Service Tips
Tip #1 – Check the balance of your door.
To lift a sectional overhead garage door, all you need is two fingers. If you need more, there’s a problem. A properly installed and maintained residential garage door will have a balance weight of 7 to 12 pounds (3 to 5 kilograms). Any extra weight will not only affect the operation of the door but could alter the safety reverse sensitivity of an electric opener and shorten its life expectancy.
Tip #2 – Check your residential sectional overhead garage door for balance.
- If you have an electric opener, disconnect the garage door opener by pulling the red handled release rope.
- Lift the garage door to a half open position.
- Slowly release the door making sure your feet are clear if the door closes. A properly balanced door will stay in the half open position.
If the door closes by itself, the springs require more tension. If the door opens by itself, the door springs have too much tension. Don’t forget to reconnect your electric garage door opener after the test.
Note: Adjusting spring tension is very dangerous. Do not attempt unless you are an experienced door technician and have the proper tools.
If you discover your door is unbalanced, contact us to set up a service call.
Tip #3 – Check your residential electric garage door opener safety reverse.
- From the inside of your garage, with the garage door closed, place a mark on the floor directly below the point that your garage door opener is connected to your garage door. This is usually in the center of the door.
- Push the wall button and open your garage door.
- Place a piece of 2″ X 4″ flat (1 ½ inches high) on the floor where you made your mark so the door will close onto it.
- Go to your wall push button and close the door.
When the door closes onto the 2X4, it should immediately reverse on contact to a full open position. If this does not happen, your electric opener requires service by a trained professional or it may require replacement. It is recommended that this test be performed once a month.
Tip #4 – Lubricate sectional garage doors to extend their life.
- The most common sign that an overhead garage door needs lubrication is a squeaking or grinding noise, or that the door does not open or close smoothly. To extend the life of your sectional overhead door, it is recommended that all metal moving parts be lubricated a minimum of once a year.
- Do not use grease as dust and dirt will get imbedded in the grease and create more wear. Use a lubricant that is specially formulated for garage doors, like a silicone lubricant or S.A.E. 30 oil.
- Place a couple of drops of oil on each hinge pivot point, spring shaft bearings, and a bead of oil along the top of each spring. If you are not comfortable doing this yourself, please call Action Door Services. We’ll send our professional technicians to lubricate all the correct parts, adjust your spring tension for proper balance and identify any potential problem areas like frayed cables or worn bearings, possibly saving you an emergency service call in the future.