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Summer is the time you’re most likely to encounter certain issues with your garage door. Part of the reason is that many people store things like lawnmowers and gardening equipment in this space. That means the garage door gets more use during the summer and experiences greater wear and tear, potentially leading to components wearing out. The bigger reason is that garages can get extremely hot during the summer, and extreme heat can create various problems with a garage door opener system. In this article, we’ll look at the most common garage door issues you may encounter during the summer, how to identify them, and how they can be fixed and prevented.
Overheating Garage Door Opener
During times when your garage is extremely hot, the opener motor can end up overheating and shutting off as it’s opening or closing the garage door. You’ll then need to wait for the motor to cool down before it will work again. This type of situation can obviously be frustrating, especially if you’re trying to leave and you can’t get the door to open. Even worse, overheating can damage the opener and lead to it needing to be repaired or replaced.
The good news is that overheating is an issue that’s typically fairly easy to avoid just by taking some steps to keep your garage from getting overly hot. If your garage isn’t insulated, insulating it will make a major difference in how hot it gets during the summer. If you have a window in the garage that you can open, keeping it open during the day will also help the heat that builds up inside this area escape.
One of the best options to prevent your garage door opener from overheating is to install a solar-powered exhaust fan in the ceiling near the opener. The fan will run throughout the day to continually pull heat out of the garage. Having the fan near the opener also helps to ensure the motor has sufficient airflow and stays much cooler.
Misaligned Track
Extreme heat causes metal objects like garage door tracks to expand quite a bit, and the metal then contracts as it cools down. This expansion can sometimes result in metal garage door tracks warping and becoming misaligned. Misaligned tracks prevent a garage door from rolling up and down smoothly, and they can also cause the door to get jammed and not be able to fully open or close. There’s not much you can do to prevent this issue other than trying to prevent your garage from being too hot and having your garage door inspected and maintained regularly. When facing this problem, the best and safest solution is to have a professional garage door technician realign the tracks.
Broken Springs
Garage door springs also contract and expand with changes in heat, which can weaken the spring and result in it suddenly breaking. The springs support most of the weight of the door to ensure that the opener can easily open it. You’ll be able to tell fairly easily if your door has a broken spring, as the opener will have major difficulties moving the door or won’t be able to open it at all.
You can also check by disconnecting the door from the opener trolley and then trying to open the door by hand. If the spring is broken, the door will feel much heavier and be more difficult to open. If you only open it part of the way, it will usually come straight back down when you let go of it. If you suspect the spring is broken, you should always call a professional. That’s because replacing or working on garage door springs is extremely dangerous and could result in serious injury or death.
Worn-Out Rollers
The increased use that a garage door gets during the summer can also lead to the rollers wearing out. Worn-out rollers result in the garage door not moving smoothly and the opener struggling more. You’ll often hear the door make a squeaking or squealing noise when the rollers are worn out as well. This latter issue can also happen because the tracks and rollers aren’t properly lubricated. Insufficient lubrication is another common issue in the summer, as heat causes lubricant to dry out faster. Garage door rollers will almost always wear out faster if the door has any issues that prevent it from moving smoothly. That’s one reason why you want to watch out for issues and get them fixed quickly, as it can prevent you from having to pay for additional repairs down the road.
Call on the Pros
For the best residential and commercial garage door services in Colorado Springs, turn to the team at Above the Rest Garage Door Repair. We’ve been in business for 35 years and are dedicated to providing top-tier repairs and installations. To schedule a service call to get any issues with your garage door fixed, contact us anytime, day or night, 24/7.
