Do it yourself (DIY) garage door repair

It doesn’t matter if it is a garage door repair in Redondo Beach, a garage door repair in Hermosa Beach, or a garage door repair in Rochester NY, overhead door with a problem, and that need to be repaired should not be used, Because using it and ignoring the problem can lead to few things: The door can completely get stuck, you are likely to create a bigger damage to the door, and above all – if you use a broken overhead garage door you may get injured.
There is nothing that worth the health and the safety of you and of your family. Trying to rush things, or ignoring a problem will not make it disappear. If your car need to be repaired, and you ignore it, will you expect the car to heal by itself? We didn’t think so.

Disclaimer

The information we bring here was gathered during more than 20 years of servicing garage doors in Redondo Beach and the area. But the area doesn’t really matter, because most garage doors are working almost the same way, and we will elaborate about that later in this article. But even that a garage door in Brooklyn New York can work like a garage door in Redondo, it does not mean that the Video you watched online will necessarily can be the solution to your problem. You should always use common sense, never guess or hope that you are doing the right thing, and no words, advises or tips written in this article can replace the opinion of a trained, licensed, and insured and experience garage door technician.
If you have a question, search, if you did not find the answer, ASK, that is why we are here for. To help you repair your garage door as quick as possible, but before that, in a safe way!

What garage door repairs can I do by myself?

Like many other questions, there isn’t one answer for that question. We met people who installed new garage door from A to Z without any previous experience in the garage door field, and at the same time we met people who damage their door and themselves while trying to perform a basic maintenance. So to try and answer this question with one clear answer will be impossible. Some people know how to build and repair things that others will not even consider trying, and others can have difficulties trying to replace the light bulb of the garage door opener.

The age of the online DIY Videos

In our days, it feel like everything is one click away, and you can find instruction to repair almost anything by yourself. There You Tube Garage Door Repair Videos that explain how to install a new garage door, and there Videos that even teach you how to build the door itself by yourself.
But the Videos can also be tricky, especially when the case is DIY garage door repair. And to explain that we will admit that even after 20 years in the industry, even we sometime surprised from things that we see, after we were sure that we already saw everything. We say that to tell you that if you watched someone explaining how to repair a torsion by doing it yourself, that does not mean that you are ready to replace your torsion spring. Every job is unique, and there are many garage doors in the market with different sizes, weights, materials, and more important – overhead doors which are installed in different garages.

The right part for the DIY job

For the non-professional person, different garage door parts may look the same. And it is easy to purchase the wrong part for your garage door. And for that we can say something that was learned after many years of repairing overhead doors from all kinds: THE PART MUST BE THE RIGHT PART! Not a part that “looks the same”, “may also work”, “It is almost similar” Etc…
If you will use the wrong part the door will not work perfectly, and it can be dangerous. We witnessed garage doors that was repaired with the wrong springs, and the way the door jumped, or a spring snapped is something that you just don’t want to experience.

The right tools for the DIY job

If you plan to repair your garage door by doing it yourself, make sure that you have the right tools for the job. For example, if you are planning to replace a torsion spring, whether it is a garage door repair in Rochester New York, or in Manhattan Beach California, there is only one right tool for the job, and it is professional torsion sticks. Do not try to improvise, or to save money because you think that you will only use the sticks once. The torsion springs are under a lot of tension, and a misuse of the toll, or wrong adjustment can end with bad and sad results.

Planning the DIY repair process

Plan ahead. Know what the steps of the repair are, and avoid surprises during the repair. You do not want to find in the middle of the repair that you are missing a part, a toll, or that you do not know what the next step is.
Learn and search and gather information about the repair you are about to perform, and fully understand the garage door mechanism and the way the door is operating. As we will explain later in this article, the garage doors may differ from each other, but the general idea of the way the doors operate is the same. And learning the way the doors work, can make it easier for you when you will perform the repair.

DIY and safety

No money or time is worth your health and your safety. If you are not sure what to do, stop immediately, Do it yourself garage door repair is not the time for trial and error. If you will guess, it may be dangerous. Overhead doors can weight hundreds of pounds, and the spring system is under a lot of tension. Put your safety before anything else.
Let everyone who use the door know that you are performing a job on the garage door, and of course disconnect the opener from the electricity before starting.
Again, nothing worth an injury. If you are not sure what to do contact a garage door company that will help you doing the right thing. We recommend a good post by Matalonco Garage Doors about garage door and safety.
You can also visit this Google+ community that help with DIY garage door repair.
We included favorite Videos that help you understand the problem and repair it. Once again, the Videos can only give you information, but the doors, the spring replacement, the opener installation and the overhead door installation you see in the Videos are about the particular door, and the particular garage where the door are. Your garage is probably different, and will require different methods. Always use common sense!

Torsion spring repair DIY

The spring system, torsion springs in this case, make it easy to lift open even the heaviest overhead doors, balance them, and prevent them from crushing to the ground. A torsion spring replacement is one of the most complicated repairs, and as most of the repairs can be dangerous. Make sure that you have the right torsion spring, the right tools, the required knowledge, and do not take unnecessary risk.
It is important to let you know that you must find the right spring for your garage door, and adjust it correctly with the right amount of tension. In rare cases you may need a different torsion spring from the previous spring, so make sure you purchase the right spring for your garage door.
Our recommendation: Avoid doing it yourself if possible.
Here is a Video which explain how to replace a torsion spring by DIY

 

 

Extension spring replacement DIY

Although replacing an extension spring consider to be easier than replacing a torsion spring, it is still a dangerous process, which can easily end with injury. Just like the case with the extension spring, you must locate the right spring for your door, and never use a spring that looks the same, or that you think it will be alright. There were a lot of calculations made by engineers, who calculated the right spring for that specific door.
When you replace extension spring, it may be a good chance to examine other parts of the door that may be damaged and you may want to consider to replace as well such as the cables and the pulleys.
Our recommendation: If possible, avoid replacing the extension spring by yourself.
Here is a Video which explain how to replace extension spring by DIY

 

 

Opener installation DIY

Before we get to the installation, you need to decide what opener you need. There are 3 common types of openers in the American market, the screw drive, the chain drive and the belt drive. There is a good article by Same Day Garage Door & Gate Repair Of Los Angeles that explain the differences between the openers, and which one will be the right opener for you.
Before you go ahead and plan to install the opener by yourself, you should know that if your garage door is not working perfectly manually – without the electric opener, you should not install the new opener. The way the overhead door work is that the opener is doing only small amount of lifting, and the spring system is doing the rest.
If this is a fresh opener installation – There was an opener installed before, make sure that there is an electric outlet, and that the way your garage is built allow an installation of a new garage door opener (The height of the ceiling, or things at the rail’s path).
We decided to include a Video which demonstrate how to install a Lift Master Chain drive opener, which considered to be one of the best openers, in terms of strength and loyalty. You can also go over the manual of this particular motor.
Our recommendations: Can be done in DIY, if there are no complications.
Here is a Video which explain how to install a new Lift-Master garage door opener

 

 

New garage door installation DIY

Before purchasing a new door to install by DIY, make sure that the frame is in good condition, and that the size of the open is in the right size for the door you intend to purchase. In general, installing a new garage door by yourself require a wide knowledge in the garage door field, the way the garage door operate, and a wide set of tools that most handymen do not possess.
Our recommendation: Avoid doing it yourself and contact a garage door installer in Redondo Beach.
Here is a video on how to install a new garage door by yourself

 

 

Safety sensors repair DIY

The safety sensors are there to protect you. Not only that installing a new garage door opener without a safety feature is dangerous, it is also breaking federal law. Safety sensors issue is one of the common garage door problems, and usually repairing it require a basic understanding of the safety sensors and the way they operate.
There are ways to get behind the need for safety sensors, and of course that we will not explain it here. But we will recommend you to avoid those methods at any cost. Yes, the opener will work fine even without them, but that one time that the safety sensors will protect you, a member of your family, a pet, your car or anything else that was placed under the closing door is worth it.
Beside the Video, we recommend you to visit one of the following pages which explain how to repair broken safety sensors:
General safety sensors issue.
Lift Master safety sensor.

Our recommendation: Try to repair it by yourself first, it may be a simple problem.

Here is a Video about safety sensors troubleshooting

 

 

Garage door maintenance DIY

Every overhead door need to be maintained. Even if the door is working fine and never needed repair, even if the door was just installed 2 years ago, even if you do not think that the door need to be maintained.
Many moving objects are included in the garage door mechanism, and they need to be lubricated twice a year to maintain the perfect way the door is working. A basic garage door maintenance does not require more than 20-45 minutes of your time, but it will improve the way your overhead door move, and it will protect and preserve its parts.
Disclaimer: The DIY maintenance is recommended for residential overhead doors. If you own a commercial heavy duty overhead garage door, we recommend that you will contact us for same day garage door service in Hermosa and the area, or a garage door company in your area.
Click to read more about garage door maintenance.
Our recommendation: Try to perform the maintenance by yourself, following the safety guidelines.
Here is Video which explain how to perform the garage door maintenance by yourself

 

 

How to repair noisy garage door DIY

In most cases, a deep lubrication should solve the problem, since the noise is usually created by old, rusted or lose parts, which need to be lubricated to make the door’s movement smooth again. As we said in most cases, the lubrication will solve the issue and decrease or eliminate the noise. But if the parts are damaged, such as completely rusted or broken roller, or a broken pulley, the lubrication may not be enough, and it will also require a garage door repair and replacement for the broken parts.
In some cases, the noise can come from another source, such as the opener, and the connection of the opener to the ceiling. In that case you need to isolate the bracket which hold the opener to the whole, by inserting an anti-vibration pad between the bracket and the ceiling.
Our recommendation: Can be done by doing it yourself, as long as the problem is lack of maintenance and lubrication, or due to lack of anti-vibration pad.
Here is a Video which explain how to repair a noisy garage door

 

Garage Door Repair Service in Redondo Beach California

If you decided that you prefer to use the services of a garage door company in Redondo Beach, instead of doing it by yourself, we will be happy to assist you. We offer same day garage door repair service in Redondo, Hermosa, Manhattan Beach and the area.
We carry with us parts and tools which allow us to repair 90% of the problems at first visit. We are doing our best to provide you with a quick and professional service, since we know how important it is for you and for your family to have a garage door which work fine and which is safe for use.
Here is A Video about our garage door service in Redondo Beach

 

 

1. Our overhead garage door service:
2. Emergency garage door repair.
3. Garage door opener repair.
4. Garage door spring repair.
5. Out of the tracks repairs.
6. Same day service.
7. New overhead door installation.
   
8. Repair service for all models.
9. Hinge repair.
10. Cable replacement.
11. Frame repair.
12. Commercial overhead doors repair.
13. Residential overhead doors repair.
14. Garage door maintenance and tune.
    
    

For Garage Door Repair Redondo Beach

Call Now: 310-461-8750