Frequently Asked Questions

We would recommend hiring a technician to inspect your garage door if it’s having problems. Garage Doors have a few dangerous components, such as springs, hinges, and more that require trained hands to fix. However, if you would like to try to identify the problem, you can visit our Troubleshooting Tips page.

While tension can be added to a garage door torsion spring to extend its life, it is important to note that it is not uncommon for a spring to break shortly after it has been tensioned. Because of this, it is common that professionals will recommend changing the spring versus adding tension if the spring appears to be at the end of its lifecycle.

Replacing a garage door spring can take anywhere from about 20 minutes to an hour and a half, most commonly taking 30-45 minutes by a trained professional. This will all depend on the size and weight of the garage door, whether your system has one, two, or more springs, the size and weight of the door, and if there are other mechanisms that need to be repaired or replaced as well.

While it is possible to change or add tension to a torsion spring yourself, we always recommend that a trained professional perform the repair due to safety concerns. Whether it is a torsion spring system or an extension spring system, the springs carry quite a bit of torque and pressure. Springs can be very dangerous to work with unless trained properly, and the installation process can result in injury and/or damage to the garage door/opener system. The trained technicians will know the proper combination of springs that go on the door considering factors such as size, weight, manufacturer. They will have the proper tools, know how to install the springs properly, and know the proper amount of turns to put on the particular springs installed.

It is important to note that on a dual spring system, the springs will generally have the same lifecycle if they were originally installed at the same time. If one spring has broken, the second spring will more than likely break shortly after. We generally recommend changing both springs so an additional trip and labor fee is not needed in the near future.

A torsion spring system will be located at the top of the garage door, and an extension spring system will have a spring on each side of the garage door alongside the top track. Unless a safety cable is installed through the middle of an extension spring, it can be very dangerous. When they break, they are more likely to fly through the garage and can damage property or injure an individual. Torsion springs are installed with a torsion tube running through them, and when they break, they will stay in place.

We highly advise against operating a garage door with a broken spring. Because the spring is what does the lifting of the door, when one or more springs are broken, the door will be very heavy. If you have an automatic garage door opener, this will more than likely cause damage to the opener, as its function is to only assist the door in raising with minimum capacity for lifting heavy weight. Operating the door with a broken spring can also cause further damage to the door such as throwing it off its tracking, disconnecting from the cables, etc.

When a garage door spring breaks, it will generally make a loud pop noise. Many times, however, you will not be in the vicinity to hear these initial noises. A key sign to a broken spring is that the door will only raise a few inches, or not at all. If it does raise, it will more than likely be very heavy and difficult to lift because the spring is generally what does the lifting of the door. We recommend not operating the door until a trained professional comes out to replace the broken spring.

The most common signs that the garage door is in need of a tune-up is if it is noisy such as screeching sounds, or if it is jerky during operation. Our technicians will come and provide lubrication, any needed tightening of hinges/bolts, check the safety reversal system, and check the door for proper balancing. They will provide their expertise on ways to keep the door operating at its maximum potential and answer any questions you may have. We recommend a tune-up once yearly, and many times our customers talk about how a simple tune-up made such an improvement to the operation of their system.

It is recommended to lubricate the rollers, track, hinges, and all other moving parts on your garage door at least once per year. Please note that you will need a specific garage door lubricant, which will be different than many garage door opener lubricants.

Most of our professional-grade garage door openers will come with a one-year warranty on parts and installation. Depending on the model of the opener, there may be an extended warranty on certain parts on the opener such as the belt (on a belt drive), or a limited lifetime warranty on the motor itself, offered directly through the manufacturer. If an opener is purchased elsewhere and we install it, the warranty on installation through our company will generally be 30 days.

The most durable garage door openers are the professional-grade models such as LiftMaster Professional because they come with many upgrades as well as a solid steel rail that goes from the opener to the door for maximum durability and longevity versus contractor models that consist of a pieced-together rail comprised of plastic connectors. Today, most professional openers now come with significant upgrades such as battery backup, motion sensor light activation, and built-in Wi-Fi which allows for smartphone control with the myQ® app as well.

Both chain drive and belt drive garage door openers are wonderful options. The belt drive openers are known for being exceptionally quiet, especially the higher-end professional grade belt drive openers, such as the LiftMaster Professional. However, a high-end professional-grade chain drive opener may offer a little more longevity on a very heavy garage door.

The cost of repairing a garage door and/or opener system will vary depending on what needs to be done. Factors will include repair vs replace, and what all parts need to be considered.

We recommend doing a general tune-up on a garage door once per year at the minimum. We also recommend that as soon as you are aware you are having a problem, that you give our professionals a call to make an assessment because if the problem is not remedied quickly it can lead to additional needed repairs in the near future.

We install garage doors from manufacturers that produce high-quality, commercial-grade products. Many of these doors will come with a dual torsion spring system, steel ball-bearing rollers with a nylon coating for smooth operation, steel oversized hinges that hold the panels together, heavy-duty tracking, and high-quality paint finishes. A few of the manufacturers that we install the most of will be C.H.I., Door Link, and Amarr.

When looking for a new garage door, you first want to consider the quality of the door to be installed. We install garage doors produced by manufacturers that use commercial grade hardware and top quality steel for maximum performance and longevity.

When choosing the specific door for your home, there are many factors to consider. Are you interested in insulated or non-insulated? Windows or no windows? What type of design? (traditional raised panel/carriage house style/specialty design) What color works best? (traditional colors such as white, almond, sandstone, chocolate brown; or faux wood color). What is the size of the opening for the door? Should you purchase an automatic garage door opener to go with the door?

Many times a garage door can be installed on existing tracks if it is the same type of door being installed (ie: metal vs wood door) and the existing garage door tracks are still in great shape. However, our garage doors will generally come with all new tracking unless specified otherwise by our customers.

Our garage door tune-up is considered preventive maintenance and will include services such as lubrication of moving parts, tightening any loose bolts and screws, checking the door for proper balance, and checking the safety reversal system for proper functioning. Our technicians will take a look at your entire system as well and offer any education/tips, let you know if there are any potential hazards they see that need immediate attention, or if they have any suggestions as to how the system may operate at its fullest potential.

The longevity of a garage doors depends on many factors such as: the quality of the product originally installed, if routine maintenance has been performed, if the door has ever been damaged, and how often the system is used.

In regards to appearance, the material of the garage door is also a factor. If a wood garage door is in place, it may require re-staining/sealing every few years. In contrast, a steel door is mostly maintenance-free, aside from the mechanical parts that provide its functionality. At O’Brien, we install very high-quality garage doors that should last decades if maintained properly.

The brand WD-40 may be used on garage door tracking and the moving parts, HOWEVER, it will need to be the specific type that is silicone-based instead of water-based. If the incorrect lubricant is used, it will most likely cause problems with smooth operation in the near future. Lubrication on a garage door opener will vary, depending on what type of drive mechanism it has. Some may require a silicone lubricant, and some may require a low temp grease.

Garage door tracking and its moving parts (ie: tracking/rollers/hinges/spring) will need to be lubricated with a silicone-based lubricant instead of water-based. If the incorrect lubricant is used, it will most likely cause problems with smooth operation in the near future. Lubrication on a garage door opener will vary, depending on what type of drive mechanism it has. Some may require a silicone lubricant, and some may require a low temp grease.

In general, the springs that are on the door will be what do the lifting of the door, and the opener is in place to assist. We generally recommend at least a 1/2 Horse Power, and this is what most of our professional-grade openers are. If you have an oversized or exceptionally heavy door, you may want to consider a DC motor (not rated by horsepower but often compared to 3/4-1 HP) and consider the drive mechanism as well (chain drive/belt drive).

We generally recommend a garage door tune-up once a year. It is important to make sure that the system is running smoothly and is properly balanced so that it does not run into larger problems such as coming off of its track. Routine maintenance will also help keep the door running optimally and quietly.

The need to repair vs replace a garage door or automatic garage door opener will vary depending on the condition of the system. Our professionally trained technicians will always come to the home prepared to perform a repair when requested. A repair is the result of most of our service calls unless our customers prefer to replace the door/opener from the start. In rare cases a new door/opener may be recommended, as apposed to a repair, if the situation meets one of the following criteria: we are not able to perform a repair because parts are not manufactured anymore for the particular make/model, performing the repair may be dangerous or potentially not remedy the problem effectively, or it is more cost efficient to replace the door/opener.