Garage door information

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

I talked today with a guy who's been installing garage doors since 1963 and leaned a few things. Here they are...

• Top rollers and bottom rollers should have long shafts (top most important)
  • The most common scenario is things getting caught under the door at one side rather than in the middle, tweaking the door and causing it to fall if the roller shafts are too short.
• Plastic rollers with no bearings will go out after about 2 years. Rollers should be nylon or metal and have bearings. “Consider…
• Double-wide doors should have a strut across the top stile to help support the door.
• The door attachment pivot arm should connect to a mounting bracket mounted on the door.
• The pivot arm should mount even with the top roller (or within a few inches) for safety equipment to work correctly. 6 inches low is too much.
• Setting anti-reverse according to factory settings may cause problems in climates with large temperature swings. The adjustment screw slot should be at approximately 5 o’clock in cold climates (must remove light cover to see it)
• modern 4-year spring lifespan is as opposed to 20-year in the past. Do not recommend readjustment each year for balancing purposes as this will shorten the spring lifespan.
• Using the 2x4 method may damage the door. Use your shoulder.
• ’93- year of mandatory photo sensor
• 12 year typical lifespan for automatic openers. Re-build is usually a waste of time, recommend replacement.

[Barry Adair]

Kent,
Thanks, good info!

[John Allingham]

One more that I've heard. Lubricate the torsion spring when you lubricate the rollers. Torsion springs rust, and if unlubricated can bind up over several inches at one end, thus overloading the rest of the spring. Don't know if it's true but it sounds reasonable.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Hi. Kenton.

Good points, and I believe this link here will give everyone anything else they need to know about torsion springs and repairs.
Check it out.

http://www.truetex.com/garage.htm

Marcel

[Humberto Carvajal]

This thread is why I continue to marvel at this organization. Members helping Members. Only here at INACHI. Thanks gentlemen.

Regards,

[Greg Keene, CPI]

Thanks for the info Kenton - I wondered (didn't research, my bad) when electronic reverse eyes were required.

[jkogel]

Originally Posted by mcyr

Hi. Kenton.

Good points, and I believe this link here will give everyone anything else they need to know about torsion springs and repairs.
Check it out.

http://www.truetex.com/garage.htm

Marcel

See that guy's smile, Marcel? No teeth, knocked 'em all out with flying door springs.

[Erby Crofutt]

More info at:

http://www.dasma.com/SafetyGDOpeners.asp

http://www.dasma.com/safetygdoors.asp

http://www.dasma.com/safetygdguide.asp

http://www.dasma.com/safetygdmaint.asp

[Barry Adair]

Sectional Garage Door and Electric Operator
Checklist for Home Inspectors and Consumers