Chicago is well-known for its deep-dish pizza, Al Capone and the mobster history, cultural gems, professional sports teams, and, you guessed it, its unpredictable weather. There is a reason why Chicago was honorably named Windy City. Besides often being a hindrance and a Herculean task when winter strikes, the typical Midwestern weather we Chicagoans experience has other implications, such as putting a strain on our home. A Chicago home should always keep up to date with current standards when it comes to window and roof replacement, proper thermal insulation, heating and cooling system maintenance, and excellent performance of your garage door – the most popular entrance in America. Because your garage door is utilized daily, sometimes a few times a day, it is vital that we keep it in perfect condition.
Let’s explore some of the most common garage door issues in Chicago and how we can fix the problem before it’s too late.
When cold weather invades our homes and general comfort, your garage door is not immune to the evil forces of temperatures that drop below zero. The metal parts of your garage door might begin contracting during frosty winter. The tightening of the metal might happen overnight and rapidly depending on the weather conditions, which might lead to your garage door track bending. Unfortunately, this is not usually an easy fix and can potentially become a severe problem requiring comprehensive and professional repairs.
Your garage door needs to be adequately winterized and maintained to avoid metal contractions. At BH Garage Door, we highly suggest keeping your garage door well-lubricated throughout the season and making sure that your garage door remains professionally cleaned year-round, especially during colder months.
One of the most common issues Chicago homeowners struggle with is a garage door that will simply not open. There are multiple reasons why this may happen, some of which you can troubleshoot yourself. Some of the explanations include problems with the remote battery or lack of power. You can try a different remote to see if that will fix the issue or the wall switch. Another reason why your garage door will not open might be due to objects jammed around the tracks or at the top of your garage door. In order to check whether the garage door opening malfunctions are because of your garage door opener or due to mechanical damages, you can try pulling the red string and see if the door will close manually. If yes, your garage door opener is likely at fault. If not, consider calling your garage door technician at BH Garage Door to inspect the mechanism. Some of the issues a pro can fix are a broken spring above the garage door or a broken gear in the operator.
Your garage door is likely experiencing issues that a professional should address if:
● The door responds to the opener but opens slightly before going back down. It could indicate a broken spring.
● You can hear the humming of your garage door operator, but nothing happens when you try closing or opening the garage.
● Whether there are any indications that your garage door is not safe.
You have probably experienced a garage door that will not close on a hot day, especially when direct sunlight interferes with your garage door safety eye. The sunbeams are an obstruction that is easy to fix but also tells us your garage door sensors are performing their job well. The only way you can close your garage door is by holding the wall button until the door reaches the ground. In order to avoid that issue, which usually happens every day around the same time during warmer months in Chicago, you can buy a sun shield for your garage door safety eye.
There are other reasons why your garage door will not close, some of which are more difficult to fix than others, often requiring professional help. The following you can try checking yourself if your garage door is not closing:
● Make sure there aren’t any obstructions in the way of your garage door tracks
● Your operator will blink ten times if your safety sensors are blocked or misaligned
● If your garage door is not closing but the operator is turning on, you might be having issues with a broken gear (requiring a pro to fix)
● Your garage door might be set to manual if you or someone else have pulled the red string, even if by accident
● Your garage door opener is malfunctioning or is broken
If you stumble upon any of the following, contact BH Garage Door immediately:
● Your garage door is moving downward, but the closing seems crooked, does not remain closed, or one side pulls up
● Your operator has a broken gear
● The chain is broken
● When your garage door does not seem safe
Contact BH Garage Door if you need a new opener or garage door replacement, or if you require professional opinion
Because of the unpredictability of Chicago weather, most homeowners opt for multiple panels when installing a garage door. For obvious reasons, having multiple panels is an excellent solution. However, it can result in moisture being trapped between the panels, which can and often will freeze when temperatures drop below zero. Accumulation of ice between door panels can lead to various problems, such as locking up of your garage door or inability to open them.
While trapped ice is a relatively easy fix, it might require a specialized force of heating source to melt the ice. Modern solutions in garage door technology provide thermal insulation adequate enough to prevent such issues from happening. It might be worth considering the next time you need to replace your garage door for an upgraded version.
If you struggle with any of the above issues, or if your sensors seem to fail, do not hesitate to contact our experts at BH Garage Door. We are leaders in the industry, providing comfort to homeowners in Chicagoland area.
