In order to make garage door motors operate as quietly as possible, many manufacturers use plastic gears. In order to prevent the garage door chain from breaking, manufacturers will use a metal chain as opposed to a rubber belt. Thus, you have a metal chain rubbing against plastic gears. As you might suspect, this can lead to problems as the metal chain grinds away at the plastic gears. To know if you have problems with the gears in your garage door motor, there are several things that you should look for. 

Take Time to Listen

If your garage door is behaving erratically, the first thing you should do is take time to listen to your garage door motor. If it is making the same noises it would make during normal operation, then you can determine that the motor itself is operating properly. On the other hand, if you hear whining or grinding, you may have a problem with the motor, which would then necessitate completely replacing your garage door motor. 

Watch the Door

If your door opens just fine, starts to close, then reverses direction, you do not have a problem with your gears. Instead, you have a problem with your motion sensors, which for some reason or sending a false positive signal to the motor. If your door opens or closes partway and then gets stuck, you have a problem with your garage door rails. If on the other hand, your door opens a little then stops, then opens some more, then stops, etc, you have a problem with missing teeth on your gears. Similarly, if your motor operates just fine, but your door does not move, your gears are stripped. 

Look for Snow

The last thing you should do when diagnosing problem gears is remove the cover that protects your garage door motor. If plastic shavings fall out of your motor like snow when the case is removed, then you know that your gears have been ground down. 

If you have basic skill with tools, you can find directions for the model of motor your door uses, buy replacement parts, and make your own repairs. On the other hand, if you doubt your skills, don't have the time, or otherwise don't have the ability to work on your own motor, then you can call a technician and tell them what you have learned about what ails your door so that they can bring the right parts to make a quick repair. Contact a company like Automatic Door Company for more information.