How To Maintain Your Garage Door Opener for Longevity

How to Maintain Your Garage Door Opener for Longevity

If you live in Anaheim, CA, or the surrounding areas and have a garage, keeping your garage door, opener, and other components well-maintained is important. Many homeowners overlook garage door opener maintenance. The experienced team at Mesa Garage Doors specializes in new garage door installations, garage door opener repairs, and much more. We have helpful information regarding the importance of garage door opener maintenance, common issues, how to fix them, and more.

garage door opener

Why Garage Door Opener Maintenance Is Important

Garage door opener maintenance is important for many reasons, including safety and prolonging your garage door opener’s service life.

  • Safety: If your garage door opener’s sensor or auto-reverse mechanism stops working, it can pose a serious safety risk.
  • Saves money: Regular maintenance like routine checks and lubricating moving parts makes it easier to find minor issues early, helping you prevent paying for more costly repairs later.
  • Longer lifespan: Proper maintenance and frequent inspections help to extend the lifespan of your garage door opener.
  • Better performance: Garage door opener maintenance helps keep the door opening and closing smoothly while minimizing wear and tear on major components.

How Often Should You Service a Garage Door Opener?

The average lifespan of a garage door opener is approximately 10 to 15 years. We recommend receiving annual service for your garage door and door opener to verify that everything works as it should. A professional garage door/door opener maintenance service includes a thorough inspection, cleaning, lubrication of important components, testing, and balancing of your garage door.

Step-by-Step Guide To Maintaining Your Garage Door Opener

Follow these steps to learn how to maintain a garage door opener yourself:

  • Step one: Inspect your garage door opener to look for any loose parts and tighten them up if you can.
  • Step two: Lubricate chains, rollers, hinges, and other moving parts using the appropriate lubricant type listed in your owner’s manual.
  • Step three: Check the balance by disconnecting or deactivating the opener and lifting it, looking for loose tension springs that may need adjustment.
  • Step four: Inspect the garage door opener’s safety sensors to confirm that they’re free of obstructions and properly aligned.
  • Step five: Regularly change the batteries in your garage door opener remote controls to keep them fresh and ensure they work properly.
  • Step six: Contact Mesa Garage Doors for a professional inspection and tune-up if you still need assistance or if it’s time for your annual maintenance.

white garage door opener

Common Garage Door Opener Issues and How To Fix Them

Here are some garage door opener troubleshooting tips, including some common issues you may face and how to fix them:

Remote Control Isn’t Working

If the remote control isn’t sending a signal to the garage door opener, check the batteries and replace them with fresh ones. If that still doesn’t work, confirm that no other devices are blocking the signal. Next, verify that the receiving antenna is not damaged and is in good condition.

Door Won’t Open or Close

If nothing is obstructing your garage door, and the safety sensors are clean and properly aligned, yet it still won’t open or close, check for broken springs. Ensure the manual override isn’t engaged, and make sure the opener is plugged in and powered on. Inspect the drive gear and replace it if it’s worn out.

Garage Door is Uneven

If your garage door jerks or moves unevenly when you open or close it, replace worn-out or damaged rollers and hinges. Lubricate moving parts using a special garage door-specific lubricant. Confirm that the tracks are straight and properly aligned if it’s still moving off-kilter.

Best Practices for Keeping Your Garage Door Opener in Top Shape

Follow these best practices for garage door opener care to keep it in top shape.

  • Perform regular inspections in between your regularly scheduled annual maintenance calls.
  • Lubricate moving parts often and replace remote control batteries every few months or as needed.
  • Keep large objects out of the way of the garage door opener sensor.
  • Tighten loose hardware, including bolts, screws, and hinges.
  • Keep your garage door, rollers, garage door opener, and all visible components clean and debris-free.
  • Learn how to recognize the signs of a serious problem, such as broken or stretched hinges, an uneven door, or loud noises whenever the garage door is in operation.
  • If your garage door opener doesn’t work correctly, contact the professionals at Mesa Garage Doors for assistance.

When To Call a Professional for Garage Door Opener Maintenance

While there are some garage door opener maintenance tasks you can do yourself, others require the help of an experienced professional. Here’s when you should call our team to help with garage door maintenance or repairs:

  • Door opener won’t work: If you’ve changed the remote batteries, removed obstructions, and checked the sensors, but your garage door opener still won’t work, contact a professional.
  • The door opens and shuts by itself: A garage door that opens and closes on its own may have a serious issue with the safety sensors or the control system, both of which a garage door professional should assess.
  • Loud noises: Sudden loud grinding, screeching, or clunking noises coming from your garage door are all signs that it needs attention from an experienced garage door repair company.
  • Garage door is stuck: If your garage door simply won’t close or open, or if it’s moving strangely, it may be due to a problem with the springs, which a pro should always handle.
  • Vibrations: A garage door that visibly vibrates when opened or closed is likely due to a damaged component that requires repair or replacement from a professional.
  • The garage door opener is old: If your garage door opener is near the end of its 10 to 15-year lifespan, it may be a good time to contact Mesa Garage Doors for a replacement.

Carriage Classic Garage Doors

Contact Mesa Garage Doors Today

Routine maintenance is the best way to extend the lifespan of your garage door opener. If you need help addressing garage door opener issues at your Anaheim, CA, area home, Mesa Garage Doors is available to help. Contact us today for more information or to schedule a garage door opener maintenance service!

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How to Recognize When Your Garage Door Springs Need Replacement

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How to Recognize When Your Garage Door Springs Need Replacement

Anaheim, CA, is home to Disneyland Resort, but the “City of Kindness” is also where many homeowners live, play, and work. If you’re a resident of Anaheim or another part of Southern California, it’s important to understand how to recognize when you may need garage door spring replacement. The experienced team at Mesa Garage Doors has some helpful tips about garage door springs and signs they may need replacement.

Why Garage Door Springs Are Essential to Your Door’s Functionality

Garage door springs work to counteract the weight of a heavy garage door. This makes it easier for the door to lift and lower, whether you do so manually or whether you use a garage door opener. If the springs are missing or broken, it’s much more difficult to lift the door. These springs provide smooth, seamless operation of your garage door, regardless of whether it’s manual or via a remote-controlled opener device.

Common Signs That Your Garage Door Springs Need Replacement

Here are some of the most common signs of a broken garage door spring and how to tell if a garage door spring is bad. If you notice any of these signs, the springs likely need replacement.

The Garage Door Won’t Fully Open

Since the springs bear most of the weight of your garage door, it won’t open if they’re broken or damaged. If the weight of the door is not supported properly, the opener may stop working to prevent the motor from burning out. If you notice that your garage door won’t fully open, it may be because you need to replace the springs.

Visible Gaps in Springs

Just like other types of springs, your garage door springs should be tightly wound. If you notice a visible gap in the springs, they could be about to snap or break in half. Inspect your garage door springs regularly to confirm that there are no gaps, and if you see any, contact Mesa Garage Doors right away for a professional replacement.

Garage Door Opens or Closes Unevenly

If you have torsion springs, they run parallel to the floor and across the door, and if you have extension springs, they run perpendicular to either side of the door. Whichever type of springs you have, they’ll cause the garage door to open or close unevenly if they’re broken or worn out.

Door Operates Erratically

Most modern garage door openers have a sensor that detects excess weight. However, if yours doesn’t have this feature, it may try to keep opening and closing the door, even if the spring is broken. If you notice that your garage door suddenly drops to the ground or lowers too fast, it may need a spring replacement.

Obvious Signs of Wear

Aside from gaps, your garage door springs may exhibit other signs of wear and tear, such as rust and corrosion. You might even hear the springs snap when you try to operate the door. Look for obvious signs of wear and tear, such as gaps, squeaking sounds, rust, stretched-out springs, or noisy garage door operation that may indicate it’s time to replace the springs.

garage door spring

How Long Do Garage Door Springs Typically Last?

The average garage door spring’s lifespan is between 7 to 10 years, or approximately 10,000 cycles. Torsion springs tend to last longer than extension springs. Oil-tempered springs can last approximately 10 years or 15,000 cycles. The lifespan of your garage door springs depends on a few factors, including how often you open and close your garage door, how often you get garage door spring maintenance, and how much wear and tear the springs endure.

Dangers of Ignoring a Worn or Broken Garage Door Spring

It’s important to know when to replace garage door springs to prevent further problems. Here are some of the dangers of ignoring a worn or broken garage door spring.

  • Serious injury: Your garage door springs store a lot of energy under tension, and when they break, the door will fall suddenly and with a lot of force.
  • Severe damage: A broken or malfunctioning spring can cause the garage door to slam shut or become unbalanced, which may damage the door, the garage, your driveway, or items that are stored inside.
  • Frustrating operation: Broken garage door springs make it extremely difficult to open and close the door, either manually or with the garage door opener.
  • Safety threats: A malfunctioning or unbalanced garage door is a serious safety hazard that can become extremely dangerous if it falls.
  • Costly repairs: If you ignore a worn or broken garage door spring, it can lead to much more complex damage later, costing you even more money in repairs.
  • Security risk: When your garage door is difficult to open or close, it poses a risk to your home’s security and may encourage break-ins.

DIY vs. Professional Garage Door Spring Replacement

You may wonder whether you can replace your garage door springs yourself. While it’s certainly possible, torsion springs use high tension, which poses a risk of serious injury. These springs store a lot of energy, which makes DIY replacement particularly dangerous. The experts at Mesa Garage Doors have the appropriate tools, skills, knowledge, and professional experience to replace your garage door springs efficiently and safely. We’ll accurately diagnose the issue and determine the right type of spring you need, then perform a thorough test to ensure everything is operating smoothly.

garage door spring

Contact Mesa Garage Doors Today

If you’re experiencing issues with your garage door and believe you may need a garage door spring replacement, the team at Mesa Garage Doors is here to help. We proudly serve customers in Anaheim and throughout the Southern California area. To schedule professional service for your garage door, contact us today!

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