A malfunctioning garage door opener can present an emergency situation, especially when the doors are not equipped with a manual handle or release. If you have to leave in a hurry, you can find yourself trapped when the garage door doesn’t rise at the push of a button. In addition, a faulty garage door opener can be a real safety hazard if it closes the door on the back of your car, or worse, on a person walking under it. The following are some signs that you need to repair or replace a garage door opener in time to avoid an Emergency Garage Door Repair in Newton MA.
First of all, make sure that your garage door is in compliance with the safety rulings published in 1993 that call for sensors on either side of the garage door opening at a height of six inches from the ground. Test the door by placing an object directly beside the sensor and then pushing the button to close the garage door. If the door tries to close, you have a malfunctioning sensor that must be replaced. A smaller object, an inch and a half in height, should cause the door to reverse once it starts to come down.
It’s also important to check the spring at the top of the garage door. You can tell that the spring has broken if you push the button to raise the door and it only goes up a few inches. A broken spring might also cause the door to rise at a much slower speed than normal, to fall suddenly when closing, or to move at a jerky, uneven speed in either direction.
Make sure that your garage door opener is using a battery backup system. This will protect you in the case of a power outage, but it’s important to make sure the batteries are in good condition. Regular batteries are better than rechargeable ones because they put out more power. In addition, it’s a good idea to buy name-brand batteries that are likely to last longer and work better than off-brand ones.
Having your garage door inspected annually can help you keep on top of needed repairs so that you never need emergency service. However, if you find yourself trapped in the garage, check out Collins Overhead Door Inc. for Emergency Garage Door Repair in Newton MA.
