Compare DIY and Long Beach Garage Service Strut Repairs
If you have a garage door that uses torsion springs, you have a strut. This is what gives the door the structure needed to move up and down. Once it starts failing, you’ll notice that your door sags around the center. If you think that paying for a Long Beach garage service to fix the problem is too expensive, you can learn how to fix the strut yourself. Compare the steps you need to take to the benefits of working with a local company.
What Is a Garage Door Strut?
The next time that you open the garage door, look for U-shaped metal bars. You should also see metal hinges that keep the bars in place. These are the garage door struts, which add both support and structure to the door. Many doors have multiple sections that bend and flex as they open and move. The struts are responsible for keeping those sections in good shape. You don’t need to worry about the panels bending too much and breaking or cracking. The struts also when you have the door down and closed. They provide support to keep high winds from damaging the door. Garage door struts usually last for eight to 15 years.
Signs You Need New Struts
While you can call about a Long Beach garage door repair, you may want to check for signs that the problem is with the struts. The biggest sign is that you hear scraping sounds when you use the doors. This usually happens when the struts are off-center or misaligned. Another sign is when the door pops or makes a loud popping noise when you close it. If the struts are misaligned, they make this sound when they snap back into place. As these signs can also relate to your torsion springs or the baring plate, you should have a professional take a look at the door.
You also want to look at whether the garage door sags. As the struts fail, the door loses some of its support. If it completely fails, the door will have a hard time opening and closing. You may find that the door moves to one side when you raise it or that a large crack forms near the top. Fixing the problem requires fixing the strut.
How to Fix a Broken Strut
Fixing a broken strut usually requires a brand-new one. Choose the right size based on the size of your door. Most home garage doors in Long Beach need a 2-inch size. The only time you need the larger 3-inch size is when you have a door that is bigger than 16 feet wide. If you have a garage door that is bigger than 10 feet, you may need two struts. One strut is enough to support a smaller door.
Lower the door while standing inside the garage. Use a screwdriver to remove the hardware from the old strut and discard it. Open the new strut and remove it from the packaging. Line up the holes on the new strut with the existing holes in the door. If the old strut was loose, you may need to fill those holes with wood putty. The loose fit forces the screws to lean to one side, which can extend the size of the original holes. Allow the wood putty to cure for several hours or overnight before you continue.
If you need to install a strut on a new door or a door that never had one before, measure down 2 inches from the inside edge of the door. Always measure the size of the strut before you complete this step as some are slightly longer than 2 inches. Confirm that the rollers on the door fit into the tracks on each side. You may need to adjust the roller before you can work on the strut.
Whether you install a new one or replace a damaged one, always start in the center of the door. Add a screw to the center bracket and through to the wood or metal below. You can then move to one end of the strut and secure it with additional screws before you repeat this step on the opposite end. Return to the center of the strut and insert a screw into one of the openings on the side of the bar. You’ll notice that each side has a separate hole and that one is slightly higher than the other, which is normal. Tighten the screws through each opening until the door feels as stable as you need.
You’ll then need to insert and tighten one final screw near the bottom of the bar’s center. Some doors have multiple horizontal bars that go along with the strut. You’ll need to secure each one to the bar. A good installation company can fix broken struts on any garage doors in Long Beach.
Why Choose a Long Beach Garage Service?
Did you read the above steps and felt confused about what to do next? Maybe you aren’t sure what size strut you need or if you need more than one. Contact a Long Beach garage service company in your area, such as Precision Garage Door, as soon as possible. You get professional repair techs who can handle all aspects of the struts you want to repair or replace.
Some of the benefits of working with the pros include:
• The work they do comes backed by a dependable warranty.
• They can recommend a new strut if they see enough problems that indicate the old one can no longer meet your needs.
• You can schedule a full safety inspection to find out what your garage door needs and whether more repairs will make it work better for you.
• The techs can install a new garage door opener and anything else you need during the same appointment.
Another benefit is that you reduce the risk you might injure yourself. It’s easy to slip off a ladder when your kids or spouse distracts you. If you don’t have the right tools for the job, or you need help fixing a broken strut, talk to Precision Garage Door.
Replace or Fix Broken Garage Door Struts
Garage door struts are the main parts that protect the doors from wind damage, but they also add more stability when you open the door. While you can fix a broken strut yourself when you follow the right steps, turning to a Long Beach garage service company is usually a better option. Reach out today to see how you choose the right struts, get the dependable installation you need, and reduce the risk of injuring yourself.
