Torsion vs. Extension Garage Door Springs: Which Do You Have and Which Is Better?
How to tell torsion from extension springs, a side-by-side comparison, lifespan, cost and Minnesota tips from a Twin Cities technician.
Wall-Mount (Jackshaft) Garage Door Openers: Is the LiftMaster 98022 Right for Your Garage?
When a wall-mount jackshaft opener makes sense, what your garage needs, and LiftMaster 98022 features, from a Twin Cities installer.
DoorLink 3640 Garage Door + LiftMaster Opener: A Real Twin Cities Install
A real job: an old garage door replaced with a DoorLink 3640 2-inch insulated steel door and a new LiftMaster opener on the same visit – what was included, ballpark prices and the $150 door + opener offer.
Low-Headroom Garage Doors and Track Radius (12″ vs 15″) Explained
What headroom and track radius mean, how much headroom each garage door setup needs, and the four ways to fit a door under a low Minnesota garage ceiling.
Garage Door Torsion Spring Sizing: Wire Size, IPPT and Cycle Life Explained (by a Minnesota Technician)
Key facts in 20 seconds A torsion spring is sized by four measurements: wire size, inside diameter, length and wind direction. Change any one and the door is out of balance. The spring must match the weight of the door, not its size. Two 16 x 7 doors can weigh 140 lb and 260 lb. […]
Why Minnesota Garage Door Cables and Bottom Brackets Rust and Snap (and How to Stop It)
Key facts in 20 seconds In Minnesota, garage door lift cables, bottom brackets and bottom rollers fail from the bottom up – road-salt slush drips off the car and sits on the lowest 12-24 inches of hardware. A cable that looks fine at eye level can be rusted to half its thickness at the bottom […]
Garage Door Stops Halfway or Opens a Few Inches and Quits? Read Where It Stops
Quick answer: A door that opens six inches and quits, or stops partway up and reverses, is usually the opener protecting itself from a door that has become too heavy or is binding. In order: a broken torsion spring (the “six-inch rule”), rusted rollers or tracks that bind – the Minnesota road-salt special – a […]
Garage Door Slams Shut or Closes Too Fast? Why It’s Urgent and What’s Broken
Quick answer: A garage door that slams down or drops faster than it used to has lost its counterbalance: the torsion spring is broken or worn out, a cable has snapped or jumped its drum, or on an older door an extension spring has let go. The opener is not designed to hold a 200-pound […]
Garage Door Opens by Itself? 6 Real Causes (and How to Make It Stop)
Quick answer: A garage door that opens on its own is almost always an electrical short or a stray signal, not a ghost and rarely a burglar. Check, in order: a remote button stuck under something in a car or a drawer, a shorted wall button or its wire (a staple through the low-voltage wire […]
Garage Door Remote or Keypad Not Working? 7 Fixes Before You Call
Quick answer: If the wall button works but the remote or keypad does not, it is almost never the opener itself. Check in this order: remote battery, the lock / vacation button on the wall console (the number-one cause David finds), a keypad that needs fresh batteries or reprogramming, and LED bulbs in the opener […]