Garage door service in Austin TX is a complex task and requires specialized tools. Hiring professionals can ensure your door gets the care it needs.

The best way to keep your garage door in good shape is to inspect it regularly. This will allow you to spot problems early on and avoid costly repairs in the future.

Broken Springs

Broken springs are one of the most common repairs that garage door service companies will have to do on a daily basis. If you try to fix your own broken spring you could potentially cause further damage to your garage door or worse hurt yourself. Garage doors have a lot of tension in their springs, so it is always best to let a professional handle any broken spring repair.

Torsion springs are more difficult to replace than extension springs, so it is important to only attempt this DIY repair with the proper knowledge and tools. The correct size of spring is essential to a long lasting, functional garage door. If you try to use a spring that is not the right size it can cause further problems in the future.

If you decide to change your own garage door springs make sure that you have another person helping you, it takes two people to safely lift a heavy garage door. Also, remember to spray down your springs with a lubricant three or four times per year to extend their life expectancy.

Broken Cables

Regardless of the type of counterbalancing system (torsion or extension), garage door cables must be inspected on a regular basis for fraying and kinks. They also have a lifespan and need to be replaced as they age.

Over time and with continuous rubbing against the edge of the door or bottom brackets cable assembly can fray and eventually break. This is most common closer to the bottom loop sleeve end. Rust and corrosion can also severely weaken the cable and increase its likelihood of breaking.

If a cable breaks it can cause the entire spring to shoot across the garage floor and cause damage or injury. When replacing a cable the new cable must be threaded through pulleys, wrapped around the drum and fastened to the frame. It is important to follow the same path as the old cable and not tangle the new one in the pulleys and grooves of the drum. It is also a good idea to use a C-clamp under each of the bottom wheels to hold the door in place before removing the ladder and hooking the new cable onto the pin at the bottom of the door.

Broken Photo Eyes

Many garage doors built in the past couple of decades come equipped with photo eyes to prevent them from closing on people or cars. The photo eyes sit either side of the door and create an invisible beam that can sense when something is blocking it. The sensors then send a signal to the motor, which reverses the direction of the door and keeps it from closing.

The problem is that the photo eye sensors can be easily obstructed and misaligned. Generally, this is an easy fix, so if your garage door closes for a few inches and then opens again, it’s worth checking the sensor alignment.

The first thing to do is wipe down the sensor lenses with a clean cloth to see if there are any particles or dirt that could be interfering with the signal being sent and received. If there’s nothing on the lenses, try re-aligning them by loosening the screws and bolts that secure each sensor, then slightly moving them in and out until you have an even light beam between them.

Broken Sensors

Your garage door has two sensors that communicate with each other via an infrared beam. If something interrupts this beam, the garage door won’t shut properly. Sometimes, this is simply because an object is blocking one of the sensors. The other most common cause is a dirty sensor. Dust or cobwebs can interfere with the ability of your sensors to send and receive an infrared signal. It is also important to ensure that your sensors are correctly aligned with each other.

A professional technician can fix this by readjusting the sensors to the correct angle and position. However, this process requires the ability to read and understand diagnostic manuals, technical knowledge, physical dexterity, and attention to detail. This job is not recommended for those who do not have these skills. A technician may also need to tighten or loosen a screw to realign the sensors. This will often require disassembling the equipment to access the sensor wires.