Your garage door is an intricate part of your house. There are a lot of parts that make it work properly. When your garage door stops working, it can be very inconvenient and confusing to find the source of the problem. This guide shows you six signs to look for that indicate your garage door needs to be repaired.
1. Your Garage Door Won’t Close Properly
One of the most noticeable signs of a broken garage door is when it won’t close completely or sticks while closing. No matter how small the gap may be, if your garage door is not fully closed, your weatherstripping cannot seal. This means moisture can seep in and damage your door and the contents of your garage. It can also increase your energy bills by letting out air warmed by the heater or cooled by the air conditioner.
Several things could cause your door to close improperly. You may be able to fix most of them independently, but only if you can identify the source of the problem. Your garage door’s distance setting could be off. Your sensors may be malfunctioning. There might be a problem with your arms or rollers. The best thing to do is consult a company that knows what might be wrong and get their help fixing the issue.
2. Your Garage Door Panels Are Broken or Damaged
Broken garage door panels can be a security risk and greatly diminish the aesthetics of your door. They also let any heating and cooling out, raising your energy bills. When a garage door panel is broken, dented or damaged, you should repair or replace it immediately — it will get worse the longer it is left. It’s best to deal with the problem as soon as possible before more repairs are needed and costs increase.
3. Common Overhead Garage Door Problems
A common problem with overhead residential garage doors is when they do not open or close. A stuck garage door can be a tricky problem because so many things might be causing it. The best course of action is to call a garage door repair technician to help you find and solve the issue. Take this problem seriously and address it immediately.
When your garage door doesn’t open and close properly, you need to solve the problem before it gets worse. Various things can cause this problem, including:
- Power source: Your garage door’s power source may not be functioning properly.
- Settings: Critical settings might be limiting your door’s functionality.
- Batteries: Your motor or door opener’s batteries might need replacing.
- Springs: The door’s torsion or extension springs might be broken.
- Cables: Your cables might be loose or may have snapped.
- Blockage: Something might be blocking a part of your garage door’s mechanisms.
- Tracks: Your door might have fallen off its tracks, or it may need to be realigned.
- Lock: Your door might be “locked.”
- Sensitivity: Your door’s reverser sensitivity could need adjustment.
You might be able to solve many of these issues yourself if you know what to look for and keep up with regular maintenance. However, major problems need an expert in garage door repair.
4. Your Door Falls off Its Tracks
Garage doors that fall off their tracks can be extremely dangerous. A garage door is heavy, and when it’s off its tracks, the chances of it falling on you or a family member are much higher. This can result in severe injuries and extensive damage to your door and garage.
Your door can dislodge itself from its tracks if the alignment is off, if a roller is damaged or if a cable has broken. If you hit or even nudge an unaligned door with your car, it can cause an overhead door to fall off its tracks with great force. If your door shows any signs of being unaligned or looks like it may fall off its tracks, urgent garage door repair is needed.
5. Your Torsion or Extension Springs Are Damaged
One of the most critical problems a garage door can have is when its torsion or extension springs are broken. Your door uses these springs to open and close. Extension springs are placed on either side of your garage door along its tracks. A torsion spring is centered above your garage door. While the door is closed, both spring types experience high tension. The tension creates the strength required to lift the door open.
If your springs are worn out or broken, your door won’t be able to open anymore. Only a trained garage door technician should handle damaged springs. Because they are so tightly wound, any wrong move can cause them to snap and cause serious injury. Call for a repair service to address any issues with your springs.
6. Your Garage Door Makes a Lot of Noise
A noisy garage door is more than annoying — it can be one of the most noticeable signs that your door needs repairs. Every noise your door makes could signify a different problem. A rumbling or a grating noise might suggest a malfunctioning torsion spring. A popping noise could mean certain sections are intersecting. Depending on the severity of the popping noise this could be a good thing or a bad thing.
When your door starts tracking against the tracks, it will produce an unpleasant grinding sound. If your garage door is making any of these noises or any other unusual sounds, it’s best to call a garage door company to help you find and solve the issue.
Poulson Doors Is Your Go-To Garage Door Repair Service
Poulson Doors is proud to offer the best in garage door installations, maintenance and repairs. We pride ourselves on providing outstanding work and customer experiences to everyone we work with. At Poulson Doors, we are always looking to the future and stay ahead of the curve by constantly improving our processes and the technology we use. We utilize the latest advancements in safety, warranties and energy efficiency related to garage doors.
Whether you need help diagnosing your garage door’s problems or a reliable repair service to solve them we are here to help you. We take every job we do seriously and let our strong reputation convince you that we are the right choice for you. Contact us to find out more about what we do and to request a service or an estimate.
