The garage door opener is a complex device consisting of electronic and hardware parts plus a set of accessories that add to its convenient operation. The useful life of this device is around seven years on average, but you can extend it with proper maintenance. This will also help you maintain a smooth and reliable operation and to ensure the mechanism remains safe to use.
Inspection and Testing
You should check all parts of the system from the safety sensors to the motor unit plus the controls for signs of physical damage. When looking at the electronic components, watch out for dents, cracks and chips. While inspecting the hardware, you need to look closely for signs of extensive wear such as thinning walls (trolley) and bending (track/rail). If you notice any damage, do not try to fix it yourself. This device needs to be handled by experts. Our team will be more than happy to help.
Ensuring Your Safety
You need to test the opener's safety sensors at least four times a year. These are the photo-electric eyes that prevent the door from closing while someone or something is blocking it. Needless to say, their proper functioning is incredibly important. To test them, open the door and set some kind of solid object down in order to block one of these eyes. Now use the remote or the keypad to initiate the closing action of the system. If the door closes normally and hits the object, you need to have the sensors checked, realigned and potentially even replaced.
Force Limit Test
You have to test the opener’s force twice every year, preferably in the spring and fall. Open the door and place a piece of wood or an object that won't block the sensors such as a double ladder. Now close the door using the remote control. If the force limit is set correctly, the door will reverse when it touches the object. If it hits the object and keeps trying to close, the force limit needs to be adjusted. This is the auto-reverse mechanism, which ensures that the door will reverse if it hits something or someone even if the sensors have failed to detect the obstacle.
Cleaning and Lubrication Maintenance
You should wipe the different parts of the opener to make sure they can function to the best of their abilities. Take special care with the safety sensors as they tend to accumulate a considerable amount of dust. Their lenses are quite delicate, so use a dry or slightly damp lint-free cloth for the job. When cleaning the controls, you can remove any dirt stuck around the buttons with the help of a toothpick. Some parts of the opener can benefit from being lubricated. If you have a chain or a screw drive model, you need to lubricate the metal chain or rod. It is best to do it at least once a year in the fall to ensure that the opener will run smoothly and reliable during the harsh Connecticut winter. The sections where friction occurs between the rail and the trolley also need lubrication even if you have a belt drive opener.