Three Signs That You Should Get The Belt On Your Belt Drive Garage Door Opener Checked Out
While a belt drive garage door opener is generally more expensive than its chain drive counterpart, the main plus side of getting one is reduced noise when it's operating. If you want to maintain this noise advantage as long as possible, it's necessary to head off any problems that develop with the central belt that gets pulled by the motor as soon as possible. If you notice any of these three signs, don't procrastinate getting the belt on your belt drive garage door opener checked out.
You Can See More Than One Tear In The Rubber
Even though central garage door belts have to be very strong in order to move a large garage door, they're still prone to getting tears from time to time. In fact, more than one major tear on the rubber surface is a very good sign that the belt is getting old and needs to be replaced.
Every once in awhile, drag a chair into your garage so that you can stand on it to examine the belt from all sides. Especially if any of the tears you see are serious enough to expose the metal underneath the belt, hire a technician to look at your garage door opener as soon as possible.
You Start Hearing Metal Screeching From The Motor Box
A healthy belt drive garage door opener won't make any excruciating screeching sounds when it's in operation. While the whole process of opening and closing a garage door will still lead to a significant amount of noise, none of the noises should be of metal grinding on metal.
If you suddenly start hearing such a grinding sound, there's ample reason to be concerned. There's a good chance that the sound means the belt is no longer flexible enough to travel in and out of the garage door motor box smoothly. When the belt folds up in an inappropriate way in its storage space, so much pressure is put on the moving parts in the motor box that metal grinding sounds have a good chance of occurring. In this case, immediate repair work is essential.
The Belt Is Too Loose When The Garage Door Is In The Down Position
While stiffness and inflexibility in a garage door opener belt is a big problem, excessive looseness when the belt is stretched over the upper part of your garage can potentially lead to even more painful grinding sounds from the door's connecting trolley. Therefore, while the door is in the down position and you're checking the belt for tears, you should also spread your hands over the part of the belt next to the trolley and ensure that it doesn't move around too much.
If you notice any of these signs, it's important to have your garage door checked out by a specialist, such as those at Raynor Door Company. They will have the experience and tools necessary to safely repair your door.
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