Challenges you could face with your Garage Door

Many of us enjoy the luxury of being able to open our garage with the click of a button. This is especially enjoyed when we come home from a long day of work and can simply get into the comfort of our home with the click of a button. Sometimes, however, garage doors do not like to cooperate with us, so its essential to know when there is a problem and how to fix it before it gets too late.

It is during the wintertime that homeowners call their local Garage Door expert in Houston, Texas, like Garage Door Doctor, to help with persisting issues with the opening and closing of their garage. During chilly times, cold and damp air can cause the garage door to not function properly. Due to a small icy connection, it is possible that your garage door won’t open. After consistently trying, it is important to stop and call your local garage door company in Houston, as they will be able to fix the issue and remove it for good. Make sure you do this in a swift amount of time, as delay in calling your expert garage door technician in Houston can cause more problems to occur than there may have been from before! Not only will you have a garage that can no longer open or close, but you may also win yourself busted coils, tore gears, or even more critical, a lusted motor.

We all want to make sure we have a swift and easy experience with your garage. If you are in the local Houston area, ensure that you are getting help from people that care about you, your comfort, and most importantly, your garage. Let us help, your local garage experts in Houston, to fix your garage and get it back to working as soon as possible. You can visit our website at https://www.garagedoordoctor.biz/ or call us at 281-855-9300! We hope everyone stays safe and healthy.

 

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Garage Door Panel Repair Tips

Today, we’re sharing a few garage door panel repair tips you need to know if you have a garage door. A garage door involves several mechanical parts that may wear down over time and need maintenance and repair.

In this article, we’re taking a closer look at some of the most important garage door panel repair tips.

Garage Door Panel Repair Tips

Every homeowner has been there at some point. You’ve accidentally backed up too far in the car and backed into the garage door, denting it. Or your kids have been playing outside and kicked a ball into the door. Even the weather can damage the door, so at some point, you’ll need to look into garage door panel repair.

If the panel has become damaged, don’t worry. There are ways you can repair that panel and get it looking as good as new again. In many cases, the panel can be fixed, or replaced, without having to replace the whole garage door. Here are some good tips on how to repair your garage door panels. 

Repair Your Garage Door Panel Quickly

If there’s a dent or damage to a garage door panel, you’ve got to repair it quickly. Right now, the problem is only cosmetic. The trouble is, a dented or damaged panel will create more problems over time. The dent will put stress on the tracks as you open and close the door. Eventually, the door can jump the tracks, becoming dangerous. 

It’s not too difficult to repair the damage, especially in steel garage doors. Try one of these tips first before you try opening the door again, as they may be enough to reverse the damage. 

Consider the Age of The Door

As you’re thinking of repairing the garage door panel, consider the age of the door itself. Older doors may be trickier to repair, and so you may want to look into replacing them instead. The average lifespan of a garage door is around 20 – 25 years, so if your door is older it’s going to be harder to find a new panel, should you need it. 

If this is the case and you have a simple dent, you can try some of the tricks listed below first. If they work, then you’re good to go. If not, you may need to consider replacing the garage door panel. 

If you had the door installed fairly recently and you can’t get the damage out yourself, then you can talk to your installation engineer. They can help you get the right replacement panel, and even install it for you if needed. 

Garage Door Repair Safety

Before attempting any repairs on your garage door, you need to ensure you and your family are safe. If you have an automatic garage door opener, make sure you unplug it before you get started. This ensures that no one can accidentally open the garage door while you’re working on it.

Also, ensure that no children or pets are in the vicinity, to keep them safe. 

Try Hammering the Dent Out

Firstly, you can try hammering the dent out of your garage door. You’ll need a 2 x 4 of wood and a rubber mallet for this. Place the wood over the place where the garage door panel has dented. Use the rubber mallet to tap the wood, in order to pop the metal back into place. In many cases, this will be enough to push the metal back and make the door look as good as new again. 

The Aluminum Foil, Compressed Air, And Lighter Trick

Another way of repairing a dent is to use aluminum foil, compressed air, and a lighter. It sounds strange, but it’s a tip that works well for cars and garage doors too. If you dented your car as you dented the garage door, you could certainly try it on both.

To do this, first wash the damaged area down with water and dish soap. Allow it to totally dry, and then fetch your tools. Cut off enough foil to cover the dent, with some excess so you can hold the foil onto the door. Lay the foil flat against the dent, and then move the lighter back and forth against it for a minute. Once you’ve done that, remove the foil and then spray the area with compressed air. 

When you do this, you’ll see that the dent pops back into place. The temperature difference between the compressed air and the heated dent will make it pop back into shape. Once this happens, hose it down to finish. 

Replacing Your Garage Door Panel

If the above hasn’t worked, then you’ll need to replace the panel. With many garage doors, this isn’t actually that difficult. As you look at your garage door, you’ll see it’s made up of several panels that are screwed together in order to move smoothly when opened or closed. You can easily take the damaged panel out, replace it, and have a working garage door again. 

To remove the panel, unscrew it from the one next to it and slide it out. If it’s not on top, you’ll need to remove that panel too in order to get to it. Then, reverse the process by sliding in the new panel, screwing it in, and then testing the door to ensure it opens and closes properly. 

When to Call The Experts

Have you tried the above tips but can’t repair your panel? If it hasn’t worked, the damage may be more severe. In these cases, you’ll be ready to call the experts. They will help you get the panel out and replaced, so you can use your garage door again. They’re also the right people to call if you’re not too sure about going about the repair yourself. If you’re less than 100% certain, always call an expert to come and help you with it.  After all, it’s better to call them in than perhaps make an error in your repair. 

Repairing your garage door panel is a lot easier than you’d think in a lot of cases. A simple dent is easily popped back out with a hammer, or with foil and compressed air. Even if that doesn’t work, you can replace the panel itself and get your garage door working again. Remember, if you ever need help with the repair, you can call on the experts to help you get it done. 

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The difference between chain drive vs. belt drive

While they offer the same type of service, there are various types of constituents that are necessary to know before making a purchase for your garage. Some things that can vary are between the way they are built, how strong they are, and the amount of sound each produces whenever you try to open or close your garage.

The way they are built

Both are constructed where they use a basic roller chain and a pulley system. Once you press the button on your garage door opener remote, the chain will either pull the garage door up or down. However, with a belt drive system, it is made from rubber or polyurethane.

How strong are they?

Chain drive openers rarely ever fail. However, due to being metal to metal, they do require a bit of extra work such as regular oiling, having a proper alignment, and ensuring the stress rates are optimal is vital. If not taken care of, it is possible that the pulley may start feeding on the chain, causing a dusting of metal powder to rain down from above. While belt drive systems are a bit sensitive to adjustments, tautness, and greasing flaws, due to the material they are made out of, they can easily remain as operational as chain drive openers, if they are maintained properly.

How much noise does each make?

Since both of them are made out of pure metals, they do tend to make a lot of noise. As the door either opens or closes, metals can tend to clink together, resulting in the noise you hear as you operate your garage. When kept in proper condition, both systems will not produce a lot of noise, sometimes even only as loud as a whisper. Ensure that your garage door professional, like Garage Door Doctor, frequently washes and lubricates your vital parts, like the tracks and pulleys, to help the system from screeching or grating.

This may seem like a lot to take in. It may also seem like a lot you have to do. However, this is all attainable by entrusting your garage to your local Garage Door expert in Houston, Texas, like Garage Door Doctor. Give us a call today at 281-855-9300 or learn more about what we do by visiting our website at https://www.garagedoordoctor.biz/ We want to serve our community and ensure every garage is taken care of with the respect and expertise that it deserves.

 

 

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Popular Garage Door Service and Repairs

If you have a garage door, you might run into problems in the future. Garage doors require maintenance and involve several components that might need repair depending on the usage.

In this article, we’re taking a look at the most popular garage door service and repairs.

Popular Garage Door Service And Repairs

Your garage door is one of the most important parts of your home. It protects your car when you’re home, keeps the elements out, and is a vital part of home security. Like any other part of your home though, you need to do maintenance and repairs on it from time to time. Here are some of the most popular repairs that are searched for online, and how to do them. 

Door Opener Repair

Most garage doors now use automatic openers. These make life a lot easier for you, as you all you need to do is push a button on your remote, and you’ll be able to drive right into your garage. Sometimes the opener won’t work though, but it’s usually quite simple to repair it. 

Firstly, look to see if the batteries in the remote have died. This is the most common reason why the remote isn’t working. If that doesn’t work, look to see if the contacts in the remote have corroded. If the remote is older, this may have happened, and it’s very easy to polish them.

You may also need to look at the opener unit in your garage itself. Check to see the stop cord hasn’t been pulled. This removes the opener from the track for safety, and stops it from opening. Also, check that it hasn’t been unplugged, as this is a common issue and an easy fix.

Fixing Your Photo Eye

The photo eyes on your garage door sit either side at almost floor level, and fire a light beam between them. They’re a safety feature, as if the beam is broken it will not allow the door to close. If the door won’t close, there could be an issue with them.

Firstly, clean them off to see if this helps. As they’re so close to the ground, it’s easy for them to get dirty and therefore become blocked. If that doesn’t work, try realigning them. The eyes can be adjusted, and it’s very easy for one to get knocked and so be out of position. Tie a length of string between them, and adjust the eyes until the string is totally level. 

Replacing Or Repairing Panels

Accidents happen, and you’ve reversed your car into the garage door. Perhaps your kid kicked a football into it. Whatever happened, now you need to now repair the door panel thanks to the dent that’s been put into it. If you have a steel garage door, you may be able to ‘pop’ the dent back out. To do so, you can use a 2 by 4 of wood and a rubber mallet. Hold the wood against where the metal is dented out, and use the mallet to hit the wood. This should ‘pop’ the dent back into place.

If the damage is more severe you can replace the panel, too. To do this, order new panels from the supplier who originally fitted your garage door. Unplug the garage door opener, and unscrew the bolts holding the panels together. Now, remove the panels in your garage door until you can reach the one that needs to be replaced. They should slide off the track to allow you to do this. 

To attach the new panel, slide the rollers into the track and lower the garage door until the upper panel is touching the new panel, which should be sitting on the floor. Reattach it by reattaching the screws or bolts, and repeat this process for any panels you had to remove too. 

Mending Bent Garage Door Tracks

Your garage door tracks need to be totally straight, as they’re what your garage door travels on as it moves up and down. Again, it’s very easy for someone to bump into it and bend it slightly. This is enough to stop the garage door opening, and maybe even allow it to jump the tracks. It’s important to mend this as soon as you find it, to stop this from happening. 

This is a job you can do with a claw hammer, if the bend isn’t too bad. Firstly, open the garage door so it’s bottom is past the seam where the vertical track and the horizontal track meet. Secure it in place with clamps. Place the claw part of your hammer on the part of the track that’s bent, and straighten it as much as possible. 

You may then need to remove the bolts securing the track to the wall, in order to fully straighten out the track. Once you’ve done so, replace the bolts and test the door to see if it will open and close normally again.

If you’ve done this and the door still won’t work properly, or the bend is too severe for yo to fix, you’ll need a new track. In this case, you’ll need to call a garage door engineer to come and replace them for you. 

Replacing Broken Springs

If you’ve heard a loud band coming from your garage, then you may have had a spring break. These are what take the tension of the garage door when you open it. They wear out over time, and so they will break if overstressed. If this happens, you’ll need to replace the spring before you can use the door again.

Remember that these springs hold a lot of tension, so be very careful when handling them. There should be a cable running through the broken spring, which stops it from pinging away from the door and causing damage when it breaks. This guide shows you how to remove that cable and the old spring and reattach the new one. 

If you’re not sure how to do this, it’s a very good idea to call the experts. Garage door springs are dangerous and you’re better to be safe than sorry. 

These are some of the most common problems that you’ll run into with your garage door. The great thing is that most of the time, you will be able to correct the problem yourself. 

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