Today, owning a garage is equated with special amenities that are not available to every car owner. But few people know how much trouble it is to maintain such a garage box. Repairing old or damaged garage doors alone can cost a car owner a lot of time or money. This does not mean that you need to give up using a garage, you just need to use them correctly. If you are looking for a company that provides assistance with garage door repair in Olney MD, then this article about basic garage door failures is for you.
Features And Types Of Garage Doors
The ease of use of garage doors depends on their model. The simpler the design, the fewer problems it will have during operation. Today you can buy garage doors of swing, overhead, sectional, and roller types: they vary in cost and configuration.
The selection of suitable garage doors should be based on criteria such as practicality, tightness, and compactness. This last point is especially important if there is little space inside or in front of the garage.
Additional information about the design of garage doors of all types can be found below:
- Hinged garage doors: An inexpensive double-leaf model that is installed in almost all old garages. This is a convenient and simple design that can be easily assembled with your own hands;
- Lifting garage doors: They are one whole piece. When opened, it rises vertically to the ceiling using a lever mechanism, which saves space;
- Sectional garage doors: The canvas consists of sections of equal size. During lifting, it is assembled like an accordion and rises to the ceiling using a spring mechanism and a special system of profiles;
- Roller garage doors: They have the same design as roller shutters. The model consists of metal plates that rise to the ceiling and fold into a box.
The Main Reasons For The Need To Repair Garage Doors
Garage door repairs can be planned or spontaneous. In the first case, we are talking about changes in the design of the canvas at the initiative of the car owner: strengthening the doors, changing the size of the garage opening, and inserting doors.
In other cases, the reason for troubleshooting garage doors is force majeure: poor-quality welding, soil subsidence, burglary attempts, and metal corrosion.
Broken Or Displaced Loops
Improper fastening of hinges over time leads to their breakage or displacement. It is important to install them on the same line. Otherwise, the gate will open jerkily and creakingly, increasing the load on the hinges.
It is better to place hinges made of the same material on a metal sheet, attaching mounting plates to them. Their use will facilitate welding work and will evenly distribute the load on the hinge joints.
Gate Sagging
The fact that the doors are difficult to open is due to the subsidence of the structure. If it happens due to broken hinges, then it will be possible to raise the gate after welding the parts. If there is slight sagging, you can try removing the doors from the hinges and putting washers on the empty pins. When assembled, the entire structure will rise by 1.5 centimeters.
If the garage door has sagged due to a drop in the ground level, then cutting the lower part of the doors is indispensable. You can cut a strip from the end with a grinder, but this requires a margin at the edges of the canvas. If there is a risk of damage to the frame of the sash, then it is removed and shortened separately. Afterwards, all structural elements are connected by welding.
Skewed Support Posts
Skewed support posts are a problem with iron garage doors, the hinges of which cannot withstand the weight of the metal. In order to avoid deformation of the valves, the frame should be strengthened by installing stiffening ribs around the perimeter.
Jamming
There are several reasons why garage doors may jam: sagging door leaf, and uneven foundation. In the first case, you must act according to the recommendations described above. In the second, start leveling the surface. After cleaning the potholes and bumps, it will be possible to restore the normal sliding of the gate. To level the foundation, it is better to use a material similar in structure to the base.
If you have at least one of the problems described and are looking for a reliable company that provides garage door repair services in Olney MD, we recommend contacting STI Garage Door.
Possible Malfunctions Of Automatic Gates and Ways to Eliminate Them
Any automation, sooner or later, begins to fail, and there are many reasons for this: service life, intensity of use, and external influences. Minor malfunctions in the operation of automatic garage doors, if not immediately noticed, turn into difficult problems to solve. The situation can also be aggravated by the intervention of unskilled craftsmen who do not understand the principles of operation of such a model.
Inconsistent Gate Closing
To ensure that automatically controlled gates do not jam during closing, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the ceiling and shaft drives. If there are already problems, then you should disassemble and clean the above mechanisms with a special compound. You can also try adjusting their settings.
Problems With Remote Control
Many people blame only the remote control for automatic gate control errors. But often, the cause of an incorrect response is poor communication with the control unit or malfunctions in the ceiling and shaft drives.
You can solve problems with remote gate control as follows:
- Install an external antenna if the connection with the signal receiver is poor.
- Set a new control distance.
- Adjust settings in drive mechanisms.
Final Thoughts
The choice of garage doors depends on your individual needs and budget, but the overall benefit is that they provide reliable protection from intruders and weather conditions. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to garage door breakdowns in a timely manner. We recommend contacting STI Garage Door if you need garage door repair services in Olney, MD.
