I’m not very handy but I would like to learn. My garage door has been having issues for a while and now it’s escalated further.
Discussion Forum
In the beginning, I had a door. Stupid me thought there was enough clearance with the door and ran into it with my Jeep. It was a 110 degrees that day, I found the person who could come within my price budget and next day type of thing. My AC even broke that day because of trying to run so much. They replaced door and installed garage door opener for me that I had bought. Rails are the same.
It’s a Craftmen 1/2 HP and an insulated door.
For a while, the door worked fine. I’d say for a year.
First issue was it would go back up say about 6 inches from the ground as if something was in the way of the sensor or something. This problem was intermittent. More common within past 6 months and less common since install.
Recently, the door was going down and the same position this time it started to bend the middle of the door. I can roll the door just fine but it seems the garage door doesn’t want to push it down. It’s only 6 – 12 inches from the ground!
I’ve read http://forums.finehomebuilding.com/breaktime/general-discussion/garage-door-opener-keeps-bending-doors but I am very confused. I’m technically savy with computers, but geeze, I wish I had learned more about house hold things growing up.
I’ve oiled everything as the first thing to try but no resolve. Nothing looks loose as I have had a loose chain before and had to tighten it up.
If anyone has some helpful things to try, I’d be willing to learn!
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
The "She Build" initiative is empowering women in Seattle, WA by ensuring they have safe, healthy homes.
Featured Video
Video: Build a Fireplace, Brick by BrickHighlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
Well, you thoroughly confused me.
When you thought the sensor was keeping it up-what did you do?
Now it goes all the way down and then back up 6"?
or it only goes to 6" off the floor?
There are stops and "I tried to crush the cat" things that can get moved. However, the crushed the cat thing usually sends it back up and the light flashes.
Fill us in.
If it's bending in the middle from the force of the opener then the door may actually be catching somewhere. Disconnect the "trolley" from the cable/chain/screw of the opener and push/pull the trolley along with your hand, to see if it seems to hang up anywhere. It could be that when the door is pushed from the opener rather than pulled down by hand one of the pulleys catches.
Not safeties
Doesn't sound like safety switches, but the travel limit switches are out of adjustment. The operator is over driving it on the down cycle and bending the top. It then bounces back after theoperator stops.
Find your istallation or owners manual and adjust both limit switches. Ussualy they er marked up and down on the front or side of the operator. They may be allen head or slotted screws in a recessed hole in the housing.