In the current times, garage doors have become so convenient that you don’t notice how often you use them.
It’s all thanks to the mechanism that opens and closes your overhead doors for you, particularly the garage door opener.
Chain drive openers, in particular, are commonly used by homeowners with how cheap and reliable they are.
However, regular use gradually wears them down and if you don’t pay enough attention, you’ll find that your garage door isn’t working.
Of all the parts in the openers, the chain is often the cause of the malfunctions, especially if it’s gotten rusty, loose, or broken.
Fortunately for you, the chains are easy to fix if you’re feeling handy.
Here is an informative guide on how to fix a broken garage door opener chain.
Pinpoint the Source of the Problem
It is important to know which part is causing the problem first before doing repairs.
You might mistake a perfectly functional component for the cause and do more damage to your garage door.
1) Observe the performance of your opener first. Test how well your garage door opens and closes.
If the door is stalling or getting stuck, the likely culprits may be the chain, the carriage assembly, or the motor of the opener.
Determine which of these three mentioned is the source of the problem.
2) Close your garage door and disconnect the motor from the power outlet.
3) Check the chains first and inspect for rust and other damages. Also, see if the chains detached from the opener motor.
4) Check the carriage assembly next and examine for misplaced nuts.
5) Check the wires of the motor and make sure none is frayed or snapped.
If you’ve done all the steps above and singled out the chain as the source of the issue, here’s what you need to know on how to fix broken a garage door opener chain
Repairing a Rusty Chain
There are a lot of reasons why the chain is causing the garage door mechanism to malfunction.
The most likely problem is corrosion.
The chains are particularly vulnerable to corrosion since they are made of metal and are always exposed to air.
Lucky for you, this problem is easy to solve.
All you need to do is to lubricate the chains.
Put a bit of lubricant on a rag and use it to wipe off the built-up rust on the chain.
However, if the rust damage is too extensive on the chain, you may have to take it off the carriage assembly and get it soaked in the lubricant.
After a few hours, you can wipe off the loosened rust from the chain.
Make sure to also check the parts where the chains run through.
That’s because chain guides can also corrode over time, so you have to lubricate them to remove the rust.
Repairing a Slack Chain
Opener chains are typically slack to boost their performance.
But over time, the chain can get too loose as the door gets used.
If you see that your chain is sagging instead of just a bit slack, you have to return a bit of tension to it.
Before you start re-tightening the chain, make sure the door is firmly closed then pull on the red emergency cord to disengage the carriage assembly from the door.
1) Unbolt the chain’s anchor to the trolley.
2) Adjust the chain as needed. Make sure that there are no twists in the chain as you reposition it.
3) Reconnect the anchor to the trolley. Adjust the nuts until the chain has the right amount of tension and slack.
Watch this video for a more detailed demonstration on how to fix a broken garage door opener chain.
When you finish performing all the necessary repairs, check the performance of your garage door.
However, if the problems still persist, it’s time to call a trusted expert to deal with the issue.
Trust Overhead Door Repair Pros to Fix it
Rest your worries for we are here to fix your garage problems.
Overhead Door Repair Pros are always available to take your call and repair whatever is wrong with your garage door.
Our team of skilled technicians will be there in no time so your garage doors can get into working order again.
You can count on our expertise to diagnose and fix any problem your garage door is presenting.
So sit back and call (587) 804-2072 to let the pros handle it for you.
