Garage Door Troubleshooting
Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
A few garage door faults you can check yourself before calling anyone out. If any of this involves the springs or the cables, stop and call us. Those parts are under enough tension to do real damage.
Frequently asked questions
What should I use to lubricate my garage door?
A dry silicone spray on the rollers, hinges and tracks. Don't use grease or WD-40. Grease collects grit, and WD-40 strips the lubricant out rather than replacing it. Once or twice a year is plenty.
My sectional door has become noisy. What should I check?
Clean the tracks out with warm soapy water and look over the springs for rust. If the springs are surface-rusted, lubricate them. Check your homeowner's manual for what the manufacturer allows you to do yourself. If the noise is a grinding or banging rather than a squeak, stop using the door and call us, because that usually means a roller or bearing has failed.
The motor turns on but the door doesn't move. What's wrong?
Check the opener is engaged in automatic mode rather than sitting in manual release, and make sure the locking bars on the door aren't thrown. If both are right and the motor still runs without moving the door, the drive gear, belt or carriage has usually failed and needs replacing.
My remote doesn't work, or the range has dropped off. What now?
Start with a new battery. Then recode the handset to the opener. Check nothing new is sitting near the motor causing interference, since LED lights and phone chargers are common culprits. On older Stanley units, check the dip switches in the handset match the receiver. Make sure the opener is in automatic mode and the power is on at the wall.
Can I replace a garage door spring myself?
No. Torsion springs are wound under enough tension to break bones. They also need to be replaced in matched pairs and re-tensioned to balance the door. This is a job for someone with the winding bars and the experience to use them.
How long does a garage door spring last?
Most torsion springs are rated around 10,000 cycles, which works out at roughly seven to ten years for an average household. If you're in and out of the garage several times a day, expect less.
Why do both springs get replaced when only one broke?
They're the same age and have done the same number of cycles. Replacing one leaves you paying a second callout within months when the other goes, and an unmatched pair puts the door out of balance.
My garage door won't close and the light on the motor is flashing. What does that mean?
The flashing light is the opener telling you the safety beam across the opening is blocked or out of alignment. Check nothing is sitting in the doorway, then check the two sensors near the floor are pointing at each other and neither has been knocked.
Is it worth repairing an old garage door or should I replace it?
If the door panels and tracks are sound, a repair is almost always the cheaper option. Once panels are rusted through, or the door has come off the tracks and bent, replacement usually works out better value. We'll tell you which one you're looking at before you commit to anything.