Reasons for a slow-opening garage door
One of the most common issues with garage owners is – a slow opening garage door.
It can become frustrating when you’re in a hurry, and your garage door takes forever to open or close on a cold, windy morning.
With time, basic wear and tear may cause the door mechanism to slow down, which results in the slow opening and closing of a garage door.
However, there can be other factors, too –read this article to know them.
Understanding the signs
An average residential garage door is designed to shut/open at about seven inches in a second, which means your garage door should completely open or close within 15-20 seconds on an estimate.
However, if your door is taking more than 20 seconds to open or close completely, you may have a problem.
Reasons why your garage door is slow
While the reasons for a slow-opening garage door can be plenty, here are the most common ones:
Age: Age can be a crucial factor indetermining the effectiveness of your garage door. As with time, parts of your garage door may wear out,which results in decreased efficiency and slow working.
It is essential to periodically inspectthe parts for any damage and clean your garage door to prolong its life. If a specific part is malfunctioning, you may have to call an expert to replace or repair it.
Incorrect speed configuration: If you have an electronic automatic garage door, the chances are that it is programmed to open/close slowly as a safety precaution.
Check the user manual for any such settings or ways by which you can increase the speed of your garage door. If you think the procedure is too risky or complicated for you, call an expert.
Problems with the Automatic Opener:If you have a heavy garage door, make sure it has a compatible opening mechanism to ensure the system’s smooth functioning.
Many old garage openers had low horsepower that resulted in the slow/opening of the door.
Inadequate lubrication:Lack of lubrication is one reason why your garage door is not functioning correctly. Make sure to periodically lubricate your door’s moving parts, including the track, rollers, and hinges.
Additionally, lubricating your garage door will reduce friction between the parts, allowing you to smoothly open/close the door.
When to call an expert
You can clean and lubricate the parts of your garage door and observe if it improves the speed and performance.
In case you think there is some specific part of the door which has malfunctioned and needs a replacement – it’s best to call an expert. If it’s a problem with the automatic opener’s programming or low horsepower, the service expert will accurately diagnose the exact issues and suggest the most viable solution.