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What is the condition of my garage door?

It is essential that your garage door is in good working order prior to installing an electric opener. If it is not then the operator may not be capable of opening the door and, even if it is able to open it initially, the opener's working life will be reduced.

Most problems with poorly operating doors can be rectified at minimal cost. We will gladly supply spare garage door parts at trade prices if purchased with an operator.

The following descriptions should help you to determine the condition of your door: 

Retractable doors should be easily opened by one hand and the springs on either side should be at the same tension so that the door runs squarely in its tracks and rises without snagging. Check that the rollers in the tracks are rotating correctly and that they don't have flat spots or are clogged with old grease. 

Canopy doors a gentle push in the top half of the door should make it rise up without assistance so that the base of the door is at waist or chest level. Lifting the door the remainder of the way should require only a fairly light lift (this is the most common problem). Just as important is the effort required to close the door; if it is at all difficult then the operators safety reverse mechanism will kick in and the door will not close. Usually the large spring across the top of the door needs some kind of adjustment, if you don't feel up to tackling this beast then have the operator installed for you. Lastly, check that the rollers in the tracks are rotating correctly and that they don't have flat spots or are clogged with old grease. 

Side hinge doors should be easily opened with no obstructions or tight spots. Warped door will not be corrected by installing an opener!! Any rubbing frames will need to be trimmed and treated to prevent re-swelling of the wood.