can make it almost impossible for your garage door to open properly. While this may appear as a problem with the opener, it's a problem with the track itself. Check to see if a bracket is loose, the track is bent, or if there is any debris in the track blocking the path of the door.
When Your Motor Won't Engage
If the motor on your garage door opener is older than ten years old and won't engage, this probably means that the motor isn't going to work anymore. While you can try to have the motor repaired, it will probably be more cost effective to have the motor replaced instead. The motor isn't going to last forever, and if it's more than ten years old it probably isn't worth fixing.
Check the Power Supply to the Garage
Before you call a garage door repair company, check to see that you have power to your garage. Look at your circuit breaker and make sure that the circuit to your garage isn't tripped. Once you are sure the problem isn't with the power supply, it's time to call to see what needs to be done about your garage door opener.
If you are having problems with your garage door and it struggles to open, you'll need to get your door fixed before you end up getting stuck in your garage. If the springs are the problem, you can end up having the garage door fall down unexpectedly. When your garage door motor is more than 10 years old and is no longer working, it's probably time for a replacement. For more information, contact companies like Affordable Garage Door Repairs.
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