Garage Door Won’t Open At All or Begins To Open Then Slams Shut

If the garage door won’t open at all or starts to open then slams shut – the most likely cause is that the garage door springs are broken. The springs act as a counterbalance to the weight of a heavy garage door, allowing it to be moved easily by the garage door opener or by hand. If they are broken, the garage door opener won’t be able to open the door properly.

Bottom of Garage Door Is Higher On One Side

If you notice the garage door is hanging lower on one side – one of the garage door springs or garage door cables may be broken on one side of the garage door

Garage Door Is Jammed

If you notice the garage door seems to be jammed and won’t move smoothly, the garage door tracks may be dented or misaligned and/or the garage door rollers may be worn or broken.

Garage Door Closes But Then Immediately Reverses

If the garage door is closing all the way but it immediately reopens, the closing force on the garage door opener may need to be adjusted, or the garage door opener safety sensors might need to be adjusted or replaced.

Garage Door Opener Does Not Respond To The Remote

If the garage door opener doesn’t respond to the remote, there are a couple of potential causes: You may need to replace the batteries in the remote or the sensors on the garage door opener may be dirty or damaged.

Garage Door Is Off The Tracks

If the garage door comes off the tracks, the garage door rollers may be broken or the tracks are possibly bent.

If your garage door breaks down, we don’t recommend that you attempt to fix it yourself. A garage door isn’t particularly complicated but it does require some knowledge and the proper tools to repair correctly – and more importantly, avoid injury. The garage door itself is very heavy and could potentially fall if not secured properly while working on it, plus the garage door needs to be properly aligned and balanced after any work is done – otherwise this can lead to excess wear on the components and cause another breakdown. The other major danger to your safety is the garage door springs – the extreme tension they are under is very dangerous if not released properly.

A Los Angeles garage door repair company should be contacted for any garage door repairs you need – they have the experience with all types of garage doors and can ensure that your problem is fixed correctly the first time around.

Insulating Your Existing Garage Door

If your garage door isn’t already insulated – you have two options to work with. You can add insulation to the existing garage door if possible or you can replace the garage door with an insulated model.

Adding insulation to your garage door is possible as a do-it-yourself project – there are insulation kits available specifically for the purpose. However, it is highly recommended that you contact Los Angeles Garage Doors for assistance since the additional weight of the insulation may throw off the balance of your garage door and put additional strain on the springs.

When shopping for insulation, the major issue you want to be concerned with is the “R-value”. Insulation is typically rated with an R-value, which is a number that indicates its resistance to heat flow. A higher R-value indicates a better insulator – typically garage door insulation kits range from 4 to 9.

Purchasing An Insulated Garage Door

An insulated garage door is also a viable option if you don’t want to try to insulate your existing door or would rather replace it anyway. The major manufacturers offer insulated garage doors as an option – typically these are offered as steel doors that have a layer of insulation between the inner and outer panels or with exposed insulation on the inside of the door. Depending on the garage door, the R-value ranges from 13 to 17.5.

Lubricate All Moving Parts

Keeping your garage door’s moving parts lubricated is especially important to help prevent them from wearing out too quickly. Ideally, you should do this at least once per season, especially during the winter when the cold temperatures tend to cause lubricants to coagulate and not work as effectively. For the best results, the garage door springs, garage door rollers and garage door cables should be treated with WD-40, 3-In-1 Oil or a similar product.

Inspect The Garage Door Tracks

A common cause of garage door failures is due to the garage door tracks. To help avoid problems in this area, we recommend inspecting the tracks regularly to make sure that there is no dirt or other debris collected in the tracks, as this can jam the tracks and prevent the rollers from operating correctly. Additionally, the tracks should be inspected for dents or flat spots – it may be possible to hammer these out with a mallet.

Inspect All Door Hardware

Over time, your garage door’s hardware like the screws, hinges and other fasteners that hold the door together can begin to work loose, potentially causing problems. Any loose screws should be tightened up as necessary.

How much will it cost to fix my garage door?

Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell for sure without looking at your garage door first to find out what the problem is. Los Angeles Garage Doors gladly provides free estimates at no obligation to you so you can make a decision about your garage door repair.

Which garage door brand names do you repair?

We repair all major brand name garage doors including Amarr, Clopay, Wayne-Dalton, Raynor and Overhead Door. We also repair garage doors from Lowe’s, Home Depot and Sears. Call us to find out if we service your particular garage door!

Can I fix my garage door myself?

For your own safety and to avoid costing you additional money, we don’t recommend that you try to repair your garage door yourself. The garage door itself is very heavy and could quite easily fall on you if is not secured properly. Additionally, the garage door springs (which make the garage door easy to move) are very dangerous if not handled properly. They are under high tension that needs to be released safely. Plus, when replacing springs or putting a garage door on the tracks, it needs to be balanced on the springs and aligned on the tracks correctly so there isn’t additional wear beyond normal use.

I need a new garage door. Can you help?

Of course! Los Angeles Garage Doors gladly installs new garage doors for homeowners as well. If you need help choosing the right garage door, we can recommend any number of excellent options from the leading manufacturers.

What makes a torsion drive garage door opener different from other garage door openers?

The other 3 available types of garage door openers are all mounted on the ceiling, whereas the torsion drive garage door opener is mounted on the front wall of your garage above the garage door. This makes it very useful if the ceiling is low in your garage or you have a high vehicle that doesn’t have a lot of clearance in the garage. Additionally, the torsion drive design doesn’t use a track running from the garage door opener to the door, which eliminates a good portion of the noise generated by a standard garage door opener. And finally, the open/close speed is significantly faster if that is a concern for you. A torsion drive garage door opener opens and closes your door at 12 inches per second compared to 7 inches per second for a standard garage door opener. Naturally – this functionality does make a torsion drive garage door opener a bit more expensive than standard garage door openers.

Is a torsion drive garage door opener usable with my door?

Most likely, yes. Torsion drive garage door openers are limited to a certain height and width range when it comes to the garage door, but most garage doors will work. Before purchasing a torsion drive garage door opener, contact Los Angeles Garage Doors if you have any questions.

How do I get a torsion drive garage door opener?

Currently, there aren’t a lot of options for a torsion drive garage door opener on the market. Wayne-Dalton (as the originator of the design) and Liftmaster are the only two manufacturers of torsion drive garage door openers at this time. There are numerous garage door openers available in one of the standard designs at this time, however.

Can I install a torsion drive garage door opener myself?

Most do-it-yourself garage door opener or garage door repairs are best left to a professional to ensure that you don’t injure yourself or cost yourself additional money if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing. If you want to receive a quote on a new torsion drive garage door opener installation at your home, please contact Los Angeles Garage Doors for assistance.

#1: A new garage door can help raise your property value

If you’re looking for ways to boost the curb appeal and property value of your home, a new garage door can be way to accomplish this. The garage door is often one of the first things people see of your home – having a high-quality and attractive garage door that meshes well with the facade of your home can be a boost to your curb appeal.

#2: A new garage door can help you save money

Believe it or not, a new garage door can actually help save you money over the long-term. If you have an older garage door that is not insulated, you could be spending more money than you realize on your heating and cooling bills during the winter and summer. The garage door can allow a lot of heat to enter or exit your home if it isn’t insulated – raising your energy costs.

#3: A new garage door can help make your home more secure

If you have an older garage door, you might potentially have a security risk. Many home burglaries utilize an older garage door as a weak point. Ideally, your garage door should at least be lockable when you’re not home, so it can’t be lifted easily.

#4: A new garage door can be safer

If you have an older sectional garage door, you or anyone else who uses the garage door might not be aware that there is a risk of injury to your fingers. A common cause of garage door-related injuries is sticking your fingers into the joints of a sectional garage door and using them as a handle to pull your garage door down manually. Many new garage doors now come with “pinch-resistant” joints that prevent this from occurring or should at least have safe gripping handles that you can use instead.

#5: A new garage door will last longer

A new garage door can be expected to last you much longer if you’re upgrading from an older garage door. The quality of modern materials and technological advancements in the garage door industry combine to increase the usable lifespan of a garage door.

How The Garage Began

We think of the garage and garage door as fairly modern inventions that only came around with the invention of the car, but the garage is actually the product of evolution over time. The horse-drawn carriage was a prime method of transportation for many well-to-do people and they were typically stored in a carriage house along with the horses.

When cars first arrived on the scene in the late 1800s, they were only for people who could afford them and they were typically stored in the carriage house as well. Eventually, the first buildings intended to store cars only began to appear, which were typically large single-story covered parking lot-like structures that you could rent a space in for a small amount of money per month. Eventually, the idea of the modern garage attached to your home began to catch on once the car became a mass-produced invention that more people could afford in the early half of the 20th century. The word “garage” is said to originate from a French word garer meaning “to store or protect”.

The First Overhead Garage Door

The first garage doors started out similar to the carriage house doors they replaced – swinging in and out horizontally on hinges. Early garage doors were not quite perfect – they tended to be heavy, awkward and broke frequently. Finally, in 1921 – the first overhead garage door was invented by C.G. Johnson, allowing the door to be folded up parallel to the ceiling of the garage. This idea caught on with the general public and many other companies adopted the overhead garage door design as well. Johnson is also credited with inventing the first garage door opener in 1926, which was slow to gain acceptance but is today considered a particularly crucial part of any homeowner’s garage.

Today, there are many different companies like Wayne-Dalton, Clopay, Amarr and Raynor all producing their own variants on the original overhead garage door design and garage door opener design.

Custom Garage Door Advantages

A custom garage door has many advantages over buying an “off-the-rack” garage door:

- You get to pick the material you want to use. Many custom garage door builders offer you a choice between steel, vinyl or wood. With wood, there are a number of excellent hardwoods you can choose from including fir, mahogany and cedar.

- You can choose the hardware you want to add to the door, such as ornamental steel knobs, straps, knockers and much more.

- You’re not limited to just a few garage door design styles. Especially with wood, you can specify exactly how you would like the door to look, including raised bevels, inlays and much more. You can make the doors resemble old-fashioned carriage house doors, for instance.

- Staining or painting to your specifications is also a possibility.

- If your garage door opening is particularly wide or tall and won’t accommodate a normal garage door, a custom garage door may be perfect for your needs.

Custom Garage Door Features

A custom garage door doesn’t have to be “form over function”. In addition to the features not normally available with regular garage doors, custom-built garage doors also offer many of the features normally found in an average garage door:

Insulation: If you want to be able to reduce your energy bills, an insulated garage door can be very helpful by reducing the amount of heat lost or gained through your garage.

Wind Load Rated: If you live in an area prone to high winds such as Florida or areas of California, a garage door rated for high winds is an excellent idea. This can help keep your home from being damaged if the garage door is torn away, allowing wind to enter your home.

Fire Rated: To comply with fire codes, most garage doors are rated to be able to withstand a certain amount of heat.

Insulate Your Garage Door:

Your garage door can help you save money on your energy bills this winter as well as during the summer. Plus, you still have time to take advantage of the federal energy tax credit – this covers insulation products including insulated garage doors and garage door insulation. An insulated garage door will help reduce the amount of heat lost through the garage during the winter, reducing your energy bills over the long run. Many excellent insulated garage doors are available from the leading manufacturers so you can choose one that will meet your needs.

As an alternative to replacing your garage door entirely, you may be able to add insulation to the existing garage door. However, this will add additional weight to your garage door – and as a result, you may need to have the garage door springs adjusted to compensate for the additional load.

Los Angeles Garage Doors is always happy to provide assistance with choosing a garage door or installing insulation on your existing garage door.

Lubricate All Moving Parts:

Your garage door and the garage door opener may start squealing or grinding in cold weather. The lubricant on the springs and the opener itself may be coagulated in the cold weather. If you notice this occurring, it is advisable to lubricate the springs and garage door opener with 3-In-1 Oil or a similar product.

Check For Rust:

Steel garage doors are known for their durability but they are prone to rusting under some conditions. Especially if you live near the ocean in Los Angeles, you may find that your door is potentially prone to rust due to the salty sea air. Any rust spots can potentially develop into a larger problem if not taken care of as soon as possible.

Check Your Garage Door Weatherstrip:

The weatherstrip along the bottom of your garage door helps seal the bottom of your garage door and prevents cold drafts, rain, dead leaves and other debris from entering the garage. Ideally, the weatherstrip should make a tight seal between the ground and the bottom of the garage door when the garage door is fully closed – otherwise it should be replaced.

Why Insulate My Garage Door?

Besides the tax credit – insulating your garage door is also an excellent way to help save money on your energy bills in the long run. The garage door is one of the biggest sources of heat gain/loss in the exterior walls of your home if it is not insulated. Especially during the winter or summer, you will probably notice that your garage is colder or hotter than the rest of your home, making it less comfortable if you want to use your garage for home improvement projects, for instance. If you have a bedroom above the garage, this room can often be uncomfortable during the summer due to heat entering the garage and rising through the ceiling into the bedroom.

Which Insulated Garage Door or Garage Door Insulation Should I Get?

The leading brands like Clopay and Amarr all offer insulated garage doors that vary in price, depending on the insulating capability. For our Los Angeles customers, you may want to consider upgrading your garage door to a newer one that insulates very well during our frequently hot summers, helping you save on your air conditioning bills. When looking at garage doors in terms of insulation, the number you want to be concerned with is the “R-value” – this is a measurement based on a number of factors that tells you how well the door insulates. A higher R-value indicates that the door is a better insulator – the best doors currently available on the market range around 17.5. Likewise, with garage door insulation that you can install on a non-insulated door, the higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

Los Angeles Garage Door Repair gladly provides free estimates on any garage door installation or insulation installation. Please contact us today and we will be happy to assist you!