December 1, 2022
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A malfunctioning garage door can seriously injure or kill someone in your home. While they tend to last a long time, the wear and tear on your garage door motor could cause the machine to malfunction. Luckily, there are a few things you can look for that might indicate an issue.
Read on to discover four warning signs that you might need a new garage door motor.
1. Your Garage Door Vibrates
Your ;garage door should open and close smoothly and efficiently every time you operate it. During operation, a vibrating garage door could indicate that the motor itself is vibrating within its housing.
If you notice vibration, look to see how secure the opener is to where it’s mounted. Even if secure, a vibrating motor must be addressed quickly. If you wait too long, it can easily shake itself loose from its mounting and come crashing to the ground.
2. The Garage Door Motor Makes a Lot of Noise
Garage door openers that are decades old can sometimes be louder than newer models. But, if the noise you’re hearing seems excessive – it probably is. Increased noise during operation is one of the warning signs that your overhead garage door needs service.
Sometimes the problem is that the opener is old and needs replacement. Other times you may just need to replace a few garage door parts – not the entire thing.
Whatever the case, take it seriously if you notice your garage door operating noisier than usual.
3. The Door Moves Slowly
If your garage door seems like it is operating a bit slower than it used to, be careful. As garage door motors get older, they sometimes get weaker.
It’s possible that the motor inside your overhead garage door is weakening and struggling to bear the load. Be careful in situations like this. A weak garage door motor could cause the door to come crashing down during opening or closing.
4. The Door Won’t Open All the Way
The final warning sign that your garage door motor might need replacement is if the door either won’t open at all or won’t open all the way. There are a lot of potential reasons either of these situations may occur. However, the most common cause is a faulty motor.
What to Do
Garage door accidents are rare, but they do happen. If you notice one or more of these warning signs, you should have them checked out by a garage door repair professional from Overhead Door. We can examine your door and opener, diagnose, and fix any issues.
In some cases, repair might not go far enough. Be prepared in the event you need a whole new garage door.
Keep Yourself Safe
The garage door motor receives wear and tear every time you open or close your garage. Eventually, the wear and tear begin to manifest in the warning signs above. As long as you pay attention and take precautions if your garage door is malfunctioning, you should be able to keep yourself and your family safe.
Contact the Overhead Door Company of Kitchener-Waterloo today if you think your garage door needs replacement.