My Garage Door Will Not Open, WHY?
Hello everyone, it is time for another insightful Garage Door Tip. My Garage Door Will Not Open. As stated previously, this cold weather is hard on Garage Doors. I hope it adds to the knowledge of your Garage Door.
There are many possible reasons why all of a sudden your Garage Door isn’t opening at the moment, however there are two that standout above the rest in the colder months. One deals directly with the Garage Door, while the other with the Electric Garage Door Opener.
Broken Spring
The first and most common is a Broken Garage Door Spring, which has a tendency to break when we least expect it to. You can look above the Garage Door and notice if one of the Torsion Garage Door Springs may have broken, there will be an open space between the set and stationary cones (see the picture).With the understanding that Garage Door Springs have a functional life, which we refer to as “life cycle” and that every up and down constitutes a cycle. Also keep in mind that altering the Garage Door weight (glass, painting or insulation panels) deters the “life cycles”. When installed most companies use Garage Door Springs that have a 10,000-15,000 “life cycle” span. This is based on height and weight of the Garage Door. The Garage Door Spring is then determined by wire size as well as the diameter of the spring.
In most households using the Garage Door as the primary entrance into the home. The Garage Door may be opened and closed hundreds of times in one month. When being replaced ask for a larger wire size or for a higher “life cycle” spring. Most reputable Garage Door companies will accommodate with no added cost.
The second is the Electric Garage Door Opener, it will not lift the Garage Door. You need to be sure that it isn’t a Broken Garage Door Spring. The Electric Garage Door Opener has safety limits that are adjusted by the technician, The limits are meant to not over exert and possibly rip your Garage Door apart.
Bad Gear Assembly
If it sounds as if the motor is turning and the chain or belt isn’t moving, it is more than likely the Nylon Drive Gear. The Drive Gear is made of high density nylon and is intended to go out before the motor burns out. A simple check on the Drive Gear is to unplug the unit and look inside the cover. If you notice white flakes or shaving, the Drive Gear has went out (see picture). A bad Drive Gear is a common repair and quick to replace, well worth replacing. The most common cause for a Drive Gear to go out is an improperly balanced Garage Door or worn Garage Door Springs. If the drive gear has worn out you can still open the garage door. To open, use the “red” pull cord to disengage the garage door operator from the garage door.
If you have any Question or Concerns, Please give The Wright Door Co a call at 314-484-3667, 636-293-3007 or 618-698-8058 to deliver the Quality You Expect, Service You Deserve.
