Common Garage Door Problems
Do you have a garage in your house? If you do, then you know that it can be a real life-saver. Not only is it great for parking your car in, but it can also provide extra storage space. However, like any other part of your home, your garage can suffer from occasional problems. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the most common garage door problems and offer tips on how to fix them. Keep reading to learn more!
Basic Maintenance and Quick Fixes
Basic garage door maintenance is important to keep your door working properly. A good maintenance schedule includes checking the hardware, tracks, and springs for wear and tear. You should also lubricate all of the moving parts on a regular basis. If you notice any damage, replace the damaged parts as soon as possible.
There are a few quick fixes you can do if your garage door isn’t working properly. For example, if the door isn’t opening or closing all the way, you can adjust the limits on the opener. If the door is making loud noises, you can lubricate the tracks and springs. And if the door is coming off of the tracks, you can simply reattach it. By doing basic maintenance and troubleshooting simple problems, you can keep your garage door working like new.
If your garage door is behaving well at this moment, you can probably keep it working that way almost indefinitely if you follow a simple inspection and maintenance routine. These same tips may also correct problems that are just beginning to appear:
- Examine the rollers and tracks on the garage door. If you can’t remember the last time you cleaned them, now is the time to clean the rollers and tracks with a good brushing and to lubricate the rollers and axles. The bearings on rollers can also wear out; replace any rollers that don’t operate smoothly.Tighten the hardware. The tracks that guide the rollers on an overhead garage door are assembled in sections and attached to the garage with brackets. Makes sure the sections are well secured and that the screws and bolts that hold the brackets are tight.Check the cables and pulleys. Spiring-operated garage doors have cables and pulleys that may wear out over time. Frayed cables and damaged pulleys need to be replaced—a job best done by professionals.Test the door balance. A garage door should require only a few pounds of pressure to move it up and down. If springs wear out and lose their resiliency, a power garage door opener may need to work extra hard to lift the door. This can quickly wear out the motor on the opener. Replacing worn-out springs is usually a job for a professional technician.
- Test the autoreverse feature on the door opener. Garage door openers are designed to automatically reverse and lift the door if it encounters an obstacle on the way down to the floor. If this feature no longer works correctly, the heavy door poses a safety hazard and the door opener should be repaired or replaced.
If none of these solutions fix your problems, or if you would rather just let someone else fuss with the door, look into calling a good garage door installer and repair technician.
Noisy Garage Door
Noisy garage doors are a common problem that needs a garage door repair. The most likely causes are loose hardware, worn out parts, or an unbalanced door. Noisy garage doors cause all kinds of problems, especially for anyone who has to sleep above or next to the garage. Fortunately, most noisy garage doors can be fixed with a combination of routine maintenance and the replacement of a few parts. If the basic maintenance tips described above don’t quiet a noisy garage door, it’s possible that the door’s hinges need to be replaced. And the rollers that run in the metal tracks can also gradually wear out and become noisy when their bearings stop rolling smoothly.
- To fix a noisy garage door, start by checking the hardware for loose screws or bolts.
- Then, inspect the rollers and pulleys for wear and tear. If they are damaged, they will need to be replaced.
- Finally, if the door is unbalanced, you can adjust the springs to make it more level. With a little bit of troubleshooting, you can usually fix a noisy garage door yourself. However, if the noise persists, it may be time to call a professional.
Frozen Garage Door
Frozen garage doors are a common problem during the winter months. The cold weather can cause the metal to contract, which can cause the door to become misaligned. In some cases, the door may even become frozen to the ground. If you find yourself in this situation, there are a few things you can do to thaw out your garage door.
It is precisely on those coldest days of the year when you most need and appreciate the convenience of opening and closing your garage door quickly. Sadly, that’s exactly the kind of day when moisture and cold can conspire to make this difficult. Garage doors can and do freeze to the floor.1 Sometimes it is just a minor icy connection between the two that can be broken when you hit the opener button.
But if the door refuses to budge on the first attempt, resist the urge to keep banging on the automatic opener button. This is likely to cause a more serious problem with the garage door opener—including, but not limited to, stripped gears, broken springs, and a burned-out motor on the opener.
Instead, try other methods that might break the frozen connection between the door and the floor. For example, you can use a heat gun or hair dryer to melt the ice and free the door. Standard de-icing products can also work. And if you are careful not to damage the door or the seal on the bottom of the door, you can use a flat shovel or similar tool to chip away at the ice.
Once you get the door open, clear away any water, ice, or snow from the floor beneath the garage door. Keeping this area dry will prevent future freezing.
Broken Glass
Broken Glass on garage door can be a safety hazard. If you have young children or pets, it’s important to remove any sharp pieces of glass as soon as possible. One way to do this is to use a broom or vacuum cleaner with the hose attachment. Another option is to cover the area with duct tape or another type of heavy-duty adhesive tape. Once all of the dangerous pieces of glass have been removed or covered, you can then dispose of them properly. Broken glass should never be thrown in the trash; instead, it should be placed in a sealed container and taken to a recycling center. By taking these simple precautions, you can help to keep your family safe from harm.
Safety Concerns
Overhead garage doors weigh hundreds of pounds, and doors that are not properly maintained or which are equipped with older automatic garage door openers can be safety time bombs. All too common are the tragic stories of garage doors injuring or even killing children or pets who found themselves underneath a closing door. Modern automatic door openers with auto-stop and auto-reverse mechanisms have greatly reduced such accidents,2 but mishaps can still occur if the door and door opener are not properly maintained.
When a garage door opener is very old, or when it fails to work properly, installing a new opener is not just a convenience, it is a matter of family safety.
Safety is a top priority when it comes to garage doors. Every year, there are thousands of people who are injured by garage doors. Most of these accidents can be prevented by taking some simple precautions.
- First, always make sure that the door is fully open before you attempt to drive through it.
- Secondly, never try to force the door open or closed – if it appears to be stuck, call a professional for help.
- Finally, always keep your fingers clear of the doorjamb and away from the moving parts of the door. By following these simple safety tips, you can help to prevent an accident.
Security Issues
Security Issues of garage door might not be at the top of your mind when you think about home security, but it should be. Your garage door is one of the most vulnerable points of entry into your home, and there are a number of security concerns that you should be aware of. For starters, many garage doors are operated by remote control, which can easily be lost or stolen. If someone gains access to your remote, they can easily open your garage door and gain entry to your home.
Additionally, many garage doors are made of flimsy materials that can easily be forced open. This is especially concerning if you have a window in your garage door, as it provides an easy way for someone to see inside your home and identify valuables. Finally, many garage doors are left unlocked during the day, providing an easy way for burglars to gain access to your home. To protect yourself from these security concerns, it’s important to keep your garage door locked at all times and to invest in a quality deadbolt lock for added security.
Faulty Garage Door Opener
Faulty garage door openers can be a major inconvenience. If your garage door opener is not working properly, it can prevent you from getting your car out of the garage or getting into your home. There are a few different things that can cause a garage door opener to malfunction. One possibility is that the batteries in the remote control are dead. Another possibility is that there is something blocking the sensor that tells the opener when the door is closed. If you have checked the batteries and there doesn’t seem to be anything blocking the sensor, it’s possible that the opener itself is faulty. In this case, you’ll need to call a professional to come and take a look at it.
Worn-Out Springs
Worn-out springs are one of the most common issues with garage doors. Over time, the springs can become worn down, causing the door to become less effective at opening and closing. In some cases, the springs may even break, which can be dangerous. If you notice that your garage door is not working as well as it used to, or if you see any damage to the springs, it’s important to have them repaired or replaced as soon as possible. Depending on the severity of the damage, worn-out springs can usually be repaired relatively easily. However, if the damage is significant, it may be necessary to replace the entire spring system. Either way, it’s important to consult with a professional before attempting any repairs on your own.
Worn-Out Garage Door
Worn-out garage doors are a common problem that homeowners face. The average garage door is used multiple times a day, and over time, the constant use can take a toll on the door’s components.
The first sign of a worn-out garage door is usually a loud noise when the door is opened or closed. This is caused by the wear and tear on the door’s hinges, rollers, and tracks. As the components of the door begin to break down, they can also cause the door to become misaligned, making it difficult to open and close.
In some cases, the damage can be severe enough to cause the door to become stuck in the open or closed position. If you notice any of these problems with your garage door, it’s important to have it serviced by a qualified technician. Left unchecked, a worn-out garage door can eventually lead to more serious problems, such as a complete breakdown of the door’s opening and closing mechanism.
Conclusion
Garage doors can be a huge pain when they stop working. Whether it’s the opener, the door itself, or something else, we’ve got you covered. If you are having problems with your garage door, let us know in the comments below and we will do our best to help you out. We also have a team of experts who can come out and take a look at your door if needed. Thanks for reading!
References:
Troubleshooting Common Garage Door Problems
12 Common Garage Door Problems… And How To Solve Them!
How To Troubleshoot Common Garage Door Opener Problems
