Hi Ladies!
This is a VERY random question, but if any of you have a husband who is a mechanical engineer, would you be willing to ask him a question for me? It's related to our garage door opener...
We have a chain garage door on our house. I am assuming it's the original from when the house was first built in 1985. We have problems with the garage door sticking ONLY when: 1) it's going down 2) at the very top AND 3) only when it's WARM outside!!! It was sticking back in September/early October, but when the weather turned cold, it did not stick one single time! Now that it is warming up, it is starting to stick again. So my question is this: any idea why warm weather would cause a chain garage door to stick?
I can call a garage door company, but I figure they will probably just tell me I need a new garage door. Kind of like asking a dog if he wants a bone :)! I would love feedback from someone who has understanding of mechanics stuff because I DO NOT!!! Thank you SO much in advance for your help with this VERY random request for help!
it probably has more to do with the rollers and track than it does with the opener. Use some white lithium spray grease on the wheels and see if it helps.
My husband is a Mechanical Engineer but even he didn't know how to fix it-- or he thought he did and then broke the garage door opener.
We had a guy come fix it and he said that it has to do with the bottom sensor not the chain. When its warm the sun might be shinning on the senor and it causes it to make the garage door go up or stick. he said if you get out and shadow the senor from the sun that it will go down. He said don't mess with the buttons where the chain goes in because that just screws everything up. and after that it worked.
good luck!
Pardon me for saying so, but I just think it's a little sad that you assume that women can't be engineers. I know that's not answering your question, but I didn't want it to go unnoticed. I do hope you get answers to your problem, though!
Probably expansion of metal or, is your door wood? Could be expansion of the wood both on the door or on the door frame... right at the spot where the door and frame "meets" at the top.
You need to, as a matter of annual maintenance, apply a high quality lubrication oil to the rollers, chain, moving parts. NOT W-D 40... we have one that the actual garage door manufacturer installers use... commercial grade oil.
Or, was there at any time, any rain, wetness in the weather??? This could make the wood expand too.
Or... your house is settling... which means that house frames/line up of house frames, door frames etc., can get off alignment. THUS, sticking of doors.
So, it could either be just your garage door... or, the garage door sticking in conjunction to the garage door framing around the garage door opening... or swelling of the components.
Just my off the cuff guess.
A construction guy or the garage door service people, will be able to do a visual and figure it out... a mechanical engineer... not needed.
Next, can you clarify: is it ONLY the chain that is sticking... or the garage door too???
Good luck,
Susan
I'm not a ME, my dad is, but it doesn't matter. I worked for a Garage Door Installation company in college.
The sticking is your rollers and track. Part of it has to do with the swelling of the wood frame, the other part has to do with lack of lubrication.
Spray some WD-40 liberally on each of the rollers, make sure it gets into the cracks and the bearings. Raise and lower your door several times.
Is there a noticeable temperature difference between outside and inside your garage? If so, think about leaving the garage door open for a few hours a day to allow the frame to get acclimated.
The last resort is to adjust the settings on your garage door opener. Hopefully, you kept the instructions, if not, figure out what model you have and look online for the manual. There are very detailed instructions on how to adjust the settings. By this I mean the torque that it uses to pull or push the door (chain or screw drive).
Jope that helps. You shouldn't need to call a repairperson unless you just really get stuck (no pun intended).
It might have been greased with the wrong lubricant? Have you guys had it greased lately or not at all?
Don't have a mechanical engineer for a hubby but we did just have to deal with garage door problems!
We just went to a belt system from a chain system...our chain fell off! The belt system is so much quieter...should you ever choose to replace it...
P.S. I don't think the garage door people would say you need a new door...more like just a new garage door opener...which really aren't that expensive...we just got a great high powered one (we needed lots of power to lift our wood door) at Sears, it was a "craftsmen" for $250 + $50 for installation...just FYI!
I can't answer your question but I can refer you to a good and reputable garage door company. Call Wellborn Garage Door company if you have to resort to that. They will come and service the door and give you a complete analysis. They always have coupons in the Valupak you receive in the mail. Even if you do not have the coupon, when you call, you can ask and they will honor. Goodluck.
I'm certainly not a mechanical engineer, but I had the same problem with my garage door sticking and we called out a repairman. It worked for awhile and started sticking again. I got tired of dealing with the situation and decided to see if I could self diagnose. I got my husband's WD40 and sprayed the chain and it's been working since. Try that and see if it helps!
Hi, Its probably your wood siding around the outside of the door..this swells a tiny bit in wet weather and makes the door stick just a touch... you can move the tracks on the door inward a tiny bit...or give me a call...
try oiling all rollers on the door and the chain,any and all metal the door has contact with.
I am a mechanical engineer and it could be a number of things. One of the parts is expending. It could be the wood, the metal or both. In the winter the cold shrinks the parts that are causing you trouble and the door works good.
We've used A1 Garage Door Service too and we liked the work he did.
S.
I'm not a mechanical engineer either, but I think I have the same garage door problem that you do. When we bought our house, the previous home owners explained to us that when the sun hits the optical sensor (or whatever it is called) the door won't close. So on really sunny mornings, when the sun hits the sensor, the door will open, but it won't close. I have to stand outside the door so that my shadow blocks the sun from hitting the sensor. Then the door will close. Maybe give that a try.
I am a mechanical engineer. But I would recommend you call someone trained to fix garage doors. If the spring breaks it could be dangerous.
We use A1 Affordable Garage Door Services
www.RepairGarageDoors.com
###-###-####
They are very good and charges are reasonable.
Victoria
Our garage door did something similar and it turned out that it was "too tight". There should be a knob or something on the motor part that will turn and loosen it it. It would get too tight or loose when the weather would cool down, I'm not sure which, and start to not open. Or it would open and close but sometimes go back up like something had gotten in front of the sensor. See if yours has a way to loosen and tighten it. I would also go to home depot and lowes and ask there before calling a repairman out. They can be pretty helpful sometimes.
I'm not an engineer, but maybe it's due to the changes in the wood frame of the garage changing as the weather warms up due to moisture in the wood. ??? Maybe sealing the wood again with Thompson's water seal would help??? Not sure. good luck
Call Suburban Door ###-###-####. They are located here in Allen and I have used them twice. Trust me - they will not sell you a new door (motor) if you don't need one. They are honest, friendly, on time. We had a door that was sticking as well. I thought it was related to the cold - turned out it needed a new part. He was very honest. I wouldn't mess around with something as old as that.
Good luck.
M.
