Garage door repair is a necessity for most homeowners. Not everyone has the correct information at hand when they need it. To truly take care of your garage door repair, you must know all the steps involved, including possible issues you should look out for and how the repairs should be done to avoid future complications or, even worse, accidents. This article will provide you with the practical knowledge needed to perform garage door repair at home properly.
Is Your Garage Door Acting Up?
It can be a real hassle if you have a malfunctioning garage door. Not only do you have to deal with the annoyance of not being able to park in your garage or get anything out of it, but you may have to pay for emergency repairs. And, if your car is stuck inside the garage, you might have a lot of trouble commuting until it’s repaired.
The good news is that some common garage door problems can be handled yourself. This can save you time and money. Plus, if you’re in a pinch and your garage door isn’t working, you’ll at least know how to get into the garage so that you can get what you need from it.
However, before taking on any repair jobs on your own, be sure to take safety precautions to protect yourself. It’s essential that when working with your garage door, you keep yourself safe by disconnecting the power first and ensuring that nobody accidentally tries to open the door while you’re repairing it.
Below are some common problems people encounter with their garage doors, along with some tips for fixing these.
Sensor Adjustment
If your garage door opens, but fails to close, you might have a problem with your garage door sensors. There could be a quality issue with the component, but it might also just need an adjustment or cleaning. If the door goes partly down and the lights flash on the opener when closing, check the sensors located at the bottom of the garage door tracks on each side of the garage door. Make sure that each side is pointing to the other side, which allows for proper signal sending and receiving. If they are not aligned, manually adjust with your hands. You may have to slightly loosen a bolt to allow adjustment to the unit.
Also, check that nothing is blocking the signal sending or receiving, such as a bike or package in the path between the two safety sensors.
Springs
First, check that your springs are in good working order. If you hear any loud squeaks, pops, or grumbles when you open or close your garage door, it may be a sign of broken or rusty springs. If this happens, call a repair service immediately to avoid any mishaps—especially if you have kids or pets who play in your garage. Garage door torsion springs are extremely dangerous and should never be handled by anyone without professional experience. Garage door springs cause thousands of hospital visits for serious injury every year in the USA. Please do not take the chance if there is an issue with your garage door springs.
Tracks
Next, check that the tracks on your garage doors are well-aligned. Misaligned tracks can cause your door to rub against the sides of your garage door opening and eventually damage the track itself. If you do attempt to realign minor track issues, make sure nothing under tension, such as the cables or springs will be affected. Do not remove hinges, fixtures, etc without a clear understanding of the relationship between that component and others on the garage door.
Hardware
Finally, inspect all of your hardware (like torsion springs, hinges, and rollers) and ensure they are properly attached to your door and frame. If anything looks loose, call professional garage door repair companies right away so they can fix it properly.
Know When to Call a Garage Door Specialist
It is essential to call a garage door specialist when you need help because there are many things that can go wrong with your garage door and it’s best to have someone who knows what they’re doing assess the problem.
You can do some things to help prevent a garage door from malfunctioning or breaking down, such as lubricating the hinges or rollers. However, be sure to use the correct kind of lubrication so as not to cause further damage.
Check if the springs are broken if you notice the door becoming harder and harder to open. If they are, then you need to call a garage door repair services professional.
It is crucial to keep an eye on how well your garage door is working. If you haven’t used it for a long time and you notice that it is not doing its job right, then this might be a sign there’s something wrong with it.
Your Local Garage Door Service Provider is Here to Help
By knowing about garage door repair, you can save money and time. In the end, garage door repair comes down to these three things: time, money, and patience. If you don’t have enough time to look into it yourself, then budget for professional help right away. It will cost you less in the long run to invest in a maintenance specialist today than to deal with irreparable damage tomorrow.
Don’t wait for your door to give way. As one of the leading garage door companies for repair, maintenance, and new installation, we can deliver total customer satisfaction for your every garage door service request. Give Door-Mart Garage Doors a call today at 800-829-9833 or write to us online. We even offer same-day service.
