You might also like: Do Your Own Garage Door Opener Repair and Troubleshooting Check out these expert tips for easier installation and trouble-free operation. We'll clarify the instructions that are most important and pass along some pro advice that you won't find in the manual. Tip 1: Make sure the door parts are working If your garage door is opening slowly or making a lot of noise, the problem may not be your opener. buy a new one, check for broken or wobbly rollers and the bottom roller bracket yourself—the cable attached to it is under extreme tension. You'll need to call a pro. If you're replacing the rollers, get nylon rollers. They operate quieter than steel rollers and cost only a few bucks more. Next, check the torsion spring (mounted on the header above the door opening) to see if it's broken. breaks, you'll see a gap in the coils. pro to replace a broken spring. Read more on garage door opener repair and troubleshooting.

Tip 2: Check the door balance Make sure the door is balanced. door and pull the emergency release cord (always close the door first so it can't come crashing down!). about halfway up and let go. If it slides up or down, the torsion spring needs to be adjusted (or maybe even replaced). Adjusting the torsion spring is dangerous, so don't attempt it yourself (you could get seriously hurt). Tip 3: Choose the right opener When buying an opener, choose a 1/3 hp or 1/2 hp opener for a single garage door (1/3 hp can be hard to find at some home centers). Go with 1/2 hp for a double door and 3/4 hp for a door that has a wood or faux wood overlay (they can be heavy!). Openers have a set opening speed, so installing an opener with a higher horsepower won't open your door any faster. Openers are available with a chain drive, screw drive orChain drives (a long chain pulls the door open and closed) are the least expensive, but they're loud.

Screw drives (a long threaded rod drives a mechanismsliding screen door won't stay on track that opens and closes the door) are priced in the mid-patio door glass cat flapThey require the least maintenance, but they'relarson storm door frame not as quiet as belt drives. Belt drives (a rubber belt opens and closes the door) are the quietest, making them the best choice if you have living space above theThey're also the most expensive. Tip 4: Set the opener on a ladder for easier installation Follow the manufacturer's instructions to assemble the opener and mount the rail to the header bracket above theThen set the opener on a ladder where you're going toThe ladder (usually an 8-footer) holds the opener

in position while you measure for your lengths of angle iron. If necessary, put boards under the opener to raise it. Have the door open when you install the opener (clamp locking pliers onto the roller track below a roller to keep theIt's easier to align the opener with the center of the door when the door is open. Tip 5: Buy heavy-duty angle iron Garage door openers come with everything you need forBut the mounting straps that are included are often so flimsy that you can bend them with your hands. buy slotted angle iron at a hardware store. Cut it to size with a hacksaw. Angle iron provides a stronger installation and reduces vibration, which helps extend the opener's life span. unfinished garage, attach the angle iron directly to the face of a joist with 1-in. lag screws. For finished ceilings, attach angle iron along the bottom of a joist with 3-in. lag screws. Hang the opener using two more lengths of angle iron and

Use lock washers or thread-locking adhesive to keep vibration from loosening the nuts. Tip 6: Replace all the components Don't be tempted to reuse the old photoelectric eyes and wall button (opener button). The new photo eyes and wall button are designed to work with your new opener. If the wires that run from your opener to the photo eyes and to the wall button are exposed, replace them, too. wires have probably been in your garage for 10 years or more, and they may be nicked or worn. extremely sensitive and won't work if a wire is damaged. only takes about 15 minutes to run the new wire, so it's timeIf the wires are protected inside the wall, you don't need to run new wire. Tip 7: Check the door's opening force Your instructions probably don't cover checking the opening force. If your door encounters more than about 5 lbs. of resistance when it's opening, you want it to stop. The “resistance” could be your finger caught in the track.

To check the opening force, rest your foot on the door handle near the floor and open the door using the remote control. When the door lifts against your foot, it should stop with very little pressure. If the door continues to open, adjust the force. Tip 8: Fine-tune the opening and closing force The opener's instructions probably tell you to place a 2x4 on the floor under the center of the door, then close it. the door contacts the wood, it should stop and then reverse. Proper closing force ensures that if something is in the door's path, the door won't crush it. The locations of the opening and closing force adjustmentOur unit has two screws on the front. adjusting the opening or closing force, turn the screw only about 1/8 in., then recheck the force. If the door starts to open and then stops on its own, increase the opening force. Likewise, if it stops on its own while closing, increase the closing force. You might have to

make several small adjustments to get the force exactly how Tip 9: Use bulbs that handle vibration Garage door openers vibrate, so you'll need special light- bulbs that can handle it. Look for “rough service” or “garage door” on the label. Be sure to use the wattage specified in your manual. use a higher wattage, the heat could melt the plastic cover over the bulbs or even damage the circuit board inside the This is one place where LED or CFL bulbs aren't the bestLEDs have a low light output, and CFLs aren't designed to handle the vibration. And since the lights are on only briefly, the energy saved with these bulbs would be Tip 10: Fix a reversing door The most common problem with garage door openers is the door reversing when it's closing, even when there's nothing obvious obscuring the photoelectric eyes. force is adjusted correctly, then the problem is almost always the photoelectric eyes. The eyes are very sensitive—