A professional garage door technician will thoroughly inspect all components, test safety eye sensors and auto-reverse features, clean debris from tracks and rollers, and lubricate moving parts. Regularly performing these tasks will help prevent small issues from developing into major repair bills. Contact Garage Door Repair Tuttle now!
Crooked or sagging doors often indicate that the springs have broken. Replacing these springs is a relatively easy and inexpensive repair job.
A garage door’s springs are under a lot of tension and are dangerous to handle without the proper tools. It is possible for a homeowner to replace their broken spring, but it is usually a job best left to a professional. This task can be tricky, requiring a stepladder and a set of tools, including C-clamps, box wrenches, and a bathroom scale. Homeowners need to make sure they disconnect the motor before starting this project and use locking pliers or a C-clamp to secure the garage door in an open position so it cannot move during the process. They also need to loosen the set screws with a winding bar and carefully remove the broken spring, while inspecting the brackets and hardware for wear or damage that may need to be replaced during installation of the new spring.
A snapped torsion spring will usually create a loud bang when it breaks, as the tightly wound coils have a lot of bound energy that has to release. Depending on where the break occurs, this released energy can cause the spring to whip around and hit anything in its path, including the garage door or nearby storage racks. A homeowner can tell their spring is broken by noticing the garage door struggles to open and close or if it makes loud banging noises while operating. A gap in the spring or a stretched out appearance also indicates it is time to replace the broken spring.
Once the replacement spring is in place, homeowners need to re-tighten it using a winding bar and the method recommended by the supplier. They will need to apply a generous amount of garage door lubricant to the end of the winding bar before beginning to turn it, and they should follow the manufacturer’s advice about how many turns to tighten it. They should also carefully test the balance of the garage door by opening and closing it while someone stands on the ground to watch for uneven movement or other problems. During this step, the homeowner should also consider replacing the other remaining spring (if there is one) with a double-life spring, which will last longer and provide more support to the entire door system.
Damaged Rollers
As they go up and down, garage doors experience a lot of vibrations that can loosen the bolts that hold tracks in place. This is a common cause of tracks coming off your door. If this is the case, use a wrench to tighten the bolts and straighten the tracks.
Another reason your track may come off is because of forceful impacts, like hitting the door with a vehicle. This can also happen if kids or pets play with the track and send it off of its path. In addition, dirt and lack of lubrication can also throw your rollers off the track.
If you suspect this is the problem, start by examining your tracks for any bends or gaps. Using a hammer and a track tool, carefully bend the track back into its original position. Then, wiggle your rollers back into place. Once everything is in place, lubricate the rollers and tracks so they can operate smoothly.
Alternatively, you can replace the rollers themselves. However, it is best to consult a professional if you’re not comfortable handling this project on your own. The process is fairly simple and involves removing the old rollers, installing new ones, and reattaching the track. However, if you’re not careful, you could end up damaging the rest of the system and potentially causing further problems that will require more costly repairs.
The most important thing you can do to keep your Parker-area garage door in good working condition is to perform regular maintenance on it. Check the springs, cables, and tracks regularly for any signs of wear or damage. Keep them clean and lubricated with a silicone-based lubricant (never WD-40; it’s a cleaner, not a lubricant). Additionally, consider scheduling annual professional inspections to identify potential issues and prevent them from arising in the future. Keeping your garage door up to date will also help it last longer and improve its overall efficiency.
Damaged Tracks
As your garage door travels up and down, the rollers move on a pair of tracks that are designed to guide the panels along their intended path. If these tracks become misaligned, it can cause significant stress on the rest of your system and result in expensive repairs down the line. Tracks are susceptible to damage from everyday wear and tear, as well as more serious issues like warping or lack of lubrication. Knowing what signs to watch out for and how to recognize them can help you catch the problem before it worsens.
The most common causes of a misaligned garage door are dirt, debris, or rust accumulation in the tracks. These can obstruct the path of your rollers and cause them to jump off track when you open or close the garage door. Regular cleaning with a brush and spraying of lubricant can prevent these problems from occurring.
More serious track damage can result from impact, whether caused by heavy vehicles or if the door is accidentally backed up into the tracks. These impacts can ding the tracks and even bend them, causing the rollers to jump off the tracks. In some cases, the damage can be severe enough to cause the tracks to separate from the wall.
Bent garage door tracks should be fixed immediately to avoid further damage and to ensure your garage door works smoothly. The easiest way to fix a bent track is by loosening the hardware holding it in place and then tapping it gently into a vertical position. Once the track is straight, you can tighten the bolts and recheck the alignment.
Broken cables and springs are more difficult to repair as they are under high tension. Attempting to replace them yourself can be dangerous due to the risk of injury and is best left to the professionals. A trained professional can quickly assess the situation and determine the right course of action to take. In many cases, the trained professional may be able to repair the damaged components without replacing them completely. This can save you a lot of time, money, and hassle in the long run.
Uneven Door Movement
Over time the tracks that guide the door up and down can become dislodged, damaged or misaligned. Vibrations, impacts and poor anchoring loosen the screws or brackets that hold the track and lead to crookedness. A pebble wedged in the path, a warped panel or some other factor can throw off the entire symphony and leave the door a little off-key.
If the asymmetrical movement is just a little bit, it may be easily realigned with simple tools and a bit of skill. Loose mounting bolts can be tightened, and the tracks can be gently tapped with a hammer to straighten them. Once the tracks are properly aligned, the door will move evenly up and down.
However, if the tracks are seriously bent or damaged, they will need to be replaced. A professional service technician can help you determine which type of replacement is best for your garage door.
Other problems that can cause uneven door movements include a missing or damaged weather strip, a frayed cable or a lack of tension in the cables or pulleys. Replacing the weather strip is a DIY job, but replacing cable or pulleys requires a trained service technician.
Gaps under the door can also contribute to an uneven opening and closing motion. This not only looks unsightly but can waste energy and pose a security risk if the gaps are large enough for unauthorized entry. Gaps can be corrected by a service technician who can add or replace weather stripping, or seal the gap with caulk.
In some cases the problem with a shaky garage door is not caused by the tracks, but rather by other components of the system including the hinges, springs, and opener. Attempting to fix these issues can be dangerous, so it is best left to a professional who has the right tools and knowledge of how to use them safely. Attempting to save money on these repairs by doing it yourself after watching a YouTube video can be a lot more costly in the long run. A professional can diagnose and fix the issue correctly and quickly, so you can get your garage door back to a melodious state.