Your home most likely has one of two types of garage door openers, with it being either chain driven or belt driven. Many homeowners love the belt driven garage door because it operates much quieter than the chain driven counterpart. However, it will only stay quiet if you fix small problems before they become large ones. Here is what you should be looking for to tell if your garage door opener belt drive needs to be replaced.

The Rubber Belt Has Tears

A belt must be incredibly strong to move your garage door, but it can still become damaged from everyday use. If you start noticing small tears on the belt, it's an indication that you should have it replaced.

You can inspect the belt by getting out a step ladder to get a close look at the rubber belt from every side. If the tear is large enough that you can see the metal exposed within the belt, you'll want to hire a professional to replace the belt for you.

The Opener Makes A Screeching Sound

If the belt drive is in good shape, it will not make any loud sound when you're operating the door. While it does make noise, it won't be the loud screeching sounds of metal rubbing against metal. Be concerned if you start hearing these sounds since it is an indication that something is wrong.

The main concern is that the belt has lost its flexibility to move within the opener's motor box smoothly. The belt can fold up in a way that puts pressure on moving parts, and creates that annoying grinding sound that you're hearing. Contact a professional immediately, because this problem is causing damage to the opener.

The Rubber Belt Looks Loose

The garage door's rubber belt shouldn't be too loose or too tight. You can inspect the looseness of the belt at the same time as you are inspecting for tears. With the door in the closed position, try placing your hand on top of the rubber belt near the trolley, and see if the belt easily moves around. If it is, the belt is too loose. Ignoring the problem will eventually cause more loud noises that sound like grinding, which is due to too much stress being put on other parts.

If you have any concerns that your automatic garage door is not in the best shape, have it looked at by a local broken garage door repair contractor.

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