Frequently Asked Questions
The most frequently asked questions about the garage door fix, garage door problems, and garage door service.
Question: What should I do if my garage door goes off-track, will not go up or down, a cable comes off or a spring is broken?
Answer: Don’t try to do the garage door fix yourself. This is the point where you need a professional. Due to the extreme tension of garage door torsion springs and the weight of the garage door (even the weight of just one garage door panel), repairing a garage door yourself can be extremely dangerous. Keep children and pets away from the area and if possible, unplug the power source to the garage door opener. This will prevent an accidental activation of the garage door opener; possibly making the situation worse. The Garage door opener is the mechanical device on the ceiling of your garage that makes the door open and close mechanically. It is best that you unplug the electrical cord if possible and avoid using your remotes or wall switch until a service technician can access your problem. If you are nervous or confused about unplugging the power source to your opener it is best to do nothing and call Emergency Garage Door Repair for advice before you do anything. We are hear for you with 24 hour garage door repair and can quickly restore garage door operation.
Question: My garage door makes a lot of noise: What can I do to make it quieter?
Answer: The best thing to do is purchase some garage door lube at a hardware store and lubricate all the hinges and Rollers (wheels). Also, you may want to have your garage door rollers replaced. Having the Rollers replaced reduces noise significantly and may prevent future off-track problems. Garage door rollers should be replaced every 4-5 years for best and safest garage door performance. Also it is best to have your door serviced once a year. Adjusting a garage door each year keeps it working like new. Adjusting garage doors is part of your regular yearly maintenance program. Adjusting garage door torsion springs will help restore garage door operation and help take excess strain off your garage door opener. Adjusting a garage door is an important part of your regular, yearly maintenance.
Question: If my Garage door is broken: Do I need to replace it with a new Garage Door?
Answer: Not necessarily, Most Garage doors are repairable depending on the damage. Reinforcement with metal struts and replacement of broken hinges, rollers and support stiles can extend the life of your garage door for several more years. If you see that hinges are looking loose and worn, or other parts of your garage door and opener are looking bad, it is best to call for garage door repair, or to restore garage door parts before there is an accident
Question: If one of my remote controls is lost or stolen: Do I need to replace them all or replace my Garage Door opener?
Answer: No, We can clear out your Garage door opener’s memory; much like your computers hard drive and reprogram your old and replacement remotes; rendering your lost or stolen remote inoperable. Remember, to service garage door is always less expensive that replacement. But sometimes, garage door replacement is necessary. Usually we can restore garage door parts for less.
Question: What kinds of openers are available?
Answer: There are basically three types of Garage door openers; chain drive, screw drive and Belt drive. Chain drive openers are the most affordable and have been around the longest. The chain drive opener uses a chain and gear system; much like a bicycle chain to raise the door up and down. The next step up is the screw drive that uses a long screw type shaft to connected directly to the motor to lift the garage door. Finally there is the belt drive, which is similar to the chain drive except it uses a belt, which is similar to the fan belt on a car to raise and let down the garage door. The advantage of the belt drive garage door opener it that it is much quieter than the chain or screw drive models.
Question: What are the differences in the quality of garage doors and what are my choices?
Answer: The basic differences between most residential garage doors are the gauge of the metal they are made with. There are basically three gauges of metal used in construction of residential garage doors; 24, 25 and 26 gauge garage doors. (The lower the number, the thicker the metal). I install only 24 and 25 gauge doors. In my opinion 26 gauge doors are too thin for use in the Houston area. 24 Gauge is best. 25 Gauge is moderate and is what most homebuilders install on homes when they are first built. 26 Gauge are the discount garage doors you may see advertised at discount prices.
There are also insulated Garage doors, which are more expensive, but they have a longer service life and are much more quiet during operation.
If you have any other garage door service questions, please feel free to call me - John Cooper - for a no pressure consultation. But please don’t try a garage door fix by yourself, I can tell you why, because I am an expert in garage door problems.
Call right now: Emergency Garage Door Repair 281-235-4579