Tag: maintain garage doors

Garage doors grow increasingly loud over time, struggling to move up and down as rollers and other components wear. Even garage doors in new homes can experience these issues, because builder grade components, including cheap plastic rollers, often deteriorate in just a couple of years. Luckily, you can quickly and inexpensively replace these sub-par rollers. In fact, your local garage door repair company will typically install them when performing garage door service and maintenance.

There are Many Benefits to Upgrading Garage Door Rollers

When it’s time to replace your garage door rollers, you may be pleasantly surprised to discover what you gain from purchasing rollers that are a step up in quality from standard plastic rollers. Rollers with ball bearings offer:

• Longer working life.
  Ball bearing style garage door rollers are designed to prevent wear, requiring less frequent replacement and helping you avoid unexpected repairs at inopportune times.
• Smoother, more quiet operation.
  Ball bearings create less friction, providing a smoother roll for unobtrusive, nearly noiseless garage door operation. Learn more ways to ensure a quiet garage door.
• Reduced maintenance.
  Plastic rollers are prone to frequent problems, running off track and prematurely wearing door components like gears, sprockets, and belts. The smoother operation of ball bearing rollers, however, prevent this costly domino effect of garage door repairs.

Which Garage Door Roller Options Are Best

Plastic rollers, which are a low-cost solution for home builders and often found in economy garage door kits, are not built for performance. For just a few dollars more – less than a trip to the gas station – you can upgrade to 10 or 13 nylon and steel ball bearing rollers, significantly improving your garage door performance. A top seller and best for most applications, 13 ball bearing rollers cost nominally more, but provide smoother, quieter operation, lasting 20,000 cycles (2-3 times the life of standard rollers). These rollers also reduce stress on your automatic opener and door components, distributing the weight load of your garage door more evenly.

Stop the shake, rattle, and roll. Schedule a garage door roller upgrade and ensure smooth, quiet garage door operation in your El Cerrito, Fairfield, Lafayette, Oakland, Berkeley, Vallejo, Hercules, Walnut Creek, or Pleasanton home. Call Madden Door & Sons at 925-208-4907 or fill out our online service form today.

DIY Garage Door Spring Replacement is Dangerous

Are you thinking of replacing your garage door springs yourself? An item that experiences everyday wear and tear, springs commonly require replacement, wearing out about every 4-8 years with frequent use. However, despite the routine nature of spring requirement, this is not a DIY job. Garage door spring and cable injuries take a toll on over 2,000 Americans annually. Many of these injuries are quite severe due to the heavy weight of garage doors, which average 200-500 pounds.

A Number of Safety Issues Accompany DIY Door Spring Replacement

What makes DIY garage door spring replacement so dangerous? Garage doors don’t fall simply due to worn springs. When well-meaning DIY homeowners use the wrong tools, dismantle components incorrectly, or install the wrong size replacement springs, these inadvertent errors can cause accelerated or immediate breakage in which heavy garage doors unexpectedly come crashing down. Learn more about common garage door repairs and which ones you should leave to the pros.

Door Spring Replacement is Harder and More Dangerous than it Looks

Though measuring garage door springs and replacing them with new ones from your area home improvement store may seem cut and dried, it is not. Springs the same length as those currently supporting your door may be different in diameter, strength, and weight capacity. Even for professionals, it takes a lot of experience to identify the correct replacement springs, as it is difficult to differentiate between springs merely by looking at them. It is also not uncommon for well-meaning homeowners to require the help of a garage door service professional (after wasting an entire day of work) because the task of swapping out the springs turns out to be much harder than expected.

Ensure the safety of your family and loved ones. Replace garage door springs and cables safely with the help of Madden Door & Sons. Contact us at 925-925-4580 to schedule service for the garage door at your El Cerrito, Fairfield, Lafayette, Oakland, Berkeley, Vallejo, Hercules, Walnut Creek, or Pleasanton home today.