Garage door get used a lot and take a lot of abuse. This can result in minor or major problems with the door and opener.
Garage doors are simple to maintain, but sometimes they do need a garage door repair specialist to handle the occasional repairs. Luckily, most of these issues are relatively easy to fix.
Broken Cables
When a cable breaks, it can cause a garage door to lean or jam. This is often a sign of more severe issues with the entire system, such as a broken spring or damaged rollers.
Lift cables are designed to withstand a lot of tension – many have breaking strength in excess of 1,000 LBS – but they can no longer handle the pressure if they’ve weakened. They’re also subject to fraying or rust, which weakens them further.
The cables wind around circular spools called drums or sheaves in torsion or extension springs. These cables are critical to the overall function of a door, and when they’re loose, they can render heavier doors unusable.
Broken Rollers
Your garage door tracks feature rollers that help your door glide up and down the track. Over time, your rollers can break down or rust and need to be replaced.
If your garage door makes scraping, grinding, or squeaking noises when it moves, this could signify worn-out rollers. It’s best to call a professional technician to assess the issue and determine if it requires replacement or repair.
Damaged or misaligned garage door tracks and rollers can create an unbalanced door that is difficult to open or close evenly. This can cause the door to be slightly angled or lower on one side as it opens, leading to additional problems down the road.
Misaligned Tracks
Tracks are a crucial part of a garage door system and help it open and close. They are made of steel and allow the rollers to glide along them so the door can be moved up and down.
Over time, however, they can become worn or damaged. This can result in alignment issues, and it may be time for a garage track repair.
When the tracks are misaligned, residential garage doors may not be able to move as smoothly as they should. This will lead to strange noises, and it will take longer for the door to operate.
Unplugged Motor
If you hit the opener switch and your door won’t open, you may need to check for an unplugged motor. A common problem can cause a garage door to refuse to move.
You can fix this simple issue by simply plugging the motor back in. It should be attached to a light near the ceiling.
Another reason your garage door won’t close can be that it’s trying to push too far into the ground. The opening mechanism is programmed with limits that tell it when to stop sealing.
If this limit is off, the motor may keep pushing it until it gets stuck. To prevent this from happening, inspect the tracks about twice a year and clean them regularly.
Dirty Photo Eyes
The photo eyes of your garage door are a safety feature that halts the closing process if anything passes through them. This is to prevent accidents and injuries from occurring.
They are mounted on either side of the door about 6 inches from the ground.
Each one sends an invisible beam to the other, which detects if something is in the way. If any obstruction interrupts the shaft, it causes a circuit to break and stop the door from closing.
If you are having trouble with your garage door opening or closing, it may be due to misalignment in the photo eye sensors. Most have an LED light that blinks if the sensor is out of alignment and will remain solid if it is free from obstructions.
