Springs · October 2026
5 signs your garage door spring is about to break
Springs rarely break without warning. Look out for these signs:
1. A gap in the coils. Look at the spring above the door. Even a small gap in the coils is a crack that's starting to open.
2. The door feels heavy. Pull the release cord with the door fully closed and lift it by hand. A balanced door lifts easily and stays put halfway up. If it drops or feels like a dead weight, the springs have worn out.
3. The opener strains. If the motor sounds labored or the door hesitates when it starts to lift, the opener is doing work the springs should be doing.
4. Rust on the coils. This is common near the water in Kings Point and along Steamboat Road. Rust adds friction and speeds up metal fatigue.
5. The door is crooked as it moves. On extension-spring doors, one weak spring makes the door rise unevenly.
If you see any of these signs, don't wait for the bang. A planned spring replacement costs the same as an emergency one and saves you a morning stuck at home.
Openers · October 2026
Why your garage door reverses before it closes
A door that goes back up just before it reaches the floor is almost always the opener's safety system doing its job.
Check the sensors first. These are the two small eyes on each side of the door, about six inches off the floor. Wipe both lenses and make sure both indicator lights are steady. A blinking light means they're out of line, so loosen the wing nut, aim the sensor at its partner, and tighten it again.
Watch for low sun. In the early morning or late afternoon, sun shining straight into a sensor can blind it. A small hood over the sensor or swapping the two sensors' sides usually solves it.
Then check the door. A worn roller or a bent track adds friction, and the opener reads that as an obstruction. If the door feels rough when you run it by hand, that's a job for us, not for the force-adjustment screw.
Maintenance · October 2026
Getting your garage door ready for a North Shore winter
Cold weather is hard on garage doors. Springs are more likely to snap in the cold, grease stiffens, and rubber seals crack. Ten minutes in November saves a lot of trouble in January.
Lubricate. Use a garage-door spray lubricant on hinges, rollers and springs. Skip regular grease, which collects grit. Don't lubricate the tracks themselves.
Check the bottom seal. If you can see daylight under a closed door, the seal is worn. A new seal keeps out wind, water and mice.
Test the balance. Disconnect the opener with the door closed and lift it halfway. It should stay there. If it falls or shoots up, call for a spring adjustment before the cold arrives.
Test the safety reverse. Lay a roll of paper towels flat under the door and close it. The door should reverse as soon as it touches the roll.
Commercial · October 2026
Rolling gate care for Great Neck storefronts
A storefront gate on Middle Neck Road runs two cycles a day, every day. A little care keeps it from failing at opening time.
Keep the guides clean. Sweep out the side guides every month. Dirt and road salt build up there and make the gate drag.
Lubricate lightly. Use a dry silicone spray on the guides and a few drops of oil on the end locks. Heavy grease attracts dirt.
Notice the lift. If a manual gate is getting harder to lift, the spring tension is fading. Re-tensioning it early costs far less than replacing a broken spring.
Book a yearly check. A technician can catch worn slats, loose barrel bolts and motor brake problems before they turn into an emergency.