Friday, September 29, 2017

Our Guide to Finding the Right Parts



Replacing and repairing a garage door opener can be a tricky process because you first need to diagnose what the issue is. Do you really need to replace the whole door or could it just be a problem with the electrical side of things or a technical side of things? For example, sometimes a duster and a quick clean can magically get your door functioning correctly again. We know you probably find that hard to believe but we will show you the secret of that a little further down this article.

If you do need to replace a certain part of the garage door do you know which part needs replacing or would you rather have an expert come in and take a look?

One aspect of replacement you certainly don’t want to do yourself is anything to do with the torsion spring as this can result in some serious injuries for you if you don’t know what you are doing. Therefore, if this needs replacing then call in the experts!
The Torsion Spring



The torsion spring is one of the most dangerous parts of a  door opener ( like MIGHTY MULE 500 ) an amateur can replace. You will know if there is a problem with this because usually if you lower the door to half way and hold it with your hands, then remove your hands it won’t balance.

The garage door will either move back up and back down which shows that there is an issue with the torsion spring. Albeit, the spring may just need tweaking a little, and tightening up but it’s better to get someone in who knows what they are doing.

If it has snapped then this will be more obvious to you, and it should be replaced asap.

The Sensors


Before you head out and grab yourself a pack of sensors and needless spend $40 just check them out. Sometimes they may have been accidentally moved and are angled differently, if this is the case then move them back to the correct angle and try to see if your door operates again. Likewise, if there is anything in the way of the sensor, even a cobweb then this can cause the overly sensitive sensor eye to think that there is an obstruction in the way so it won’t lower the door.

As well as cobwebs your garage can accumulate a lot of dust over the season and it can fall right on the sensor causing the view to be impaired. Take a look at the sensor and see if it needs a clean.

You will be surprised at how much a clean can do for you garage door, and from thinking you are going to have to spend a fortune in getting an electrician out to take a look and replace parts, all it took was a duster to get your door fully operational again.

The Garage Door Remote

Another popular part that needs replacing every now and then is the remote that controls the door. Again, just check on the batteries to see if they are the root of the problem as flat batteries will make you think that there is something more serious going on. It may not just be a case of swapping the batteries; the remote may have given up the ghost.

If it has then you can either buy an exact replacement by making a note of the model number from your garage door opener, or for newer model garage door openers you can invest in a universal remote which can open multiple garage doors and even control the lights in your home from a bit of clever programming and the touch of a button.

Batteries


The final section to things that you will need replacing on your garage door falls down to the backup battery on your garage door, which is usually situated next to the motor. Most batteries will only last 24 hours on their own energy (without a mains power supply to recharge it), and after this point the battery will run down so far that it will be useless as it won’t be able to recharge.

You will want to pay close attention to any beeping noises that your garage doors makes when you use it, and also the LED lights on the front of the battery are a massive giveaway to the state of your battery.

Flashing amber will mean that the battery is low and needs to be charged, which indicates that the electrical outlet you are using is not working so swap it. Whilst a red LED means the battery is dead and cannot be recharged.

Always double check your LED lights before leaving the garage to make sure they are green.

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