For many homeowners, the garage door is the primary entrance to their home. It is used often and is subject to normal wear and tear that requires professional attention from time to time.
Having your garage door not work as it should can be more than annoying. Thankfully, there are some things that you can do to resolve the issue until a technician can arrive.
Spring Replacement
The daily use of your garage door inevitably takes its toll on the spring wire, eventually causing it to become misaligned or even break. Rust also corrodes these coils over time, which speeds up the need for replacement.
Keeping your Residential Garage Doors Repair properly lubricated can help slow the wear and tear on these components. However, homeowners will want to avoid the temptation of over-lubricating or using a low quality product that may damage the springs.
When replacing a spring, a homeowner should be sure to use a tool called winding bars that help control the tension of these springs during the replacement process. They’re an essential safety feature and help ensure the job is completed safely and effectively. Trying to replace a torsion spring without them can cause serious injury.
Broken Cables
Whether from normal wear and tear or a sudden impact, your garage door cables can break at any time. This can leave you with a dangerously uneven weight distribution, making your door more difficult to open and close.
Like springs, your cables are essential to counterbalance your garage door’s weight and help it move smoothly up and down. You can often tell they need replacing if one side of your door seems to “sag” more than the other, or if you hear a loud snap when opening and closing the door.
If you need to replace a cable, open the garage door fully and secure it in place using either vice grips or ladder/scaffolding (depending on which style of door you have). Then, remove the old cable from its peg on the bottom track and from the drum (unravel it). The new cable should look identical to the original, down to the same size and color, so don’t forget to affix it correctly!
Broken Rollers
In addition to a working garage door cable, rollers play a large role in how smooth your garage door can operate in the long run. If your roller wheels are flat, bent or missing it’s time to replace them.
Examining for sagging and roller condition is important because if you don’t, the problem can put extra stress on other parts of the door. This can lead to more serious issues down the road.
There are two main types of rollers: plastic with no ball bearings and steel that have a housing for balls. If you have plastic rollers, they may only last a few years. Steel rollers, however, are designed to last longer. If you need to bend the track, it’s best to use locking pliers and have someone assist you with this task.
Damaged Hardware
When a homeowner notices that their garage door hardware is damaged or showing signs of wear, they need to have the damage fixed quickly. Doing this prevents the problem from getting worse and can save them money in the long run.
Depending on the issue, this might involve a simple repair like tightening screws or it could be more complicated. For example, if the opener is making a humming noise and not opening or closing it might be a sign that the photo-eye sensors are dirty or something is blocking them from seeing each other properly.
A derailed garage door is a safety hazard and can also cause damage to your vehicle or belongings stored inside the garage. This is why it’s important to pay attention and look for signs of a derailed door, like hearing a popping sound.
Damaged Panels
When garage door panels are damaged, it needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Even the slightest damage to a panel can cause significant issues down the road. For example, a sizeable dent can lead to bends in the tracks that can make your door difficult or even impossible to use.
It’s important to regularly check the panels for dents and scratches. In some cases, you can repair the panel by straightening it, but depending on the extent of the damage and the age of your garage door, it may be necessary to replace it.
It is also important to consider the color and style of the new panel to ensure it matches the existing panels. This will help to maintain the overall look and curb appeal of your home.
