Homeowners across the country rely on their garage doors to open smoothly all year round. Unfortunately, there are numerous electrical components and mechanical attachments at play during the opening and closing of your garage door, and some of these parts are bound to periodically fail especially when not properly maintained.
Luckily, most common garage door problems are easily fixed without significant cost, as long as you know how to quickly troubleshoot them. Here is a look at various problems you are likely to encounter with your garage door, their causes and how to fix them.
Garage door will not close or open
If your door isn't responding to your wall opener, ensure that the motor is plugged into the power source, and check for a tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse in the garage door. For a manual door, obstructions in the track could be the reason the door won't open.
Sometimes, the door may be responding to your wall switch opener but not to the remote opener. In such cases, try changing the batteries on the remote and repositioning the antenna on the motor so it hangs down to receive the signal from the opener better. If these steps don't get the door working, try reprogramming the remote, or call in a professional to install new sensors.
Warmer summer temperatures tend to dry up the lubrication on your garage door faster than usual, causing it to get stuck. Lubricating the wheel tracks and hinges more often will usually solve this problem. Additionally, items in the way of the safety sensors on the door - including spiderwebs and dust - will cause failure to close properly, so ensure all such obstructions are removed.
Door shimmies from side to side
Uneven springs may cause the door to be unevenly hung, causing irregular movement. That is why you should have the quality of the springs inspected at least twice a year to ensure they hold the door perfectly in place. Additionally, obstructions such as debris and tiny rocks in the wheel track will usually derail the door, causing it to wobble and make loud screeching noises. Cleaning and lubricating the track with garage door oil should fix the uneven movement, making your door move smoothly and use less energy.
If you own an overhead garage door, you may often encounter a situation when the door falls too quickly when closing. This usually indicates a broken cable or overly loose springs that need replacement by a professional. For more information, contact Dependable Overhead Doors or a similar company.
