When our technicians show up at your residence they scan your door visually. Using their experience they can determine where to start and what to do. They look at your door differently than anyone else. I polled our master technicians and this is what they told me.

One: If the door is down does the bottom of the door sits squarely on the floor? If not they know counter balance system may need adjusting. They will also want to address the placement of the door tracks.

Two: When the door is in the up position is the bottom of the door parallel with the opening? The will again look at the springs, cables, and pulleys as well as check the horizontal tracks for level.

Three: Does the bottom section look stained or more weather beaten than the rest of the door? If so they will check the tracks for corrosion as well s inspect the side seals to make sure the elements are not getting in.

Four: Is the bottom weather seal in tact? If not they will recommend a replacement.

Five: Is there any discoloration around the edges of the panels? If the door has become loose over time and is making more contact with the header or side jambs than expected this can cause unwanted wear. They will adjust the door to sit appropriately in the opening.

Six: Are there any nuts or bolts in locations that seem out of the ordinary? Homeowners sometimes add additional hardware in an attempt to reinforce their door. This does not typically address the underlying issue and is a good clue to investigate.

Seven: Is there any separation between any of the panels? Separation can occur for many reasons but typically indicates a rather serious issue due to some force being applied to the door. This can also happen when a garage door opener has to do more lifting than necessary. The counter balance system will be adjusted and hardware may need to be replaces, tightened or adjusted.

Eight: Does the door have a loose track system? In some cases it may just need to be tightened but it could indicate an alternate issue where the door performance has deteriorated over time.

Nine: Do the cables have the appropriate tension when the door is in the up position? Loose cables may have stretched over time but generally speaking this will require new pulleys/drums or spring adjustment or replacement. Loose cables will eventually get caught up in the tracks or rollers and break once worn.

Ten: Does the door balance? When raised to halfway in the opening the door should stay put not wanting to go up or down on its own. Depending on the findings the springs will need more or less tension.

So there it is, the top 10 things they see when approaching or inspecting your garage door. I left off the overall look of the door or it’s age because a 30 year old wooden door left in disrepair will look like, well, a 30 year old door in disrepair.

We’re just a phone call away if you need us.

Your Overhead Door Team – Of Rutland Vermont