Repair and Maintenance of Overhead Garage Doors

Overhead doors completely repeat the design of roller shutters. Their canvas is assembled into a flexible structure of many sections so that when open it is rolled up, which is placed in a box above the upper edge of the opening. Such structures ensure the safety of the premises and block unauthorized access through the windows. Their typical breakdowns can be easily prevented with regular maintenance.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Such Door Structures

The positive qualities are the following:

• Compactness. When opened, the canvas fits completely in the box.
• Opening speed. Only high-speed gates work faster than roller ones, but the latter is not designed to protect material values.
• Lightness. The aluminum profile is lightweight, so the system is easy to use by hand;
• Corrosion resistance.
• Lower cost compared to other types of gates.
• Unpretentiousness. Such gates are less dependent on maintenance than other modern designs.

However, there are several disadvantages of such doors:

• Small burglar resistance. Steel thick gates are still better.
• Low thermal insulation performance. They are not suitable for heated garages.
• Impossibility of inserting glazing.
• Need protection from precipitation, not the best resistance to icing.

Main Causes of Malfunctions

For garages, overhead shutters are chosen due to space-saving, the possibility of control from the car and opening upwards — no additional space is needed in front of the garage. However, if you need to repair an overhead garage door, you can use the service of https://fixgaragedoors.ca/services/garage-doors-repair/overhead-garage-door/.

Gates and roller shutters go out of standing for the following reasons:

• natural wear and tear of moving elements;
• manufacturing defects of the product;
• mounting errors;
• burglary attempts, vandalism;
• inaccurate, intensive use;
• mechanical damage to guides, and canvases;
• neglect of maintenance.

Breakdown Diagnostics

To determine the cause of the breakdown, you need to open the protective box. Do not do this without experience and special tools, otherwise, there is a risk of breakage. Under the protective box, the master during the diagnosis can detect the following reasons:

• sagging of cloth, its breakage or distortion;
• failure of the crossbar blockade;
• destruction of the hand drive cord;
• electric motor burnout;
• breakdown of the cardan and gearbox.

The vast majority of problems are in the drive and suspension of garage doors.

Typical Breakdowns

During diagnostics, the specialist detects typical breakdowns for roller shutters:

• breakdown of the drive, in which the canvas does not rise and does not fall;
• failure of the cardan, in which the blade does not move;
• malfunction of the gearbox that rotates the shaft;
• jamming of the web during movement — the guiding device is faulty;
• the cord or control tape is torn — roller shutters with tape, cord, or cord control operate under the tension of the tape, which frays over time;
• breakage of the lower lock of the roller shutter — requires the replacement of the striker plate or the entire lock.

Mechanical failures are associated with hacking attempts and improper operation of the shutters. The installation of a new canvas is needed if it is severely deformed, or bent. Damage to individual lamellas is eliminated by straightening.

Overhead Doors Repair and Service

The main range of work required is as follows:

• Roller shutter guide repair or replacement.
• Lubrication of bearings and drive units.
• Replacement of the cable in case of a break in the wiring of the electric drive.
• By diagnostics of sliding mechanisms, it is possible to eliminate the malfunction of the roller shutter movement.
• Modernization of the design, replacement of automation or installation of new manual and automatic drives.
• Repair or complete replacement of roller shutter slats.

Overhead door structures are lightweight, do not require additional space during operation, and can be opened to any height, ensuring the preservation of heat or ventilation of the room. Together with these advantages, for the reliable operation of all structural components, periodic maintenance, diagnostics, seasonal work and replacement of worn parts are required.

Do not attempt to repair roller shutters yourself. The canvas will quickly collapse down under a lot of weight and, in addition to breaking, threatens your health. It is better to prevent an emergency through timely maintenance, installation of lubricating nipples and timely repair of canopies. Choose only those organizations that are ready to provide a guarantee for their services and spare parts.