In detail: DIY repair of lifting gates from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.
Already you will not be surprised by the presence of automatic gates in garages or at the entrance to private territory. The undeniable usability of design and use makes this exterior element not just a whim, but a part of comfort, safety and style. However, nothing eternal has yet been invented, so even such an expensive product requires periodic maintenance and repair. In this article we will tell you about the main types of gates, the most "weak" points and how you can fix them.
During the operation of doors of any type, the components and mechanisms wear out. Also, breakdowns may occur that are not directly related to the opening or closing of the gate.
excessive increase in the input voltage in the network;
mechanical damage to the structure;
deformation due to bad weather conditions;
other unforeseen breakdowns.
To restore performance, primary diagnostics are required. You can do it yourself with a minimum set of tools. Most often, it is enough to have such a set:
multimeter;
set of screwdrivers;
set of wrenches;
sometimes you need a level or tape measure.
Almost any owner will be able to notice the breakdown, so it is hardly worth calling a team of repairmen and paying for their services before an independent inspection was carried out.
Each type of gate has its own problem areas. Therefore, it is necessary to control such nodes in accordance with the established option.
The least vulnerable type of construction is swing garage doors. They often do not have electric drives, so they can be installed in any garage, even the most remote from the power line.
Their design consists, as a rule, of two valves, less often of one. These halves are hung on a metal frame with hinges. There are designs with a built-in door in one of the parts of the door leaf. Although this option weakens the gate a little, it is an additional convenience for the owner of the premises.
The main problem during operation may be the reliability of the hinges. Due to this, the gate needs to be repaired.
Video (click to play).
displacement of the axes of the loops (occurs due to poor-quality welding or too large a mass of the canvas);
deformation of the sheet (may occur due to residual stresses in the metal or mechanical damage);
breakage of the hinge rod (poor-quality or insufficiently strong material of the hinges or a sharp dynamic load, which happens during severe frosts);
corrosive processes (occurring due to lack of lubrication or regular exposure to moisture);
weakening (the reason is stem wear or poor welding).
In each of these cases, the problem can be resolved on its own.
When the axes are shifted, it is necessary to cut off the canopies and weld on new ones or the same ones after accurate measurements and alignments along the axis. An additionally welded corner will help to avoid deformation. It will slightly weigh down the canvas, so it is required to select a material with a size of no more than 40x40 mm.
If the rods break down, they need to be replaced, most likely with more powerful ones that can withstand significant loads. To prevent the rod from sticking to the walls in the bore, it is necessary to regularly lubricate. You also need to select hinges with gaps of 0.2-0.3 mm. This will ensure good rotation without jamming, even with slight misalignments. Too large gaps can cause the hinges to loosen.
Hinged garage doors should not be left open for long.At this time, the hinges are subjected to power loads, and their deformation occurs.
The design of such gates is most popular among the owners of modern garages due to its versatility, maintainability, relative reliability and fairly high performance characteristics. Their installation requires an electrical connection.
Due to the large number of working units and mechanisms, this design has vulnerabilities. However, most breakdowns can be repaired on their own without resorting to outside help.
Arising design problems:
jamming or tight movement (the reason may lie in the deformation of the guides or some parts of the web, sometimes the reason is too much tension of the springs);
extraneous noise during closing / opening (happens when debris or foreign objects get between moving parts; squeaking or other sound may occur after the rollers or grooves are worn out, as well as when there is a lack of lubrication in the bearings);
breakage of cables or springs (occurs when the springs are excessively worn out, stretched along the axis; when the cable breaks, it is most likely that forces exceeding the calculation were applied, this often happens in mechanisms with a manual drive);
problems with the shaft on the drive drum (this is a non-maintenance unit that only requires replacement with a new part);
mechanical deformation of the guides (occurs during intensive use for a long time);
damage to the web (a bottleneck in the design of the web can be called the connecting nodes, which can become dirty over time and fail without proper cleaning, damage to the web itself from impacts or scratches also occurs).
The jamming issue can be resolved by loosening the tension spring. Also, with visible deformations, you can carry out a small straightening of the guides with a mallet. If there is an obvious need for this, the rollers or loops are changed. To get rid of a squeak or other noise, Litol lubrication of all moving parts is used. You can also tap on the guides to make them straight.
To avoid breaking the cable, do not turn the gear knob forcefully. If there is a break, then you can replace it yourself. Broken or significantly deformed guides need to be replaced. They can be dismantled on their own using a grinder, screwdriver or screwdriver.
Deformed door sections can be aligned. If it is not possible to return them to their original appearance, then the dismantling of individual parts is carried out. The problem may arise with the installation of new parts. This has to do with the choice of color. If there is no need to change the entire area, but you need to cover up the scratches, then there are special dyes to restore the coating. They are cheaper than a complete replacement.
In addition to mechanical damage, problems with the electrical part can arise. The solution in these situations is only to replace a single unit. Consider the options for breakdowns:
the movement of the web is jerky or with stops (an incorrectly configured control board leads to such a result; it must either be reconfigured or replaced, sometimes it is enough to lubricate problematic nodes that interfere with smooth movement);
closing / opening does not occur to the full (non-working limit switches responsible for turning on / off the power supply must be reconfigured or replaced);
the gates do not close (it is necessary to check the operation of the photocells responsible for blocking the movement of the sections in the event of obstacles, if necessary, they are replaced);
when pressing the remote control does not work, then the problem is in the receiving antenna, which can be brought closer, and there may also be a problem in the remote control, which needs to be replaced or reprogrammed.
Repair of garage shutters can also be carried out independently.The most popular problems with this design are replacing the mechanical spring or installing a new motor on an electric drive.
Other issues arising from the failure of such gates are extremely rare and are resolved purely individually in each case.
Automation changes only to the same model as originally installed. There is no need to make any "adjustments" to the structure. You can order a burned-out board or motor at a service center or from official suppliers. It is hardly possible to find suitable spare parts on the free sale.
You can repair any garage door yourself. To do this, you need to correctly diagnose and identify non-working nodes. Sometimes there are several breakdowns. In this case, you need to carefully consider the obvious symptoms, and eliminate all problems in turn.
A gate is a necessary part of any private building. Consider how to make a sectional door with your own hands, which differ not only in an affordable price, but also in excellent functionality.
Automatic sectional doors consist of several parts (sections), which are interconnected by special lifting and fastening clutches. Their main advantage, in comparison with other similar devices, is space saving. When opened, they rise to the very ceiling of the garage, so that they do not affect the space around them.
Photo - Construction of sectional garage doors
For such a lifting system, special springs are used, which, when the mechanism is operating, raise the gate and press it against the ceiling of the building. Most often they consist of a durable material that is resistant to aggressive factors. It can be corrugated board or sandwich panels, but wooden planks can also be used. Now models are becoming popular, consisting of several interconnected parts, which fold when closed. They are also called roller shutters.
Photo - overhead sectional gates Dorhan
Sectional doors consist of sheet panels, cables, shafts, drums and a spring mechanism, because of such a number of parts, their independent production is a rather laborious process. For uniform lifting and lowering of shutters, they must be fastened on both sides of the wall. For this, guides are installed on each side of the gate, which also act as a frame. For uniform movement on such gate shutters, peculiar bearings made of very durable plastic are attached to them. These balls provide a smooth and soft movement of the gate.
For quick lifting from the outside and inside, handles are used, which are also attached to the spring. No effort is needed to open the doors. when you press the handle, the roller shutters gradually begin to slide up, smoothly opening the passage. This is a great solution if you do not plan to install automation. But, if necessary, you can also connect an electric drive to the sections.
Advantages of sectional doors:
The beauty of the design. This lifting mechanism will organically fit into any garage design, no matter what material it is made of;
High burglar resistance. Due to the presence of spring mechanisms, lifting the gate from the outside is possible only when the lock is open. In other cases, you will not be able to break open the doors from the outside;
Thermal insulation. There are several types of sectional doors: roller shutters, up-and-over and sliding. The former are considered cold, because pass up to 50% of cold air into the room, the latter are known for their insulating properties, but at the same time they take up a lot of space, because do not open up, but to the side. The latter, and the most popular, open to the ceiling without taking up extra space, and when closed, they retain up to 80% of the heat in the garage;
Availability.Now the price for sectional garage doors ranges from $ 1,000, depending on the size and materials chosen. It should be noted that the savings are especially felt in the care (it is practically not required) and the durability of the structure.
Video: instructions for installing sectional doors