Lowe’s home improvement expert, Mike Kraft, demonstrates how to maintain a garage door opener. To find the printable instructions for this video, visit www.Lowes.com First you need to determine what type of garage door opener system you have: Chain – Uses a metal chain to raise and lower the door Belt – Uses a steel reinforced belt and are typically very quiet Screw – Uses a threaded steel rod (usually tilt-up doors) Make sure to check the owner’s manuals first for maintenance instructions. The system Mike Kraft is working on today is a belt drive. Do a visual inspection of the key parts and check for any bent or loose parts. Tighten down any loose bolts or screws. Also replace old batteries in the remote and opener. If your garage door opener was manufactured after 1993, you will have auto-reverse and a photo electric eye functionality. Test these features every couple of months. To test the electric eye, open the garage door fully. Then close the door and wave an object, like a broom, in front of the eye beam. If the door doesn’t reverse and return to the open position, try wiping the eye with a dry soft cloth and check that the eyes are aligned. To test the auto reversal feature, open the door all the way and place a piece of wood on the floor. Now push the button. If it doesn’t automatically reverse when it hits the wood, your door might be out of balance. Contact a trained technician. If your door opener don’t have these safety features, you might want to invest in a …
