GARAGE DOORS EXPERT

Loose screws and the inconvenience of it all.

Garage door malfunctions can happen at any time, usually at the most inconvenient time. The system has many moving parts, and with time the harsh weather, some parts can get rusty and brake. The most common thing is to lose a screw or two that connects the garage door to the opener. Another common brake is the screws that hold the rollers in place. Those common loose and lost screws can cause a big inconvenience because that means that the door is not opening, or the door can get off the tracks. To prevent those little mishaps, you can do a self-system checking. You can routinely check all the screws and bolts just to make sure you are not missing any, or if you see that some of them are rusty, this is a great time to replace them before it becomes a significant inconvenience.

This week I visited two different clients that had similar issues with lost screws.

My first visit was with Rivka from Brighton, and she was the lucky of the two. She spotted the missing screws that were holding the rollers in place. So, before the garage door was losing more rollers and getting off the tracks, she called Mass Garage Doors, and we replaced the missing screws and tightened the rest of them. As in every case of repair, I checked the whole system, lubricated the system, and gave advice for future maintenance.

The other visit that I had this week that involved loose and lost screws was a bit less lucky. Mr. Dave called us because the garage door did not open, and as you can imagine, it happened at the worst time of the day…in the morning, as you are about to leave for work in the morning traffic.

All garage door systems have an emergency manual system, and by operating the door manually, I could send Mr. Dave from Westborough on his way.

The loose screws in Dave's case were the screws that connected the arm that attached the automated opener to the door that got disconnected. Again, those screws are small, but the job is mighty. So, while I was there, I attached the arm to the opener and did an overall system check to see if there were any signs of lost and loose screws. As always, I make sure to do a simple maintenance check-up to help my clients prevent that kind of inconvenience.

The best practice is to schedule a yearly service, so your garage door system is well lubricated and well maintained and all the screws are tight and present.