After a storm
Severe storms reach Bundaberg mostly between January and March, the council says, and they can come with little warning. Afterwards, look at the door from a distance before touching it. A new dent, a door that has jumped its track or a motor that strains are all reasons to stop using it and tell us the job.
Springs can go at any time, storm or not. B&D lists the signs as a loud bang, a door that suddenly feels much heavier, an opener that hums without lifting, stretched coils or a door that rises unevenly.
Roller door repairs
On a roller door, heat-treated helical springs in the drum carry the weight of the curtain, Steel-Line says. Springs lose tension over time, so a door that has slowly become harder to lift is often due for a door specialist to rebalance it rather than for a new motor.
B&D's opener manual has a simple check: now and then, disengage the opener and run the door by hand. B&D expects it to glide without catching and to need 20kg of force or less at the bottom rail. If it needs more, B&D says not to use it until it is fixed.
Floods and the garage
The council says the January 2013 Burnett River flood went through over 4,000 homes, with water up to 3 m deep in parts of North Bundaberg. If water has been in the garage, have the bottom rail, the tracks and the opener looked at before use, since B&D says an opener needs a dry spot protected from the weather.
Around Bundaberg
Bargara and Burnett Heads
Near the sea, rust shows first on hinges, springs and tracks, Steel-Line says. BlueScope suggests hosing a steel door down at least every six months, and more often where salt spray is common.
Timber and tin houses
If the door is on an older home in one of the council's character areas, mention it: the frame and the opening may be original.
Licence
Building work valued over $3,300 needs a licence in Queensland, which can apply once a repair becomes a replacement.
Servicing that keeps a door running
- Clean inside the guide tracks every three to six months, B&D's manual says, with a cloth dampened with mineral turps or methylated spirits
- Keep the tracks free of oil and grease
- Gliderol says its Glidermatic Heavy Duty and Dual openers need a service every 18 to 24 months to keep the 5 year motor warranty
- Wash salt and dirt off the panels regularly
What you can check yourself
You can
- Look the door over from a safe distance after a storm
- Clean the tracks and keep oil out of them
- Try the wall button if the remote stops working
Leave to a door specialist
- Springs, cables and roller door tension
- A door that has jumped its track
- Dents, bent panels and broken rollers
- Any new wiring, by a licensed electrician
What we would do
After a big storm, take photos of the door, the tracks and the motor before anyone touches them. They help if you make an insurance claim, and they let the door specialist see the job before arriving.