The sliding glass door on many Sun City homes are not as secure as they appear to be. They ride on wheels that roll in the bottom track. To install them, they lift the door up into the upper track, rotate it into the lower track, and lower it down until the wheels contact the track. While this works well for installing the doors, it also allows unauthorized people to lift the door out and enter your home.
There is a very simple fix for this problem. Two screws driven into the upper track so that they protrude one half inch into the upper track above the door will prevent the door from being lifted enough to be removed. Just be sure that the screws don’t drag on the top of the door when it slides in the track.
Garage Door Maintenance
As our houses age, some of the parts will start to fail. One of the first will be the garage door spring that aids in opening and closing the garage door. These springs seem to have a life of 5-10 years in Sun City.
When the spring fails, the motor will not be able to lift the door. You can manually open and close the garage door by pulling down on the trolley release cord. The door will be very heavy to lift and you will need assistance. When you get the door to the full up position (horizontal), put a ‘C’ clamp or vise grip pliers on the track to block the guide wheels from moving. If you need to close the door, be aware that it is very heavy and will require two strong or three fit people to lower it gently. Do not attempt to close a door with a broken torsion spring without help. There are two springs mounted on the torque shaft located on the door header above the garage door. These springs will need to be replaced by a professional, as it can be very dangerous to wind the tension back into them.
When you have the broken springs replaced, ask about heavier-duty springs. There are several levels of springs from 10,000 cycles to 25,000 cycles to 50,000 cycles. If you go out three times each day, that is six cycles per day. This amounts to about 2200 cycles per year. A 10,000-cycle spring (the one that probably came with your house) should last about five years. A 25,000-cycle spring should last 11 years, and a 50,000-cycle spring should last 22 years.
There is some controversy about whether these springs should be lubricated. To settle the differing opinions I called the service department at Consolidated Garage Door. They were very adamant that these springs should not be lubricated. Most oils would attract dirt to the springs and could actually shorten the life.
Other components that do not require lubricant are the guide wheels. In Sun City, most of the wheels that roll up and down in the track to guide the door are made of nylon and should not be lubricated. If you have steel wheels with ball bearings, these should be lubricated with about three drops of oil or silicon spray. The lift cable that winds around the lift pulley on each end of the torque shaft also should not be lubricated except for a small amount at the attachment point at the bottom of the door.
The 15 hinges on the door should be lubricated with one or two drops of oil. To test if they need lubrication, pull the rope to disengage the trolley from the track and manually raise and lower the door. Listen for squeaks or rubbing of the hinges. Oiling should cure this problem and make your door run quietly. They will need lubrication about once a year.
To check that the door is lubricated and working properly, pull the release cord to disengage the trolley from the ‘T’ track. Open and close the door manually. It should operate smoothly and easily. Listen for any squeaks and noises. If you hear any, apply a drop of oil to the noisy hinge and test again. The door should be quiet as it rolls up and down. Reconnect the trolley by pushing the wall button or the remote and the chain will drive the trolley into the door, catch, and engage it.
The only other lubrication required is on the black ‘T’ bar that runs from the opener motor to the door. You should rub on a thin coat of lithium grease (available at Ace or a home center) on the bottom track where the trolley runs. Don’t use too much, as it may drip on your cars.
There is an electric eye that shines across the door opening at the bottom. This is there to stop and reverse the door should it encounter a foreign object like a grandchild. You should test this safety feature at least twice a year. To do this, raise the door using the wall button. Start it down with the button and walk toward the door and place your foot on the floor under it. The door should immediately stop and reverse when you break the beam of light. If it does not stop, the electric eye is defective and you should remove your foot immediately. Then call for service.
These simple maintenance items will keep your garage door working quietly and easily for many years.
Furniture Repair
Twice each year the Woodchucks open the shop and 30 members volunteer their time to repair loose chair rungs, loose table legs, broken picture frames, fix sticking drawers and other wood related repairs. This repair day is called Ask the Woodchucks and the next one will be held Wednesday, Oct. 16.
Registration is required. A sign-up sheet will be available starting Oct. 1 at the Meadow View Lodge member services desk.
• If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home submit them to ask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com
