Thanks for stopping by my website. My name is Annabelle Collins. My husband and I live in a large house with our two teenage children. We’re fortunate in that we’re able to have a cleaning service come and clean on a weekly basis. In the past, I found that it was difficult for me to exert myself when it came to hiring and communicating with our cleaning service. I’ve never been very authoritative, and that shone through in a not good way. I wanted things to be done in a certain way, but found it difficult to ask for what I wanted. I have come to realize that in order for the service to do the job I want to be done, I have to ask for it to happen. I doubt that I’m alone in the fact that this is difficult, and want to share my experience and growth.
If your garage door hangs unevenly, refuses to open or close normally, or makes unfamiliar noises during operation, then you've obviously got a problem on your hands. But before leaping to conclusions about the nature of the problem (or leaping to the rescue yourself), it helps to know what you're up against, and what potential dangers the problem may pose, and how to avoid similar problems going forward. Here are four useful tips to keep in mind as you ponder your garage door problem.
1. The Problem May Not Actually Be With The Door
Just because your garage door is acting funny doesn't necessarily mean that the door mechanism is at fault -- especially if you have an automatic garage door opener. These electronic devices can develop malfunctions of their own, and when they can't relay the proper signals to the rest of the system, there's no way your door can do its job properly. A simple change of the remote's batteries might do the trick; otherwise, ask a repair tech to check the device's logic board, connections, and voltage.
2. Little Components Can Pose Serious Dangers
Every little part of a garage door has to function smoothly before you can expect normal operation. Unfortunately, mechanical parts wear out over time, setting the scene for a serious injury. For example, a broken garage door spring may not harm anyone if the garage door is all the way down when the breakage occurs. But if the door is suspended when the spring breaks, the door could come flying down and hurt or kill anyone in its way. A broken garage door cable is another "little" problem that can cause a sudden, catastrophic door failure during operation.
Of course it's always better to detect a mechanical problem in the making before the component actually fails. That's why you should visually inspect your garage door springs and cables about once a month. Look for fraying along the cable, loose mounting hardware, worn hinges, and other trouble signs that merit a call to your service tech.
3. Repairs Are Best Left To The Experts
No matter how much of a do-it-yourselfer or natural mechanic you may be, or how fixable the problem may appear, you really shouldn't attempt to perform garage door repairs yourself -- it's just too dangerous. If a garage door is malfunctioning, the last place you want to be is next to it or underneath it. Always engage a garage door repair service to do this kind of work. In fact, considering that garage door springs tend to wear out after five years under the best of conditions, you should arrange to have these items replaced periodically whether you're experiencing a problem or not. Why wait until tragedy strikes?
4. Sometimes Replacement Makes More Sense
While repairing or replacing or single component can often resolve a garage door issue, some situations call for replacing the entire door. Panel damage is a good example. If a vehicle accident or other impact has dented the door, the panel damage may harbor rust, weakening the door and allowing hot or cold air to enter your garage. If the impact actually deformed the entire door, then continuing to use the door as-is may strain individual components, resulting in recurring broken garage door cable, rail, or spring problems.
If you have no sensible choice but to replace an ancient garage door, why not take the opportunity to upgrade to a more energy-efficient model? Modern garage doors feature designs in which insulating material is sandwiched between two layers of steel to provide excellent protection against extreme temperatures. The money you save on your utility bills can help counterbalance the expense of a new door.
Don't let that broken garage door spring, iffy cable, bent track, or damaged body panel put your loved ones in potential danger while rendering your garage door inoperable. Talk to a professional service technician today so you can start enjoying that safer, smoother-working garage door as soon as possible!
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