If a truck or forklift knocks a sectional overhead door off track, stop using it, keep people clear and do not force it open or shut. Photograph the damage, note which parts moved, and secure the opening. Springs and cables hold the door's weight under tension, so a technician should handle the repair. Most roller, cable and spring jobs take a few hours.
A forklift clips the bottom section. A box truck backs into the door at the end of a shift. The door jams, the opener groans, and now the bay is out of use. This happens at shops, warehouses and service bays across Surrey, from industrial units in Newton to small commercial buildings in Cloverdale and Guildford.
Here is what to do, in order, and what the repair usually involves.
Stop using the door right away
A door that has been hit is no longer working as designed. Even if it still moves, something is out of line. Rollers may be out of the track. A section may be bent. A cable may have slipped off its drum.
Keep running it and the damage usually gets worse. A small bend becomes a section that needs replacing. A slipped cable becomes a door that drops on one side.
The first five minutes
Do these things before anyone touches the door.
- Keep people and vehicles out from under and beside the door.
- Turn off the opener or disconnect it from power so nobody presses the button.
- Photograph the door, the track, the vehicle and the area from several angles.
- Write down the time, who was driving and what struck the door.
- Put a sign or barrier at the door so the next shift does not try it.
The photos matter. They help with an insurance report, a strata report or a conversation with a tenant or carrier. Take them before anything is moved.
Why you should not force the door
A sectional door is heavy. The springs carry that weight, and they are under tension. The cables are under tension too. When track is bent or rollers are out, that tension is no longer balanced.
Pushing the door by hand or running the opener against a jam can bend more track, snap a cable, or burn out the operator. It can also make the door fall suddenly.
Do not loosen or remove spring parts, cable drums or track brackets yourself. That is work for a trained technician with the right tools.
What you can look at from a safe distance
You do not need to touch anything to gather useful information. Look for these signs and pass them on when you call.
- Rollers sitting outside the track instead of inside it.
- Track that is bent, pushed in, or pulled away from the wall.
- A bottom section that is dented, creased or scraping the floor.
- Cable that hangs loose or has come off the drum.
- A gap in the spring, or a spring that looks stretched or broken.
- A door that sits crooked, with one side higher than the other.
- Photo eyes knocked out of alignment near the floor.
This helps the technician bring the right parts on the first visit. A bent bottom section and a bent vertical track need different parts.
What the repair usually involves
The work depends on what was hit and how hard.
Rollers and track
If the door is simply off track, the fix may be resetting the rollers and straightening or replacing a short run of track. Worn rollers and hinges are often replaced at the same time, especially on a door that cycles all day.
Sections
A bent bottom section that scrapes the floor usually cannot be bent back and trusted. The section is replaced. Sections have to match the rest of the door, so lead time can depend on the door's make and style.
Springs and cables
If the hit broke a spring or pulled a cable off its drum, those parts are replaced and the door is rebalanced. A door that drops fast or will not stay up usually needs this.
How long it takes
Most spring, cable and roller repairs take a few hours. Jobs where sections or track must be replaced take longer. If parts have to be ordered, the door may need a temporary plan until they arrive.
Securing the opening while you wait
A door stuck half open is a security and weather problem, not just a traffic problem. October brings shorter days and more rain in Surrey, so water and wind can get into stock and floors.
Think through these points while you wait for a repair.
- Move stock and equipment away from the open bay.
- Decide how the opening will be watched or blocked overnight.
- Reroute deliveries to another door where you can.
- Tell tenants, residents or staff which door is out of service.
For strata complexes and multi-tenant buildings, tell the property manager early. A repair can often be planned around deliveries and tenant hours so the door is out of use for as little time as possible.
Reducing the chance of a repeat
Most hits happen at the same doors. Look at why.
- Tight turning space in front of the door.
- Poor lighting late in the day.
- Drivers new to the site.
- No floor markings or guards on the door jamb.
Bollards, wheel stops, clear floor markings and a quick briefing for new drivers cost little compared with a section and track replacement. Scheduled maintenance also helps. A door with tight, well-adjusted hardware tends to take a knock better than one already worn.
When to call a professional
Call a door technician any time a door has been hit and does not move freely, sits crooked, or has loose cable or a gap in the spring. Call even if the door still seems to work, because a hidden bend can fail later under load. If you are unsure what you are looking at, send the photos and describe what you see. A technician can tell you whether the door can stay closed safely until the repair visit.