Eliminate Loud Noises and Unreliable Garage Door Operation

If your garage door squeaks, sticks, or refuses to open, you are facing more than a minor annoyance, it is a disruption to your daily routine and security. We understand the importance of reliable operation and address these issues to restore consistent access to your home. Contact Good Golly Garage Doors today to schedule a professional maintenance visit or inquire about our financing options for major repairs.

Homeowners in New River depend on their garage doors as the primary entrance to the home, and a malfunction can leave vehicles trapped or the house vulnerable. Our preventive maintenance services are designed to catch wear and tear before it evolves into a system failure.

• Prompt, scheduled service ensures you are not inconvenienced for long.
• Experienced technicians using high-quality parts for lasting repairs.
• Transparent pricing with no hidden fees.

All services are fully licensed, insured, and covered by applicable manufacturer and workmanship warranties, which typically apply for about one year, for your peace of mind.

What Is Included in Preventive Maintenance

A garage door is the largest moving object in your home, comprised of numerous mechanical parts under high tension. Over time, vibration and daily use cause these components to loosen, wear down, or become misaligned. Our preventive maintenance service is a comprehensive “tune-up” designed to reset the system to factory specifications.
When Good Golly Garage Doors performs a maintenance visit, we execute a rigorous multi-point inspection and adjustment protocol. We do not simply look at the door, we physically test and adjust every moving part.

• Comprehensive Safety Inspection: Safety is the priority. We test the auto-reverse mechanism to ensure the door retracts if it encounters an object. We also inspect the photo-eye sensors for alignment and cleanliness. Misaligned sensors are a common cause of doors that refuse to close, and we ensure they are communicating correctly with the opener.
• Hardware Tightening and Alignment: Vibration from opening and closing the door naturally loosens hardware over time. We inspect and tighten all roller brackets, hinges, and bolts. Loose hardware can cause the door to sag or shake during operation, leading to accelerated wear on the tracks and rollers. We also check the vertical and horizontal tracks for proper alignment. If the tracks are too tight or too loose, the door will bind, forcing the opener to work harder than necessary.
• Lubrication of Moving Parts: Friction is the enemy of garage door longevity. We apply professional-grade lubricants to rollers, hinges, springs, and bearings. This is not standard grease, which attracts New River dust and grit, but a specialized non-tacky lubricant that reduces friction and noise without creating a mess. Proper lubrication silences squeaks and allows the door to glide smoothly.
• Spring and Cable Check: The springs do the heavy lifting. We check the tension and balance of your torsion or extension springs. A properly balanced door should lift smoothly by hand and remain supported by the springs without drifting. If the balance is off, the opener bears the weight, leading to gear failure. We also inspect lift cables for fraying or kinking. Frayed cables are a serious safety concern and require attention.
• Opener Gear and Chain/Belt Adjustment: We inspect the garage door opener itself. This includes checking the drive chain or belt for proper tension. If a chain is too loose, it can slap against the rail, if it is too tight, it can wear out the sprocket. We also inspect the internal gears inside the motor housing, which can wear over time, to ensure they are in good condition.

The Maintenance Process: How We Work

Our goal is to make the maintenance process efficient and transparent. We follow a systematic approach to ensure no component is overlooked.

• Initial Assessment: The technician arrives and operates the door to listen for irregularities. We listen for grinding, scraping, or squealing noises that indicate specific mechanical issues.
• Visual Inspection: We visually scan the door panels, tracks, and springs for obvious signs of damage, such as cracks, rust, or bends.
• Balance Test: We disengage the automatic opener and operate the door manually. This reveals whether the springs are holding the correct tension and if the door moves freely in the tracks.
• Adjustment and Tightening: Starting from the hardware on the door panels and moving to the track system, we tighten every bolt and screw.
• Lubrication Application: We systematically lubricate the springs, rollers, and hinges. We advise on which parts require lubrication and which, like the tracks themselves, should only be cleaned.
• Opener Diagnostics: We run a diagnostic check on the opener’s logic board and motor functions. We also check the battery backup if the system is equipped with one.
• Final Safety Check: We perform the “2×4 test” or similar safety reversal tests to confirm the door meets current safety standards.
• Report and Recommendations: We provide a clear summary of what was adjusted and alert you to any parts that are nearing the end of their lifecycle.

When to Repair vs. Replace Components

During a maintenance visit, we may identify parts that are beyond a simple adjustment. Understanding when to repair a component versus when to replace the entire system helps you make cost-effective decisions.

Springs

• Repair/Adjustment: If the door is slightly heavy but the spring coils are intact, a tension adjustment is usually sufficient.
• Replacement: If a spring has a visible gap or is severely elongated, it cannot be repaired and must be replaced. Springs have a cycle life, usually 10,000 to 20,000 cycles. If you have high usage, we may recommend replacing springs proactively before they fail.

Rollers

• Repair: Sometimes a roller just needs lubrication to reduce noise.
• Replacement: If the roller wheel wobbles on the stem, is cracked, or has flat spots, it needs replacement. We often recommend upgrading from plastic rollers to nylon-coated steel rollers for quieter operation and longer life.

Openers

• Repair: We can often replace worn gears, capacitors, or logic boards on newer systems.
• Replacement: If the opener is over 10 to 15 years old, lacks modern safety sensors, or approaches the cost of a new opener to repair, replacement is often the better investment. Newer openers offer battery backups and smart-home connectivity.

Panels and Sections

• Repair: Minor dents or cosmetic issues can often be reinforced with a strut.
• Replacement: If a section is cracked, bent, or compromised structurally, it can cause the door to buckle. If the door model is still in production, we can replace just the damaged section rather than the whole door.

Why Professional Maintenance is Essential

Many homeowners view garage door maintenance as a DIY project, but the high-tension nature of the system involves significant risk. The torsion spring system acts as a counterbalance for a door weighing several hundred pounds. Attempting to adjust these springs or the bottom brackets without the proper tools and training can result in serious injury or property damage.

Professional maintenance ensures that the weight of the door is correctly matched to the lift capacity of the springs. When this balance is achieved, the electric opener acts as a guide rather than lifting the full weight of the door, which helps extend the life of the opener.

Additionally, professional technicians can identify developing issues. A small crack in a hinge or early cable wear may not be obvious to an untrained eye, but these can indicate future failure. Addressing them during scheduled maintenance helps reduce the likelihood of unexpected breakdowns.

Compliance and Standards

Local codes and safety standards evolve. Older garage doors may lack modern safety features required for resale or rental compliance. Our technicians are familiar with current safety regulations. We ensure that your reversal systems are calibrated correctly, helping improve safety for families with children or pets.

Differentiators: The Technical Edge

We approach garage door maintenance with a focus on longevity and precision. We do not just apply lubricant and leave, we analyze the geometry of the garage door system.

• Torque verification: We ensure fasteners are tightened to manufacturer specifications, helping reduce loosening over time.
• Sensor Alignment Precision: We use precise alignment techniques to help ensure sensors maintain signal even if the tracks shift slightly due to thermal expansion.
• High-Cycle Parts: When replacements are necessary, we advocate for high-cycle springs and sealed bearings that perform better in the dusty New River environment than standard builder-grade parts.

Our technicians carry commonly used replacement parts, allowing many issues identified during maintenance to be addressed during the same visit when appropriate.

Secure Your Home and Schedule Maintenance

A neglected garage door is a liability. It creates noise, poses safety risks, and can lead to costly repairs over time. By investing in preventive maintenance, you help ensure consistent operation, protect your vehicle and home, and extend the lifespan of the entire garage door system.

Rather than waiting for a malfunction, ensure your system is balanced, lubricated, and safe for daily use. Contact Good Golly Garage Doors to schedule preventive maintenance and keep your garage door operating smoothly.