Q:  What are some common reasons you get called out for a garage door repair?

A:  Broken spring replacement is the most common reason for a garage door repair.  Broken cables, stripped opener gears, seized bearings, misaligned safety eyes, and track that needs adjustment are also very common.

Q:  Why won’t my garage door open?

A: It probably has a broken spring.  All garage doors are lifted by a spring that counter balances the weight of the door, making it feel light.  Springs break from usage, usually after about 10,000 lifts.  It is clearly visible when a standard torsion spring has broken.

There is a different spring system call the “TorqueMaster” where the spring is inside of a tube and is not visible.  It is most common on homes built during that last 20 years. 

Wayne Dalton TorqueMaster garage door spring
If your garage door spring looks like this it is a TorqueMaster

You cannot see the broken spring when a TorqueMaster fails.  You can confirm it is broken by lifting your door manually.  If it feels heavier than just a couple pounds you know it has broken.

Q:  Why won’t my garage door close?

A:  It is probably a problem with the safety sensors.  Check out Beez Guide to IR Safety Sensors for everything you ever wanted to know and more.  It could also be a problem with the door or opener but I recommend looking at the sensors first.  

Q:  How long do springs last?

A: I carry 20,000 cycle springs (a cycle being one time up and down), but many garage door companies carry 10,000 cycle springs.  And often times the door that was installed when a home was built has a TorqueMaster spring system that lasts even fewer cycles than that.

Q:  Can I make my garage door springs last longer?

A: Yes, you can have “high cycle” springs installed. 

Q:  My spring is fine but it still won’t open.  The opener makes noise but it won’t lift the door.  What happened?

A: Your opener probably has a stripped gear.  This eventually happens to all LiftMaster, Chamberlain, and Sears-Craftsman chain drive openers.  In most cases it can be repaired, but it is also a good time for a new opener, especially if the existing unit is more than 15 years old.

Q:  What type of maintenance should I be doing?

A:  This depends on your door.  If you have an old wood door, there are a few critical points of maintenance.  The hinges will probably need to be tightened once a year.  And it is critical for the bottom seal to be in good condition so your door doesn’t soak up water and start to rot.  Keeping it well painted to prevent water damage is also very important.

Steel doors require less maintenance.  Of course, there are parts on all garage doors that will eventually wear out and its best to replace them before they fail.

Q:  How often should I have my door serviced by a professional?

A: I recommend having a tune up done after a 2,000 lift break in period, and every 5,000 lifts thereafter.  If your door gets opened a typical amount (five times each day), you should get it tuned up once every three years or so.

Q:  How can I make my garage door seal better on the floor?

A:  Having a new bottom rubber installed may improve the seal, especially if the old one is worn out and cracked.  But, if your floor is uneven it may be virtually impossible to get it to seal.  Depending on your particular garage floor it may be able to straighten the high concrete to improve the seal.

Q:  What sizes are considered “standard”?

A:  The most common residential sizes are (width x height): 8’x7′, 9’x7′, 16’x7′.  8’x8′, 9’x8′, and 16’x8′ are also common sizes.

Q:  What if my garage door is a non-standard size?

A:  No problem!  You can have a door made to just about any width. 

Height is a little trickier.  Most models are available in 3″ increments.  Heights of 6’6″, 6’9″, 7’6″, 8’3″, 8’6″ are readily available.  The one height that may be hard to find is 7’3″ (because it requires a 24″ tall section which many manufacturers do not offer in their standard residential models).

Q:  What is the lead time to have a new garage door installed?

A: Lead times have improved since the chaos of the pandemic.  Standard doors are back to a 2-4 week order time in most cases.

Q:  How long does the actual installation take?

A:  Most garage doors take around four hours to install.  Openers usually take one to two hours.  Typical installations are completed in one day.

Q:  What materials are garage doors made of?

A:  By far the most popular choice is steel.  Insulation options range from non-insulated at the low end to fully insulated with a steel back (most popular).  The most common insulation is polystyrene, but if you want a REALLY well insulated door, there are polyurethane insulated options that can have R-values in excess of 15.

Q:  Can I get a wood garage door?

A:  Yes you can.  But remember, wood doors do require more maintenance.  And they are no longer mass produced so it will be a custom order which makes it more expensive.  They also don’t insulate your garage very well.

A better option for many homeowners is a steel door with a realistic woodgrain paint job.  These doors are beautiful, durable, and affordable.  Most people think they are made of wood until they touch it and feel the metal.

Q:  What is the most popular door you sell?

A:  The Lincoln 3000 from Amarr is the most popular door we sell.

Q:  What door colors are available?

A:  Most manufacturers offer several factory colors, but it varies by brand.  You should be able to find black, brown, green, grey, sandstone, etc.  

Amarr can paint your door with most Sherwin Williams colors, see their ColorZone chart for a complete list. 

Q:  Can my garage door be made quieter?

A:  As far as the garage door is concerned, new rollers and bearings, along with lubrication, can make a big difference.

But, most of the noise you hear inside the house usually comes from the garage door opener, especially those with an A/C motor. D/C Belt drive openers are so quiet that often times they cannot be heard in the house.

Q:  How long do you warranty your work?

A:  Most of the garage door parts that we carry are covered by a five year warranty against failure.  The labor associated with installation of said parts is also covered by a five year warranty.  And we always try to be accommodating if there is any concern regarding work we have done — as a matter of principal we never force customers to pay a service charge to have us come back and take a look at something in question. We stand by our work.

Call or Text 503-545-5762

info@beezgaragedoors.com

Information Request

Fill out this easy contact form to get a quote, schedule a service call, or if you would like information about pricing, free troubleshooting help, etc.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.