5-reasons your garage door inexplicably stops midstream

Of all the things on your mind, one that isn’t even remotely a consideration is that your garage door would stop midstream when you push the button for it to open or close. You count on your garage door to do as directed, as you direct it when you push the button on your remote, that a failure to complete its task is all-but incomprehensible. 

When it happens – when you push the garage door button and, before it reaches the top, or the bottom, the garage door stops moving, it’s perplexing. It’s frustrating. Not only do you have a potential problem to respond to, but you also have to operate the garage door without the garage door opener.

For the time being, there is a cord hanging down from the garage door opener assembly in the middle of the garage door opening. Usually, this cord is red. If you pull it, it disengages the garage door opener and you can operate the garage door the old-fashioned way – manually. But what about fixing the problem?

The first step in fixing the problem with a garage door that doesn’t close or open all the way is to determine what is causing the problem. The problem could be so simple as to make you laugh that you were worried. Or, the problem could require the assistance of a garage door professional to rectify.

The first thing to consider is your safety. Do not touch the tracks on either side of the door or the chain or belt and pulleys extending forward from the garage door opener. With that consideration in mind, take a look at the garage door assembly. Here are five things that could cause your garage door’s problem:

1. Is something obstructing the garage door? Check that nothing is getting in the way of your garage door. Could a snow shovel have slipped so the handle is pinched in the way as the garage door comes down or goes up? Anything that gets in the way can stop the garage door in its tracks.
2. Are the tracks blocked? The tracks are located on either side of the garage door. The garage door has wheel bearings that ride up and down in the tracks. While keeping your hands safely away, take a good look up and down the tracks to see if anything is getting in the way. Check that the wheel bearings are in good shape and aren’t bent and causing the problem.
3. Is the tension spring broken? It’s especially important to keep your hands away from the tension spring, which is usually mounted above the garage door. The tension in that spring is enough to be extremely dangerous. If there is a separation in the spring, there’s a good chance that it’s broken.
4. Is the chain or belt extending from the garage door opener broken or off the sprocket? The adjustment could also be so loose that the pulley isn’t gripping the belt or spring.
5. Are the sensors out of alignment and/or blocked? First look to see if anything is between the sensors that could be blocking the photo-eye method that they ‘communicate’ with each other? If they were knocked, they could be out of alignment and require adjustment.

If you find the problem and it’s not something as simple as moving a shovel so it doesn’t block the path of the garage door, you’ll probably want to call a qualified garage door repair technician to come and fix the problem. If you haven’t found the problem, it’s still a good idea to call that qualified garage door repair technician.

Is your Lake Villa garage door ready for winter?

 The snow has come to Lake Villa at last. Were you ready for it? Are you ready for the next big snowfall?

While you figure out how to remove the snow from your driveway, don’t forget that you want to avoid damaging your garage door in the process. You don’t want to bang the shovel, the snow blower or the snowplow against your Lake Villa garage door.

When it comes to plowing the snow, this includes applying caution that you’re not pushing heavy snow against the garage door. But, beyond protecting your Lake Villa garage door while removing the snow from the driveway, you also want to protect the garage door from the snow and ice in general.

When snow is pressed against the garage door it can infiltrate the seams between door panels where the moisture can cause hinges and bearings to rust. It can get under and around the garage door where it can impede the garage door’s ability to close all the way and effect the smooth operation of the garage door.

Ice and heavy snow are particularly troublesome when it comes to interfering in the operation of the garage door. They can create solid obstacles that get in the way.

If you have snow or ice under the garage door, it’s a good idea to scrape the snow or ice away so the garage door can come all the way down when you close it. Any ice or snow built up on the sides or top of the garage door or garage door opening should also be removed. But remove this snow carefully so you don’t damage the door, the gasket around the door or the garage door opening in general.

Speaking of your gasket around the garage door, is it in good condition? That gasket plays an important role in the operation of the garage door. It protects the parts of the garage door from the elements. It also keeps those elements and the cold from getting inside the garage when the garage door is closed.

Is your garage door insulated? If not, you may see frost building up on the panels when the weather is cold. When the weather warms, that frost will melt and can roll down into hinges and bearings of the garage door. If your garage door is not insulted, it’s possible you can add insulation. Or, if practical, you may want to replace the garage door with an up-to-date insulted model.

Like any other mechanical device around your home, you need to pay attention to your Lake Villa garage door’s needs. If you take care of your garage door, it will take care of you by providing years of unhindered service.