BROKEN BELT or LOOSE CHAIN
Garage door openers can be chain driven, belt driven and even screw driven. Belts on the belt drive garage door opener may become broken over time due to normal wear and tear. Chains on the chain drive garage door opener seldom breaks but may become loose due to broken gear and sprocket or stripped gear.
BROKEN BELT:
If the belt on your belt drive opener is broken, it is most likely caused by tension over time and just aging. Replacement of the belt can be done without replacing other parts but if your opener has other issues or is very old -replacing the opener may be a good or better option to consider.
LOOSE CHAIN:
If the chain on your chain drive is loose, it is most likely caused by the following conditions and we can replace the necessary part(s) as needed:
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Broken Gear and Sprocket - The gear and sprocket assembly is inside the cover of the garage door opener motor. This is the part that connects the motor to the chain or belt. Failure of the gear and sprocket can be from too much tension on the chain and age. Over time the sprocket can shear causing the chain and opener to stop working. Also, after several years, the garage door springs become weaker causing more stress on this particular part causing it to fail and wear out.
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Stripped Gear - The gear is located inside the actual opener, over time the gear will strip out and need to be replaced. The most common way for this to happen is trying to operate the garage door with a broken spring. Nonetheless, over time gears may strip due to normal wear and tear. The obvious sign is the opener will not lift the garage door and will make a humming sound.
If you see that your overhead garage door opening system has a broken belt or a loose or broken chain, call us for a replacement of the gear and sprocket on chain your chain drive or replacement of the belt on your belt drive. This should be done by a trained garage door service technician. Removing the cover exposes the electronic parts, that can be easily damaged if not done properly.