Homeowners often overlook common garage door repairs such as replacing broken springs, cables, or hinges. While these repairs can be done by a homeowner with some basic tools, they are often tricky and can be done relatively cheaply if you call a professional first time when you observe the problem. If the problem is not taken care for long, it might become an expensive fix!
If you’re having trouble getting your garage door to open or close, there are a few things you can do on your own. However, if the problem persists or gets worse, it’s time to call in a professional. Here are ten common garage door repairs and when to call in a professional.
1. Springs breaking or falling apart
Since the torsion springs are always under constant pressure, you will immediately know when one breaks. it will make a loud banging sound and must be replaced by a professional to perfectly ensure they are properly in place and are installed correctly.
You always need to take the right safety precautions when installing or repairing a garage door spring and is always recommended to call in a professional instead of doing your own DIY garage door spring project at home.
There are several signs to notice before the spring breaks and here are 4 of them.
- If the door closes way too fast, that means a spring may be loose or very close to breaking.
- If there are many snapping noises from the garage while opening, there may be 1 or more springs damaged and rusted.
- The springs look rusty and stretched out or you see two or more pieces of spring
- Or if the automatic opener will not open the door fully.
There is a way to protect your garage door springs and that is to use a non-drip lithium base oil and lubricate them once a year. The garage door springs are made of steel and they will rust if they aren’t lubricated on a regular basis. This is especially true in the winter months when there is no direct sunlight and the garage door doesn’t get used as much.
2. Garage door rollers are wearing off
Garage door rollers are an important part of the garage door system. They help the door move up and down smoothly. However, over time, the rollers can wear down and eventually need to be replaced. If you notice that your garage door is not moving as smoothly as it used to or is making noise, it may be time to replace the rollers.
The average life expectancy of one roller would be 5-7 years, and if you have 1 you need to replace then you can probably do it yourself with some safety precautions. but if its multiple wheels you need to replace. then it may be time to call in a professional.
there are 3 different ways to tell if your garage door wheel is starting to go bad and it needs to be replaced.
1. Your garage door will not open or close properly.
2. You notice that your garage door wheels are wobbling or vibrating excessively when you roll it up and down, or when you manually raise it up and down.
3. If your garage door is frequently out of alignment, it means your rollers aren’t doing its job. its pretty easy to tell this way if its out of alignment and needs reparation.
3. Garage door tracks are misaligned
Garage door tracks are misaligned and the door is stuck. This can be a safety hazard, as the garage door could suddenly open/close while someone is in the way. The tracks may need to be realigned or replaced.
The wheels on the track should be rolling smoothly when opening, and if not then there are 1 of 2 problems, if not both.
The track OR the wheel are broken and must be repaired/replaced immediately to prevent any further damage to your garage door.
Due to old age, your tracks may be broken, missing, or misaligned. but to prevent that, you can lubricate them on a regular basis. there are many special types of lubricates meant especially for garage door parts, and you should lubricate your garage door tracks and everything that comes into contact with them
What about the tracks themselves ? The best way to clean them is to use a wire brush, and then lubricate them.
If you are not able to do that, get yourself some WD40 or similar product, and clean them with a rag dipped in this product.
at some point if the track is too warped or rusted, it may be too dangerous for you to come close or to fix it yourself, so you’d need to call a professional so they can do it for you as it is very unsafe and unstable.
4. Missing or damaged weather stripping
Garage door weather stripping is made of rubber and can be replaced by simply removing the screws from the bottom of the door. it is one of the easier parts you can fix yourself, but in between the panels of the garage, you may need to call a professional to get into those hard to reach places. but on the sides or under the door, its the most important to reach for. because of the cold weather, it could pierce through the cracks and make it very cold inside of your garage.
5. A broken garage sensor
A broken garage door sensor is one of the most dangerous things to have broken, because the door will not sense if someone or something is coming through the garage while closing. there could be serious injury involved and is encouraged to have it fixed as fast as possible.
Sometimes it can open or close on its own without an explanation, and it can be very frustrating, but sometimes all it needs is to clean the sensor lens. the sensors are located at the rails, one on each side. They produce an invisible beam and when broken, the garage door assumes something or someone is blocking the doorway so it goes back into its opened position. There is a common myth that garage doors can be operated by regular household remote control. This is not possible, because they are controlled by transponder signals transmitted to them from infrared beams placed on the ceiling.
if the garage door sensors are misaligned then they will not work together. They show a red light if they are not aligned, and show a green one if they are.
6. Broken cables
Garage door cables provide steady pressure on the garage door so it can move freely, with any issue. When the cable wears, stretches, or breaks, then it could apply uneven movement to the door. then there is a broken cable, it could make the garage door only partially closed, and then crash down later. this can pose an incredible danger to pets and people going under the door.
if a cable is broken then it could transfer extra tension to the other cable. making it more likely to break since the weight on that cable has doubled. the main cause of cable breaks is wear and tear, but some other reasons can be water and moisture from the sides of the garage door, corrosion, or improper track alignment.
you should immediately call a professional when your cable(s) break, and completely refrain from using your garage door until it is completely fixed.
7. Your garage door is moving unevenly
If you’ve been noticing that your garage door has been moving unevenly, it’s time to take action. It’s possible that the issue is simply due to a lack of lubrication, but it could also be a sign that something is wrong with the door itself. In either case, it’s best to have a professional take a look at the problem and fix it. It’s not only important to the functionality of your garage door, but it can also help you avoid an accident in case of a malfunction.
A reason your garage door could be moving unevenly could be because something is blocking the tracks, causing the rollers to move above that item.
if this doesn’t work, the torsion springs or the extension springs may be delivering too much or too little tension.
if this does seem to be the problem, then you may need to call a professional for help.
your cables could also be sagging, so that is another reason for garage door unevenness and you would need those cables replaced.
8. The garage door is making too many loud noises
If you’ve been hearing a lot of loud noises coming from your garage, you’re not alone. Many people are experiencing the same problem with their garage doors. In most cases, the noise is caused by a problem with the door’s springs.
The good news is that there are a few things you can do to fix the problem. The first step is to determine whether the springs are the source of the noise. To do this, close the door and then try to lift it up by hand. If it’s easy to lift, the springs are likely the problem. If it’s hard to lift, the rollers or hinges are likely at fault.
If the springs are at fault, you can either replace them yourself or hire a professional to do it for you. If you choose to replace them yourself, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
If there is grinding and squeaking, then there is a chance that your rollers are insufficiently lubricated or are worn out. if that is the problem, you should apply a lithium or silicone-based grease or call a professional for help.
If there is rattling, then some of the nuts or bolts may be loose. this is a pretty easy fix as you just need a wrench and a socket set and the problem most likely will be silenced.
If there are popping noises, then the main problem is probably be traced to the torsion spring, which may need to be lubricated or adjusted. however, working on torsion springs yourself is incredibly dangerous, and should be left to a professional when handling them in any sort of case.
9. Broken garage door hinges
Garage door hinges are an important part of the door, but they are often taken for granted until they break. When a hinge breaks, the door can become difficult to open and close. In some cases, the entire garage door may need to be replaced. Hinges can break for a number of reasons, including rust, wear and tear, or improper installation. If your garage door hinges are breaking, it’s important to find a solution before the problem gets worse.
Some reason why the hinges break is because of improper installation. there are very specific places where the hinges go and they are number labelled by where they are supposed to go on a garage door
more reasons can be because of the hinge quality. it could be really bad and with improper maintenance, they wouldn’t last very long.
they last around 10-15 years, and the replacement parts should be done by a professional to decrease the chances of chain reactions of damage
10. Security issues to prevent theft.
Garages offer a convenient and spacious place to store your car and other belongings, but they can also be a prime target for thieves. you can follow these security tips to help keep your garage and its contents safe from theft.
- Install a quality deadbolt lock on the garage door.
- Keep the garage door closed and locked when not in use.
- Install motion-sensor lights around the garage to deter intruders.
- Secure bikes, lawnmowers, and other small items with locks or chains.
It is very important to regularly maintain your garage for any kind of access point for thieves to go through. it is also important to install a modern type lock so it is much harder for thieves to go through for your car, motorcycle, or any other belonging.it is also encouraged to not leave your garage remote in your car, because once they have broken through, they can access the door whenever they please.
you cant really access the wireless and modern keypads yourself so they can hook up to the garage door, but you can call in some professionals nearby to help you with your security.
To call avail any of our garage door professional services, give us a call at 780-340-8564.