FAQs

In our experience, most common torsion springs have an expected life of about 10,000 cycles. A cycle is one opening and one closing of the garage door. The steel spring experiences tremendous force each time the door opens or closes. Gradually, the steel fatigues with each flex and eventually cracks and breaks, usually releasing its stored energy in an instant with a loud noise or bang. 

If one spring breaks and they were both installed at the same time, it is likely that the other will not be far behind since they have the same wear and tear. For this reason, we suggest changing both springs at once to save you the expense of a second service trip. We always replace both if they are extension types.

In garage door repairs, most accidents occur during the replacement of springs. For this reason, it's essential that you leave this type of repair to professional garage door companies.

Your overhead garage door is the largest piece of moving equipment in your home. Many families use their garage door more than their front door. In order to ensure a properly working door and operator, you should have garage door services inspect and maintain your overhead garage door and operator every year. The noises your door or operator makes are your initial warnings that something is not quite right. The longer you put off the necessary service, the more damage may result. Regular service can extend the life of your door and operator.

If your garage door is having an issue going down and seems to reverse itself, check for blinking operator lights. This is usually a sign that the safety beams at the bottom of both sides of your garage door are having issues. Sometimes they just need to be cleaned off or have slight adjustments. As part of our garage door services, we can identify and fix the issue.

It depends on the model. Always refer to the owner’s manual for further instructions. In some cases, you can open the door from the inside using the red emergency release cord, which hangs from the mounted overhead opener. With the garage door fully closed, simply pulling the emergency cord straight down should release the door from the carriage, allowing you to operate the door manually.

If at all possible, do not release the garage door when open, except for emergency or security purposes, and close the door with caution. Opening the door from the outside requires an emergency release lock. If you need that lock installed or other garage door services, call today.

Before selecting an opener, you will need to determine the size (height, width, thickness) and type (steel, insulated, wood) of your garage door. This will determine the size of the motor and the type of drive needed to lift the door. You will also need to know the clearance above and on the sides of the door opening, which will help determine where to mount the opener.

Take note of the living spaces that are near or above the garage that may affect how quiet an opener you’ll want. Think about the safety devices, features, and accessories that you want so that your new garage door system fits your needs and preferences. When in doubt, you can get expert advice from garage door companies. Call All American Garage Door to find the right opener for you.

Yes, you can. Please call All American Garage Door to discuss what options we can provide if your garage door system does not have a smart-enabled device such as the LiftMaster MyQ. As part of our garage door services, we can upgrade your existing door.