FAQs
Answering all the FAQs about garage doors
Garage doors when installed properly shouldn’t give you much trouble. If you are worried about why it doesn’t function like it should, maybe these FAQs will help you. We strongly urge you to let our professionals come in and work on your garage doors. Without the right tools and knowledge you could end up causing more damage.
Disclaimer - The following is intended only for your information. Garage Master, Inc.
accepts no liability for the content of this article, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. Garage Master, Inc. recommends that experienced professional service be retained to perform all necessary maintenance on your garage door.
FAQS (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS)
How to install safety cables on your garage door spring?
Safety cables help to prevent a garage door spring from flying around the garage if and when it breaks! One end of the cable is attached to the garage door track or wall near the stationary pulleys with the cable laced through the garage door springs, and the other end is connected to the same support that the spring is connected.
It is easy to install safety cables (less than an hour for a pair) and they come in a kit form with all necessary parts. Be sure to look at your garage door track setup before you shop. You may have to buy some components separately if a general purpose kit doesn't have everything you need.
It is easy to install safety cables (less than an hour for a pair) and they come in a kit form with all necessary parts. Be sure to look at your garage door track setup before you shop. You may have to buy some components separately if a general purpose kit doesn't have everything you need.
Why do you need safety cables?
If a garage door spring breaks and there is nothing holding it back, it can fly across the garage with such force that it can penetrate a double layer of 5/8" wallboard! Just imagine what it can do to somebody who is unlucky enough to get in its way.
Be very careful when you are working on top of your ladder. When lacing the cables through the garage door spring, make sure that there is a slight slack so that the cable is not pulling on anything that can hinder the operation of the spring. Be sure to check the free movement and proper function of all door parts on one side before installing the other side.
Be very careful when you are working on top of your ladder. When lacing the cables through the garage door spring, make sure that there is a slight slack so that the cable is not pulling on anything that can hinder the operation of the spring. Be sure to check the free movement and proper function of all door parts on one side before installing the other side.
How to install a weather strip to the bottom of a garage door?
Tools needed: Garage door bottom weather-stripping kit (including nails), maybe a half-pound of 1" or longer galvanized roofing nails, heavy duty staple gun with minimum " staples, hammer, sand paper or sander, wood preservative.
- Remove old weather strip completely, including old nails.
- Sand bottom of door and coat with a clear wood preservative to prevent moisture accumulation between the weather strip and the bottom of the door.
- Position the door at a comfortable working level, about chest height. (Use your garage door opener to do this.)
- Unroll the weather strip and trim off excess length.
- Important! - Position the weather strip so that the overhang extends to the inside otherwise the overhang extending to the outside will hit the garage door frame. Only install the weather strip with the overhang outside if the outside level is significantly lower than the area under the door.
- Sometimes the bottom roller bracket where the garage door cable attaches may get in the way of your fastening options on the first 3" or on the either side of the garage door bottom to hold the weather strip in place. So you will not do any fastening through the bracket until you get the rest of the weather strip secured.
- Line up the weather strip so it lines up with or is slightly past the end of the door, and with the outside edge where you want it. Staple through the weather strip into the bottom of the door near to the bottom roller bracket. Staple every 3" or so across the bottom of the garage door.
- Trim the weather strip so it will just meet the end of the door.
- Raise the door to a comfortable hammering position, and put in the nails that came with the kit. Place them between the staples. Attach the weather strip to the two bottom roller brackets by drilling, if necessary, a hole at the two ends of the door. Use minimum 1" long galvanized roofing nails instead of the short one that come with the kit.
How to replace or adjust torsion springs?
Safety First:
Safety Glasses, Face Shield, Gloves and Hard Hat ... Please!!!
There are two different types of sectional garage door springs: side-mounted and torsion.
Torsion springs: These are mounted to a fixed metal shaft that runs parallel to the top of the garage door and attach at the other end to a stationary plate located above the center of the door frame; the spring runs along the shaft. They work by twisting as the door closes. The tension in the coiled spring is what makes it easier to open the door from a closed position.
Side-mounted springs: These springs are long and heavy and mount to each side of the upper garage door track. They are like torsion springs, but instead use pulleys to create tension when the door closes.
It is important to always replace garage door springs as a set. Since the strength of the spring weakens with use and time, if one spring breaks then the other one will probably follow soon after. Also, mixing a new spring with an old one can upset the door's balance in a way that is difficult to correct.
Replacement and Adjustment
Side-mounted Springs:
The tension on the springs must be released before making adjustments or replacements. To do so, open the garage door fully until it hits the stop bolt on the track. Use a C-clamp on a point below the lowest door roller to keep the door in this position. If you have an electric garage door opener, first release the emergency release rope to disconnect the opener from the door and then push the door up as far as possible and make sure that all of the tension has been released.
Then disconnect and remove any safety cables from the springs.
Remove the springs by disconnecting the spring from both the garage door track and from the pulley the garage door cable is threaded through.
Look over all of the pulleys thoroughly while they are detached. If the pulley bearings wobble a lot, replace the pulley as well; they cannot be repaired. The door will then work more smoothly and may save you from having to replace it later should it break.
Reattach the new springs in the same way the old ones were connected, being careful not to twist the cable when attaching it to the pulley.
Be sure to test the door before reattaching the safety cables in case it doesn't work properly. If the door doesn't close all the way, loosen the garage door cable an inch or two from where it attaches to the garage door track. This can be done by either moving the S-hook to a different hole in the track or by simply loosening the cable if it is just looped through the holes. In any case, be sure to adjust the cables on
both sides evenly.
You can tell when the door is down all the way if the springs are equal. If there isn't enough tension, tightening the springs will make it easier to manually open the door.
Re-attach the safety cable when you are done with the adjustment.
Torsion Springs:
Note: Some torsion springs can be adjusted with an electric drill and a special adapter. Consult the manufacturer's website to find the correct method of adjustment.
Adjusting torsion springs can be dangerous since the door must be down and under tension when adjusting. Eye protection and
gloves are recommended.
Make sure you have everything you need or an alternate route out of the garage before beginning repairs since the door must remain closed during adjustment.
Secure the door with a C-clamp on the garage door track under the bottom-most roller. This can prevent the door from opening if you over-tighten the spring.
The moveable end of the spring is attached to an adjustment collar. A set-screw in the collar locks the spring in position on the center shaft and there are also holes around the edge of the collar. You need to insert a metal rod into one of the holes to hold the collar in position as the set-screw is loosened. Unless you have an adjustment rod, measure the hole's diameter and buy a section of steel rod between 18 and 24 inches from the hardware store. Solid steel is the best, but a threaded rod will also work.
Check the original position of the set-screw in the collar before making adjustments to see if there are flats that the screw should set into. Flats are special flattened areas in the shaft that help the screw hold more securely.
Make sure the adjusting rod is securely through the hole in the collar and you are holding the rod in position while loosening the set-screw.
Then use the rod to turn the collar to tighten or loosen the spring's tension.
While holding the collar in position, tighten and lock the set-screw into its new position. Both springs must be adjusted equally to ensure the door's balance.
Decide if you want to either increase the opening force of the door or decrease it.
There are two different types of sectional garage door springs: side-mounted and torsion.
Torsion springs: These are mounted to a fixed metal shaft that runs parallel to the top of the garage door and attach at the other end to a stationary plate located above the center of the door frame; the spring runs along the shaft. They work by twisting as the door closes. The tension in the coiled spring is what makes it easier to open the door from a closed position.
Side-mounted springs: These springs are long and heavy and mount to each side of the upper garage door track. They are like torsion springs, but instead use pulleys to create tension when the door closes.
It is important to always replace garage door springs as a set. Since the strength of the spring weakens with use and time, if one spring breaks then the other one will probably follow soon after. Also, mixing a new spring with an old one can upset the door's balance in a way that is difficult to correct.
Replacement and Adjustment
Side-mounted Springs:
The tension on the springs must be released before making adjustments or replacements. To do so, open the garage door fully until it hits the stop bolt on the track. Use a C-clamp on a point below the lowest door roller to keep the door in this position. If you have an electric garage door opener, first release the emergency release rope to disconnect the opener from the door and then push the door up as far as possible and make sure that all of the tension has been released.
Then disconnect and remove any safety cables from the springs.
Remove the springs by disconnecting the spring from both the garage door track and from the pulley the garage door cable is threaded through.
Look over all of the pulleys thoroughly while they are detached. If the pulley bearings wobble a lot, replace the pulley as well; they cannot be repaired. The door will then work more smoothly and may save you from having to replace it later should it break.
Reattach the new springs in the same way the old ones were connected, being careful not to twist the cable when attaching it to the pulley.
Be sure to test the door before reattaching the safety cables in case it doesn't work properly. If the door doesn't close all the way, loosen the garage door cable an inch or two from where it attaches to the garage door track. This can be done by either moving the S-hook to a different hole in the track or by simply loosening the cable if it is just looped through the holes. In any case, be sure to adjust the cables on
both sides evenly.
You can tell when the door is down all the way if the springs are equal. If there isn't enough tension, tightening the springs will make it easier to manually open the door.
Re-attach the safety cable when you are done with the adjustment.
Torsion Springs:
Note: Some torsion springs can be adjusted with an electric drill and a special adapter. Consult the manufacturer's website to find the correct method of adjustment.
Adjusting torsion springs can be dangerous since the door must be down and under tension when adjusting. Eye protection and
gloves are recommended.
Make sure you have everything you need or an alternate route out of the garage before beginning repairs since the door must remain closed during adjustment.
Secure the door with a C-clamp on the garage door track under the bottom-most roller. This can prevent the door from opening if you over-tighten the spring.
The moveable end of the spring is attached to an adjustment collar. A set-screw in the collar locks the spring in position on the center shaft and there are also holes around the edge of the collar. You need to insert a metal rod into one of the holes to hold the collar in position as the set-screw is loosened. Unless you have an adjustment rod, measure the hole's diameter and buy a section of steel rod between 18 and 24 inches from the hardware store. Solid steel is the best, but a threaded rod will also work.
Check the original position of the set-screw in the collar before making adjustments to see if there are flats that the screw should set into. Flats are special flattened areas in the shaft that help the screw hold more securely.
Make sure the adjusting rod is securely through the hole in the collar and you are holding the rod in position while loosening the set-screw.
Then use the rod to turn the collar to tighten or loosen the spring's tension.
While holding the collar in position, tighten and lock the set-screw into its new position. Both springs must be adjusted equally to ensure the door's balance.
Decide if you want to either increase the opening force of the door or decrease it.
- Turn the collar in the direction that the garage door cable passed over the pulley to increase the opening force.
- Turn the collar the opposite direction the cable passes over the pulley to decrease opening force.
- It's better to adjust a quarter-turn at a time to fine-tune a difficult door.
How to Replace Rollers?
Before starting, close the garage door unless you're working on the lower rollers. To replace a broken roller, you must unbolt the affected hinge, and push it away from the door to remove the roller from the track. You may need a hammer to tap the hinge's bolts out before you can get the hinge out from the door. Be sure to put the nut loosely back on the bolt before you do this, though, so you don't accidentally damage the threads on the bolt.
To replace the rollers, reverse what you did while removing the roller to put the new roller on the track. To re-attach the hinge, put the roller back on the track, position the hinge, and tap the bolts back through from the outside. The bolts are called carriage bolts, and there is no gripping surface to hold onto when tightening the nut. As such, if you don't tap the bolt into place before tightening, it might not fit into the square hole it's supposed to sit in and turn instead of tighten, which might strip the wood. So in order to properly tighten the bolt, after tapping it in, hold the threaded end of the bolt with pliers and tighten the nut with a wrench. Even with these measures, old doors sometimes rot around the bolts allowing them turn.
If the repairs must be made while the door is open, first be sure the tension is out of the garage door cable before working on the bottom rollers. Then, brace the door in its raised position with a ladder or something similar to keep it from sagging or breaking when the
hinge is unbolted.
If you are working with a bottom hinge, disconnect the cable from the bracket or just release the tension from it. Since the weight of the spring exerts a lot of force on its own, disconnecting the cable may be difficult. Should you wish to do so on a difficult cable anyway, first clamp the cable to the track with some slack on the side of the roller bracket. You can then proceed with the replacement as described above.
Be sure to test the door once the repair is made before re-attaching the garage door opener, if you have one, and again afterwards to make sure it runs smoothly.
To replace the rollers, reverse what you did while removing the roller to put the new roller on the track. To re-attach the hinge, put the roller back on the track, position the hinge, and tap the bolts back through from the outside. The bolts are called carriage bolts, and there is no gripping surface to hold onto when tightening the nut. As such, if you don't tap the bolt into place before tightening, it might not fit into the square hole it's supposed to sit in and turn instead of tighten, which might strip the wood. So in order to properly tighten the bolt, after tapping it in, hold the threaded end of the bolt with pliers and tighten the nut with a wrench. Even with these measures, old doors sometimes rot around the bolts allowing them turn.
If the repairs must be made while the door is open, first be sure the tension is out of the garage door cable before working on the bottom rollers. Then, brace the door in its raised position with a ladder or something similar to keep it from sagging or breaking when the
hinge is unbolted.
If you are working with a bottom hinge, disconnect the cable from the bracket or just release the tension from it. Since the weight of the spring exerts a lot of force on its own, disconnecting the cable may be difficult. Should you wish to do so on a difficult cable anyway, first clamp the cable to the track with some slack on the side of the roller bracket. You can then proceed with the replacement as described above.
Be sure to test the door once the repair is made before re-attaching the garage door opener, if you have one, and again afterwards to make sure it runs smoothly.
How to Trouble Shoot a Garage Door Opener?
How to Trouble Shoot a Garage Door Opener?
You first check the door's operation to see if the opener is the problem.
Start by unlocking the opener mechanism so the door is now set for manual opening.
Check if the door can be opened smoothly by hand. If it runs smoothly and with little effort on your part, then the door is properly aligned and balanced.
If not, you might have to straighten misaligned tracks.
If the tracks or wheels are misaligned, then there will be resistance and possibly jerky movement, which makes it difficult for your door to open and close.
To realign the tracks, you first loosen the screws that hold the track brackets to the opening or, depending on your set-up, the bolts that secure the tracks to the brackets.
Next, you adjust the bracket or track so it's aligned properly, and then tighten the screws or bolts back into place and reengage the opener mechanism.
Check the spring tension on both sides of the door if it doesn't run smoothly since it may be a balance problem.
Check if the tracks are greasy. They shouldn't be since the grease only collects dirt. If they are, clean them with a rag or soft brush and perhaps use a spray-on automotive degreaser. Also clean and lightly re-lubricate the roller-wheel bearings and axles or hinge pins.
If the door opens and closes fine with the opener disengaged, then
To troubleshoot a photocell system
Garage Door Opener
There are several reasons for the system to not work at all.
One is that there's no power. Test if the power is working by plugging in a lamp or tool to the opener's socket. If it doesn't run either, check the house circuit breaker or fuse to see if they've been disengaged.
If power doesn't appear to be the problem, unplug the opener and check if the wiring has come loose.
Damage could also be due to lightning. If lightning has fried your opener, you have to replace it. You can prevent this from happening again by using a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) to ground the door's tracks to a lightning rod.
Other reasons your system isn't working may be from the programming. The opener may have been set to "Vacation" and you'll just need to unlock the setting.
It could also be that excessive, rapid opening and closing has tripped the motor protection circuit. Reset the system either by hand according to your manual or wait 15 minutes for auto reset to kick in.
If the remote opener works but the wall switch doesn't, you might have faulty wiring to the switch. To see if this is the case, turn off the power to the area at the circuit breaker and then check the connections. You'll have to open up the switch and check to see if the wires are bad or if the switch is bad.
If it's the remote that isn't working but the wall switch does then
You first check the door's operation to see if the opener is the problem.
Start by unlocking the opener mechanism so the door is now set for manual opening.
Check if the door can be opened smoothly by hand. If it runs smoothly and with little effort on your part, then the door is properly aligned and balanced.
If not, you might have to straighten misaligned tracks.
If the tracks or wheels are misaligned, then there will be resistance and possibly jerky movement, which makes it difficult for your door to open and close.
To realign the tracks, you first loosen the screws that hold the track brackets to the opening or, depending on your set-up, the bolts that secure the tracks to the brackets.
Next, you adjust the bracket or track so it's aligned properly, and then tighten the screws or bolts back into place and reengage the opener mechanism.
Check the spring tension on both sides of the door if it doesn't run smoothly since it may be a balance problem.
Check if the tracks are greasy. They shouldn't be since the grease only collects dirt. If they are, clean them with a rag or soft brush and perhaps use a spray-on automotive degreaser. Also clean and lightly re-lubricate the roller-wheel bearings and axles or hinge pins.
If the door opens and closes fine with the opener disengaged, then
- Check the power to the opener.
- Use the manual open and close switch to see if the problem is from the remote control.
- Check the safety reverse to see if there is an obstacle that causes the safety mechanism to prevent the opener from closing. (See the section on "Garage Door Opener" and "To Troubleshoot a Photocell System" below.)
- If the opener can open and close the door, you should then test the safety reverse.
- Open the door and put something like a 2x4 on the floor directly under the middle of the open door, and then activate the door to close it.
- It is supposed to reverse when it hits the board. If it doesn't, immediately consult your owner's manual on how to adjust it or consult a qualified installer.
To troubleshoot a photocell system
- If the photocell system does not work properly, first try resetting the system. You might have a reset button, but if not, you'll need to shut off and then restart the power to the opener. You can do this either by unplugging the opener from its electrical socket or by turning it off at the house's circuit breaker panel.
- If that doesn't fix the problem, you'll need to check the wiring between the opener and the photocell transmitter module for loose connections or damage. You might have to take off the module and rewire them to the opener with some new, short wire leads to test if the old wires were the problem. If the short wires work, it means you need to replace the old wires with new ones of proper length and then reattach the module.
- If the new wiring doesn't solve the problem, then either the modules or the sequencer board in the opener are defective and need to be replaced.
- If you decide that you need to replace the receiving sensor for your system as well, remember to put it on the side least likely to have direct sun.
Garage Door Opener
There are several reasons for the system to not work at all.
One is that there's no power. Test if the power is working by plugging in a lamp or tool to the opener's socket. If it doesn't run either, check the house circuit breaker or fuse to see if they've been disengaged.
If power doesn't appear to be the problem, unplug the opener and check if the wiring has come loose.
Damage could also be due to lightning. If lightning has fried your opener, you have to replace it. You can prevent this from happening again by using a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) to ground the door's tracks to a lightning rod.
Other reasons your system isn't working may be from the programming. The opener may have been set to "Vacation" and you'll just need to unlock the setting.
It could also be that excessive, rapid opening and closing has tripped the motor protection circuit. Reset the system either by hand according to your manual or wait 15 minutes for auto reset to kick in.
If the remote opener works but the wall switch doesn't, you might have faulty wiring to the switch. To see if this is the case, turn off the power to the area at the circuit breaker and then check the connections. You'll have to open up the switch and check to see if the wires are bad or if the switch is bad.
If it's the remote that isn't working but the wall switch does then
- Check the batteries of the remote control
- Check the remote for correct security switch setting
- The remote might be damaged and need replacement
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Call us at: (415) 759-8094
Call us at: (415) 759-8094
CONTACT INFORMATION
(415) 759-8094
(415) 439-3800
info@garagemasterinc.com
1020 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 439-3800
info@garagemasterinc.com
1020 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122
Hours of Operation:
| Mon-Fri | 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Sat | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
| Sun | Closed |
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CONTACT INFORMATION
(415) 759-8094
(415) 439-3800
info@garagemasterinc.com
1020 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 439-3800
info@garagemasterinc.com
1020 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122
Hours of Operation:
| Mon-Fri | 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Sat | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
| Sun | Closed |
OUR LOCATION
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