Before moving into your first home, it's a good idea to brush up on your basic repair and replacement knowledge. Knowing how to fix and replace things around the home can save you a lot of money and keep your home in great shape. In addition to understanding a few things about HVAC systems, repairing holes in gypsum board and basic plumbing tips, you should know how to repair and replace certain parts of your roller door.

Here are two critical parts and tips on how to assess and replace them:

1. Safety Sensors

The safety sensors on your roller door detect if anything is in the way of the door, and if so, they stop it from closing. These sensors could easily save the life of your child or one of your pets, and it is critical that the sensors are working correctly.

To test your safety sensors, roll a ball under your roller door as it is closing. It should sense the ball and retract. If it doesn't, invest in new safety sensors.

To remove the faulty safety sensor, turn off the power to the door, and take off the wing nut that is holding the sensor in place. Cut the wire and pull the sensor off. Then, install the new sensor in the same spot and connect it to the wiring using a crimp wire nut. Alternatively, strip the casing from the original wire. Just use a box cutter to gently remove the casing from the wire. Once you have removed the casing, you should see a bundle of copper. Just twist that to the copper that protrudes from the wire attached to your new sensor. Make a new casing by wrapping the exposed wire in electrical tape.  

2. Nylon Rollers

If your roller door makes a lot of noise while moving up and down, new rollers will make its journey quieter and smoother. To remove your existing rollers, open your garage door, and use c-clamps to lock it in place so it doesn't fall on your head. Turn off the power, and pull the safety release to disengage the door from the motor.

Then, use a pliers to loosen the edge of your track, and move the garage door so that the first roller lines up with the opening you made with your pliers. Use a flat-head screwdriver to pry the roller out. Repeat until all of the rollers have been removed.

Then, simply, slip the new rollers into the corresponding spots on the door, and wedge them into the track. When all of the rollers have been replaced, move the track back into alignment using your pliers. Repeat these steps on both sides of your roller door. If this seems like too much work, consider using a roller door repair company like Shutter-Fix.

Knowing how to do simple repairs like these will save you money and help you avoid unnecessary repair calls.