GARAGE DOOR ISSUES IN COLD WEATHER

Garage Door Opener Installation

Here in Lilburn, GA we often get weather extremes. From hot, humid, summers to icy cold winters and everything in-between. Weather changes can be annoying enough when you are simply outside, but when your garage door is affected, it adds a whole new dimension to the problem. Imagine trying to leave for work or to take the kids to school when your home’s garage door refuses to open. We use our automatic garage doors so much that we expect them to operate at full capacity all year long. Here at Lilburn Garage Door Repair we tend to get higher call volume during cold weather as frigid temperatures can send garage door performance to plummeting lows. Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do on your end to mitigate the problem and quite often, you can avoid a garage door repair service call altogether!

Step one – breathe deep!

That’s right; do whatever it takes to get and stay calm. Panicking or getting frustrated only makes the problem worse. Like we stated above, you can often avoid having to call a local Lilburn, GA garage door repair technician by simply checking a few things listed below. Often, problems can seem worse than they really are and this certainly includes garage door issues due to cold weather. When your door first fails to open or close, you might assume that you have a big repair bill ahead of you. You might even worry about possible injury to you or to a member of your family including pets. The fact is, cold weather CAN affect your garage door in many ways and more often than not, this can translate into a poor or shoddy performance.

It’s the simple things…

First of all, be sure to check the battery in your opener remote. It may be drained OR it might just be cold. Many times, the battery will work just fine when it warms up. In any case, be sure to have it tested. You can do this yourself at home if you have a tester. If you don’t; fear not; there’s a free and simple way to get it done. Just take your remote battery to the nearest Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowe’s or Target store and they will be happy to test it for you. Sure, they want to sell you a new one but you are under no obligation to buy one. Also, if you have changed your remote battery several times or dropped your remote, the inside terminals may be a little loose. Sometimes, the cold weather can actually expand them a tiny bit especially if left overnight in a cold garage or in a car parked outside in the driveway. Simply squeeze the terminals a bit to get them to hold the battery more snugly and you should be good to go.

Safety sensors

Another reason your garage door may not work as it should, is your photo electric safety sensors. This device was designed to prevent your garage door, which weighs several hundred pounds, from directly hitting anything beneath it. This can include car, pets, children or even you! Your sensors transmit a beam to each other, and when that beam gets interrupted by something that gets in the way, the garage door either goes back up or it won’t move at all. There’s a simple test to see if your sensors are working. Inside your garage is the wall switch. Hold it down and see if your garage door closes. This action overrides the safety component and if it still doesn’t close, then your safety eyes need alignment or a lens cleaning. In case you are wondering what sensor alignment has to do with cold weather, it is this. Frigid temperatures here in Lilburn, GA can make your metal sensor casings expand and contract and this small action is often enough to throw off the much needed alignment.

Check your garage door tracks

Colder weather can make the grease build-up inside your tracks harden and this action alone is often enough to stop the movement of your garage door as it needs smooth movement within your tracks for optimal performance. The grease can also combine with oil, dirt, pet hair, leaves and other debris to form a blockage that can stop your garage door from working as it should. A quick inspection of your tracks should tell you whether they are is blockage or not. If so, a simple and quick cleaning with an old toothbrush should be enough to clear the passage. Don’t lubricate though; just clean using a dry brush.

Cold garage door springs

Our Lilburn, GA cold weather can also affect extension and torsion springs as well as our garage door rollers. Off and on cold weather spells can shorten the life span of these much needed garage door components and cause them to perform poorly or not at all. You may have a damaged spring in which case, we highly recommend that you don’t attempt repair on your own! Working on springs, especially extension springs is very dangerous and you should definitely call a local garage door repair technician at first chance. What you CAN do, is to run a simple test to see how your springs are working. Simply pull the emergency release on your garage door (the red knob at the end of the cord) and try manually opening and closing your garage door. If movement is choppy or difficult, you have one or possibly two damaged springs.

Cold weather tips

You can apply basic lubrication service to your garage door springs and rollers. This will certainly help during cold spells. If your springs are already damaged, this won’t help, but if not, it should prolong their life cycle and promote better performance. Simply spray your springs, rollers, hinges and tracks with a silicone based lubricant or a lithium spray. No need to go overboard; just lightly spray every few days or so for maximum benefit.

CAN’T GET YOUR GARAGE DOOR CLOSED OR OPEN? HERE’S WHAT TO DO!

If your garage door goes on the blink, there are a good number of reasons you could be having difficulties. Some are easy, and some are problematic. Here are some typical possibilities and solutions.

Basic Issues

Does the door go down all the way, yet open again? It’s likely the open-and-shut limit settings of your garage door opener are failing. The settings instruct the garage door opener on how far the garage door should move before it’s closed. If set too high, the door will touch the ground before the opener thinks it ought to, presuming the door’s touching something in its path. If so, it will reverse to stop from smashing it. Read the operator’s manual to find out how to set the open-and-shut limits.

Does your garage door opener run for several seconds, but then turn off? If your garage door still doesn’t move, this will happen when the door’s closed and the motor tries yet fails to lift the garage door. Try this:

1. Check the springs.
2. Look at the track for possible obstacles.
3. See if your garage door has a built-in lock engaging accidentally. This often occurs with older garage doors.

What if your garage door just won’t close? The photo eye sensors could be out of alignment. Your garage door has a photo eye on each side, and between them is an invisible beam, which, when it’s broken, keeps the door from closing. Inspect to see if they’re grimy or misaligned. Depending upon which style and brand of sensor you have, if the light’s blinking, there’s something wrong. (Or, if you have sensors with red and green lights, the red one usually means it’s malfunctioning.)

Another possibility of the sensors not working might be the wiring. Check the connections from the sensors to check whether the wires are coming loose or hindered by corrosion. Another issue may be that there’s a short in the wiring someplace, which can sometimes be caused by a staple used during installation; vibrations over the years can eventually cause a disconnect. The wires can also get stretched, resulting in a disconnection.

Does your garage door open and shut randomly? If your garage door opens or closes by itself, that’s a safety risk. But don’t fret. Try this:

1. Make sure the transmitters aren’t wedged under an object unintentionally pushing down on the control mechanism. For instance, the transmitters might be underneath items you’ve forgotten about in your automobile, or somewhere else nearby.
2. Test the transmitters’ frequency. Your neighbor might actually have the same exact frequency as yours.
   

Does your garage door opener run, yet still doesn’t move? In case of a power failure, your garage door opener has a disconnect switch that makes it possible for you to open or close your garage door manually. This switch, usually attached to a knob or rope, can get unhooked inadvertently. What to do:

1. Open or shut the garage door all the way by hand.
2. Reattach the hook securely.
3. Using the transmitter, you can try opening or closing the garage door again. It ought to work fine now.

Your transmitter batteries may be low. Perhaps, simplest of all, you just need to replace the batteries, and the garage door will open.

Complex Issues

Does the garage door close only part of the way, but open again? A garage door has a reversing mechanism to keep it from crushing any object in its path. The reversing instruction can be activated by objects on the ground blocking the door’s path ~ such as a garbage can, bicycle, or box. There may also be a build-up of debris on the tracks ~ grime, dirt, a tiny object, and so forth ~ preventing the rollers from moving forward. This problem calls for an expert.

 Your garage door track could be out of alignment. This is definitely serious. The metal track of your garage door must remain aligned properly, or it won’t budge. Check for bends in the rails, or gaps between the rail and the rollers. As years go by, the garage door’s weight can compound these issues, so don’t procrastinate. Your door might soon become dangerous, so hire a professional.

Does your garage door still not go up one bit? Your garage door spring needs attention. Your garage door may have one or two torsion springs, and one or both might be broken. If so, the door will malfunction, or not even open at all. Professional attention is required.

Does your garage door slam shut with a bang? It’s probably a broken tension spring, which counters the door’s weight. Or, the cables connected to the tension spring are possibly broken. Either can be hazardous, and necessitates a garage door professional.

Prevent Future Issues

Establish a routine garage door maintenance schedule to extend the garage door’s life. If your garage doubles as a game room or shop, you’ll certainly want an insulated door, and keep it in tiptop condition. Lubricate your garage door springs, hinges, and rollers ~ at least annually, before winter comes. Without lubrication, ultimately the springs will rust and the coils will bind. Use a reputable brand, and it won’t dry out. A light coating is all you need.

Once per month, examine your garage door system’s components.

1. Tighten down loose bolts.
2. Replace worn parts.
3. If you ever hear odd noises when your garage door opens and closes, immediately investigate.

Every other year, clean your garage door to prolong its life.

1. Wash both sides with a sponge and mild dish soap and water.Rinse well.
2. Wash the garage door opener sensor eyes with a dry, clean cloth.
3. Keep the perimeter around the sensors free of grime and cobwebs.
4. For a steel garage door, apply car waxif you want cold-weather protection.
5. For a wooden garage door, if you notice signs of chipping or peeling, apply a fresh coat of paint.

Schedule an annual inspection with a local garage door repair service company. Pulleys, springs, wires, and cables require professional attention.

DO NOT adjust your garage door yourself! A garage door spring can cause severe injury, and even death. The cables, drums, and bottom brackets sometimes requires adjustment. Hire a trustworthy garage door repair company. For example, if you live in Lilburn, Georgia, consider hiring a legitimate local company such as Lilburn Garage Door Repair.