Automatic garage door repair
Automatic garage door slow to open or close?
A slow door usually has more friction or less balance than before. Cold weather, dry parts, worn rollers or weak springs are common, and the opener is often just the messenger.
Is this what you're seeing?
The door takes much longer than it did a year ago.
It starts fine, then slows in the middle.
It is slowest on cold mornings.
The opener sounds like it is working harder.
Closing is slower than opening, or the other way.
What's going on
An automatic door has two jobs going on: the opener moves it, and the springs balance it. If the springs are tired, the opener has to lift more weight and slows down. If rollers are worn or the hinges are dry, the door fights the track. Either way, the same opener does more work, and you see it as slow travel.
Cold is a big factor along the Front Range. Grease thickens, the rubber seal stiffens and the door's weight shifts as metal contracts. If the slowness appears mostly on cold mornings and eases by afternoon, lubrication and dry parts are the most likely cause. Our note on doors in cold weather goes through this.
Some openers also have a slow-start, slow-stop feature, so a door that starts and ends gently may be normal. Check your soft-start, soft-stop behavior in the manual. What is not normal is a change from how the door used to move. A gradual loss of speed over months is usually wear. A sudden change points to a part that has failed, such as a spring or a cable.
What to do right now
Do
Do the balance test: close the door, pull the red cord, lift it halfway and let go. If it stays, balance is likely fine.
Listen for scraping, popping or a groan on one side.
Check whether the slow speed only happens in cold weather.
Look at the opener force and travel settings if your model has them.
Don't
Do not crank up the force setting to speed it up. That can defeat the safety reversal.
Do not lubricate with heavy grease on the tracks.
Do not try to adjust the springs or cables.
Do not keep running a door that strains or smokes.
How we fix it
We test the door's balance, inspect rollers, hinges and tracks, lubricate what needs it, and check the opener's force, limits and travel. If the opener is the cause, it falls under automatic garage door repair. If springs or rollers are the cause, we repair those and re-test with the opener.
Repair or replace?
A slow door is nearly always a repair. If the opener is older and its motor, gears or board are failing, replacing it can be sensible, and our guide on how often to replace an opener covers that.
A lube and tune fixes more slow doors than people expect, especially before winter.
Related questions
Why won't my garage door work in cold weather?
Why your garage door won't work in cold weather: stiff grease, contracted metal, a touchy opener, ice at the base, or a brittle spring. Denver fixes.
Read full answerHow often should I lubricate my garage door?
How often to lubricate a garage door: twice a year for most homes, more in dry Colorado air. Learn which parts to grease and which lubricant to use.
Read full answerWhat horsepower garage door opener do I need?
What horsepower garage door opener do you need? Match the motor to your door size and weight, from 1/2 HP single doors to 1 1/4 HP heavy wood doors.
Read full answerGarage door maintenance: how often and what's done
How often should you service a garage door? Once a year is the rule. Here is what a garage door maintenance tune-up includes and why it pays off.
Read full answerGet your door moving at normal speed
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