Garage door service
Just bought a home? Have the garage door checked.
Inspections often skim the garage door. A service visit checks what the previous owner never told you: balance, safety reversal, springs, cables and the opener.
Is this what you're seeing?
You just closed on a house and know nothing about the door.
The inspector noted a garage door item.
The door makes noise or feels rough.
You are not sure how many remotes exist.
You want to know how old the springs are.
What's going on
A garage door is the largest moving object in many homes, and the seller may not have touched it for years. A home inspection usually tests that the door opens, closes and reverses, but it does not take apart the system. A service visit goes further: it tests balance, looks for wear, and finds problems that have not shown up yet.
What we look at: the springs and cables for wear, the track and rollers for alignment, the hinges and brackets for cracks, and the bottom seal and weatherstripping. We test the opener's safety sensors and reversal, and see whether the force and travel settings make sense. It also helps to find out what model opener you have and how old it is.
There is a security point too. Previous owners, contractors and neighbors may have remotes or keypad codes. Resetting the opener's memory and setting a new code is a quick step. Our guide on programming a keypad shows the basics, and we can do it during the visit.
What to do right now
Do
Gather every remote and keypad you got at closing.
Do the balance test and note anything unusual.
Ask the seller or agent for any manuals or warranty paperwork.
Read the inspector's garage notes, if any.
Don't
Do not assume the door is safe because it opens.
Do not remove or adjust the springs or cables.
Do not keep the seller's keypad code.
Do not skip the auto-reverse test.
How we fix it
We carry out a complete garage door service, including safety tests, lubrication, adjustment of the opener and a written list in plain words of anything that needs attention. We also reset the opener's remotes and keypad so only your devices work.
Repair or replace?
Most doors from older homes are fine with a service and perhaps a spring or roller repair. A door that is dented, rotting or cannot be balanced might be a case for a new door, and we will give you the facts.
If the opener is very old, you may want to look at opener replacement for modern safety features.
Related questions
Garage 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 answerWhat are the signs my garage door needs repair?
The signs a garage door needs repair: new noises, a sagging door, slow or jerky movement, and a door that will not stay put halfway up.
Read full answerHow does garage door auto-reverse safety work?
How garage door auto-reverse safety works: two federally required systems, the photo-eye beam and the force sensor, that stop and reverse a closing door.
Read full answerHow long do garage door springs last?
How long do garage door springs last? Most last 7 to 10 years, or about 10,000 cycles. Denver cold and daily use shorten that. Here's what affects it.
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