“Name That Garage Door Equipment”

SPRINGS

  • Weak Springs: Most double or two-car garage doors use two springs to produce enough torque to counterbalance the weight gravity of the door, enabling easy lifting by hand or electric garage door opener. The average lifespan of a spring is approximately 10,000 cycles (open and close). That sounds like a lot, but consider that most homeowners use the garage door for everything from checking the mail to grabbing the morning paper, taking out the trash, letting the dog out or a number of other uses. Like any mechanical device, these springs gradually weaken and eventually break. A weak spring puts additional stress on your opener that can result in balance problems.
  • Broken Springs: While you may not visually notice that a spring is worn, if broken you can tell that they break in half. You’ll quickly realize something’s wrong when the garage door won’t open. Most people believe the problem is with the opener and will try repeatedly to open the door, which only causes more damage, wear and tear on the opener. Should the door raise only partially, please DO NOT pull the emergency release cord. Should a spring actually be broken, serious injury could result as the weight of the door brings it down rapidly. The emergency cord should only be used when the door is fully closed. Remember: if you can’t lift the door, neither can your garage door opener.
  • Replacing Springs: For garage doors that utilize a two-or-more spring system it is always recommended to replace all springs at the same time. Since the springs work in tandem, when one breaks, the others generally follow suit fairly soon. It’s less expensive to replace all the springs at once, thus avoiding multiple service calls.

ROLLERS

Rollers come in a variety of sizes and are generally constructed of steel and/or nylon heads. The majority of residential garage doors use 2 and 3-inch diameter rollers made with or without bearings. The number of bearings in the roller plays a significant role in the overall performance based on door weight and frequency of use. Make sure when you use the best garage door equipment when it comes to your home.

The actual stem attached to the roller will vary in length from 3 to 11 inches, predicated on door application. The average roller has a lifespan of 10-75,000 cycles with a weight load of 35-150 pounds per roller. A typical 7’ high garage door uses 10 rollers. Bi-annual lubrication of the rollers helps to achieve maximum service life.

HINGES

While hinges generally don’t suffer breakage, they are, like all parts, susceptible to wear and tear and will eventually require replacement. It’s not unusual to see stress cracks in older hinges, which leads to hinge failure. Available in different gauges, it’s important to note that hinges are numbered according to the specific offset required to mount them properly on the prescribed door section. Hinges are also used on center and end stiles to secure roller stems to the door. Garage Door Equipment like rollers, proper lubrication increases hinge life AND reduces operational noise.

WINDSTORM MITIGATION

Insurance companies offer many different discounts on homeowners insurance for those who meet specific criteria. However, many homeowners are missing out on substantial savings by having glass or non-impact sections on their garage doors. Garage Door Equipment is not super expensive and can be seen as a great investment.

RTS All American Garage Doors can show you how a one-time investment in a thicker, stronger and more durable wind mitigated garage door can provide a lifetime of savings. RTS All American Garage Doors ONLY sells insurance-approved wind mitigated garage doors, so you can be sure you’ll receive the maximum discounts offered by insurance providers.