Garage Doors & Openers From A to Z

Garage doors benefit from preventative maintenance to avoid costly repairs down the line.
Preventative maintenance like lubricating doors, tightening bolts and adjusting spring tension will help prolong the life of your garage door.

Garage Doors and Openers: Repairs to Keep in Mind Before Your Home Inspection

In this episode of Home Inspections from A to Z we take a look at common flags surrounding your garage doors and openers. From a photo eye sensor to weather seals, routine maintenance will help avoid costly repairs.

Garage doors are often overlooked when it comes to routine maintenance and repairs. However, they are still an essential part of our home and will be looked at during the home inspection process. The majority of older homes also have older garage doors, openers and sensors, initially installed when the house was built. Home Inspectors can easily detect this and often look for issues in this area relating to your garage openers. Including safety items like a photo eye sensor and weather seals will help avoid any flags. And the good news is that most of these flags are qwik-fixes and inexpensive to repair!

Photo eye sensor ensures that the garage door stops or reverses if something is in the way.
Photo eye sensor should be placed 6 inches above ground, in order to properly ensure that the garage door will stop or reverse direction if anything comes into its path while closing.

Photo Eye Sensor

Your garage door is first on the list in this area. If your garage door won’t open or seems to have a mind of its own, it can be due to a number of reasons. One to look at specifically is the photo eye sensor. A photo eye sensor controls the movement of your garage door. Loose or spliced wires connected to your sensor can cause a lagging connection. The tell tale signs is when having to hold the button down to open or close the door. Another factor to consider is the positioning of your photo eye sensor. Many photo eye sensors are adjustable and should be placed 6 inches above the ground. One that is positioned too high or too low will be called out in a home inspection. 

Garage door seals help keep your garage opener in good condition to avoid insects or debris.
Garage door seals, also known as weatherstripping, help keep insects and debris out of the garage. While also keeping rain and cold air from seeping through the cracks around the garage door.

Weather Stripping

Another common flag is weather stripping. Your weather seal helps to keep moisture, rodents, and other debris outside of the garage. It also helps protect garage door rollers. Seals that have been chewed through or deteriorated over time will be flagged! Garage door cable repair or roller repair could be needed if weather stripping has caused any damage. It could also be as simple as the replacement of a new sealant.

How the QwikFix Can Help

Do you need a quote on a home inspection report? Whether it’s an issue with your garage door or something totally different, TheQwikFix provides you with an accurate quote for repairs in 24 hours or less. Learn more and get your quote today!