Common Garage Door Problems and Repairs

If you have ever dealt with common garage door problems, you know how frustrating they can be. Your garage door is an integral part of your home and can be one of the most expensive parts of your house to replace if something goes wrong. Fortunately, there are many common causes for garage door issues and simple garage door solutions to help fix them.

Frozen Garage Door

Ever had a garage door that would not respond at all? You can troubleshoot the garage door opener by checking a few things:

• Inspect the remote control; it may not be programmed correctly, or it could have a dead battery.
• Confirm that you have power to your garage door opener (you should see lights on at night).
• Check for issues with the circuit breaker, which could be tripped if there is a short-circuit or other electrical problem with your home wiring system.
• Examine all wires running from the button panel on the wall to the motor and make sure they are intact and connected properly. If any wiring is damaged, replace it as soon as possible to keep from having issues later on down the road – it is better to start with brand new parts than try to fix old ones!

The Door Doesn't Close all the Way

The first thing you should do is test if the garage door opener is working. If it isn't, then there could be an issue with the circuit breaker, which you can activate by flipping the switch on the wall to "On."

Also check that your remote control works from a distance of about 6 to 8 feet away from your garage door. It may simply need a new battery.

The third thing you should do is check to see whether or not your garage door opener is connected correctly and securely attached to the ceiling. Make sure that all screws are firmly tightened in place and there are no loose wires or cables within reach of children or pets who might accidentally trip over them while playing around.

The door also won't be able to fully close if the track isn't in good shape anymore.

The Door Closes and Opens Again

Many garage doors are fitted with a safety mechanism so that it will not close if it senses that something is in its way. If your garage door closes and then immediately opens again, check all of the sensors and make sure they are not blocked or broken. Generally when this is the cause, the garage door opener light will flash once it’s finished opening. 

If your garage door springs are broken or maladjusted, they can cause the door to close and reopen repeatedly. Inspect your springs to see if they need adjustment or replacement.

Similarly, damage to your tracks will cause the same problem as with a broken spring.

The hinges on either side of your garage door should also be in good condition; if one side is missing screws or has been bent out of shape by being forced open too quickly in the past (or closed too quickly), then these could also contribute towards erratic garage door opening and closing issues.

You may need to replace some of these parts depending on how damaged they are. Consult with an experienced professional rather than doing any garage door repairs yourself.

The Door is Opening Unevenly

When a garage door opens unevenly, it is often caused by one side being too high or low. To check for this, place a level on top of the track and adjust it until you get a straight line. If your garage door is equipped with self-leveling springs, you can adjust them by pulling them tighter with pliers. However, when dealing with garage door springs, we highly recommend you call a professional garage door company as serious injury or death can occur if the springs are not properly handled. 

Should you still have problems after adjusting your springs and tracks, then it's likely that something else is wrong. Uneven opening of the door that is accompanied by a grinding sound could be caused by an overheating garage door motor. This usually happens if you have a heavy door or if your home has low insulation. To fix this issue, make sure to clean out any debris from around the motor and check for any damaged parts that could be rubbing against each other. Also make sure that all parts are lubricated regularly so that they do not overheat.

Instead of struggling with common garage door problems, get in touch with a garage door repair company like Tri-Lakes Garage Doors. Life is too short to deal with a faulty garage door!