Maintenance Tips
R.J. Riteway Door Corporation offers emergency service 24 hours a day, scheduled
service and periodic maintenance plans.
There are routine safety and maintenance steps that you should follow once a
month. Review your owner's manual for the door opener. If you do not have an
owners manual, look for the opener model number on the back of the power unit
and request a manual from the manufacturer.
Take a few minutes to inspect and test your complete garage door system. Make
monthly inspection and testing a part of your regular routine. Safety is everyone's
business. Make garage door and garage door opener safety automatic in your home.
Garage Door Opener
| • |
Reversal Test |
| • |
Force Setting Test |
| • |
Additional Safety Devices |
Garage Door
| • |
Visual Inspection - Springs, Rollers, Pulleys, Cables and Track |
| • |
Lubrication |
| • |
Door Balance |
|
|
Make sure your opener has a reversing feature. If a reversing feature is not
present, it should be replaced. Garage door openers manufactured after January
1, 1993 are required by federal law to have advanced safety features which
comply with the latest U.L. 325 standards: Contact your manufacturer or installer
for additional information. Test the reversing feature every month. |
| • |
First, test the balance of the door (see "Testing
and Maintaining The Garage Door."). If the door is properly
balanced, then proceed. |
| • |
With the door fully open, place a 1-1/2" thich
piece of wood (a 2"x4" laid flat) on the floorin
the center of the door. |
| • |
Push the transmitter or wall button
to close the door. The door must reverse when it strikes the
wood. (Note that the bottom part of "one piece doors" must
be rigid so that the door will not close without reversing.) |
| • |
If the door does not have reverse, have it repaired or replaced.
Have a qualified individual adjust, repair or replace the opener
or door. |
Test the force setting of your garage door opener by holding the bottom
of the door as it closes. If the door does not reverse readily, the
force may be excessive and need adjusting. See your owners manual for
details on how to make the adjustment. Test the revesring feature after
any adjustment.
Many garage door openers can be equipped with additional safety devices.
Consider adding a photo eye or edge sensor as an extra measure of safety
to prevent against entrapment. Keep in mind that adding more safety
devices will not make an old opener meet current U.L. standards.
Make sure
the additional safety devices, such as photoeyes or edge sensors, are
properly installed and adjusted (see owner's manual).
Perform routine maintenance steps once a month. Review your owner's manual
for the garage door. If you don't have a manual, look for the model number
on the back of the door, or check the lock handle, hinges, or other hardware
for the manufacturer's name and request a manual from the manufacturer.
Look at the garage door springs, cables, rollers, pulleys, and other
door hardware for signs of wear. If you suspect problems, have a qualified
person make repairs.
Garage door springs, cables, brackets, and other hardware attached to
the springs, are under very high tension and, if handled improperly,
can cause serious injury. Only a qualified professional or a mechanically
experienced person carefully following the manufacturer's instructions
should adjust them. The torsion springs (the springs above the door)
should only be adjusted by a professional. Do not attempt to repair or
adjust the torsion springs yourself.
A restraining cable or other device
should be installed on the extension spring (the spring along the side
of the door) to help contain the spring
if it breaks.
Never remove, adjust or loosen the screws on the bottom brackets
of the door. These brackets are connected to the spring by the lift cable
and are under extreme tension.
Regularly lubricate the moving parts of the door. However, do not lubricate plastic
parts such as plastic rollers and plastic idler bearings. Consult the door owner's
manual for the manufacturer's recommendation.
Periodically test the balance of your door.
| • |
Start with the door closed |
| • |
If you have a garage door opener, use the release mechanism so
you can operate the door by hand when doing this test |
| • |
You should be able to lift the door smoothly and with little resistance.
It should stay open around three or four feet above the floor. If
it does not, it is out of adjustment. Have it adjusted by a qualified
service person. |
|
