Garage Door Opener Maintenance

Our garages play an important, if underappreciated, role in our daily lives. They protect our vehicles, help insulate our homes, enable us to avoid inclement weather when entering and exiting our homes and even provide that badly needed additional storage space. But if your garage door fails to operate properly, it can cause a major headache for you and your family and even become a security hazard.

The cornerstone of any automatic garage door system is the garage door opener, which provides the power to operate your door on-demand. If you fail to maintain your garage door opener, the time will likely come when you pull into your driveway, press the button inside your car and discover your door won’t open!

Common Garage Door Opener Issues

There are several possible reasons why your garage door opener isn’t working as it should:

• Dead remote control batteries: The batteries in your garage door opener’s remote control unit will eventually run out of juice, even if you don’t operate your door very often.

• Blocked photo-eye safety mechanism: All automatic garage doors must have a photo-eye mechanism as a safety precaution. A blocked view will prevent the door from functioning properly.

• Damaged springs: Damaged or excess wear to the springs that lift and lower your garage door will cause the opener’s motor to work harder and eventually burn out.

• Misaligned track: If the guiding tracks located on either side of your door fall out of alignment, it will increase the strain on the opener’s motor and cause it to burn out.

• Improper transmitter settings: The transmitter settings in your opener’s remote control unit must remain at the manufacturer’s specifications.

How to Maintain a Garage Door Opener

Most automatic garage door openers will last approximately 10 to 12 years. But a garage door opener needs preventative maintenance to remain in peak operating condition and maximize its lifespan. Regular maintenance will also help you avoid costly repairs. Here are a few tips for garage door opener preventative maintenance you can implement at your home:

• Replace the batteries on a regular basis: Inspect the garage door controller and replace the batteries at least once a year. Also, inspect and replace the batteries in your garage door system’s wall control keypad, if applicable.

• Check the cord connection: Check the connection for the cord that runs from the opener to the electrical outlet inside your garage.

• Visually inspect garage door components: Check all garage door system components, such as tracks, fasteners and cables, and adjust or replace them if needed.

• Check photo-eye alignment: Visually inspect the two photo-eyes to ensure proper alignment. You may also need to clean or replace one or both.

• Lubricate all moving parts: Apply a lithium spray lubricant to rollers, chains and all other moving parts.

• Test the manual release feature: Manual release handles enable you to open and close the door when the electrical power supply is unavailable or when the opener is not functioning. It’s good to know how to operate the handles so you’re prepared for an emergency.

The Importance of Professional Garage Door Opener Preventative Maintenance Service

While these do-it-yourself tips for garage door preventative maintenance will help ensure proper opener operation, a regular professional garage door opener inspection is also essential. An experienced garage door service provider knows how to detect and troubleshoot minor problems before they become costly repair issues. A capable garage door technician can also tell you when the time has finally come for a garage door opener replacement.

If you have a newer garage door system, you should have it inspected about once every two years. Just like your vehicle, your garage door needs more attention as it ages. Older garage door systems typically require annual service to keep them in top operating condition.

King Door Can Meet Your Garage Door Opener Preventative Maintenance Needs in Bakersfield, CA

King Door has been providing prompt and reliable garage door service to homeowners in Bakersfield and all of Kern and Tulare Counties since 1985. Our experienced team is familiar with all types of garage door openers, including chain-drive, belt-drive and screw-drive systems.

Our annual service plan for Bakersfield-area residents is the best way to extend the lifespan of your garage door and prevent the need for expensive repairs. Our affordable service agreement includes comprehensive garage door opener preventative maintenance service. We’ll inspect and replace the garage door controller and keypad batteries, check the photo-eye alignment, inspect the garage door belt, springs and much more.

Contact King Door to learn more about our annual garage door preventative maintenance service and to schedule a service appointment today.