Your garage door is a complex mechanism that can have issues from time to time. It takes a professional eye to identify these issues and make the right repairs.
There are subtle hints that your garage door is in need of repair, like when the springs are starting to show signs of wear. It is best to call for professional garage door repairs at the first sign of trouble.
1. Your Garage Door Is Making Strange Noises
While garage doors don’t get as much attention as front entry doors (and they certainly don’t receive the same “oohs” and “aahs”), your garage door plays a critical role in keeping your home secure and functional. And that is why you should pay close attention to any strange sounds it begins making.
It is normal for your garage door to make some noise as it moves, but sudden or loud new noises could mean something serious. Loud clunking noises may indicate that the door’s tension springs have worn out or need to be replaced. You should call a professional for this service.
Squealing noises could mean that the metallic parts of your garage door aren’t properly lubricated. This is a problem because it causes friction and increased wear, which results in annoying noises.
Popping or banging noises are sure signs that your garage door is out of balance. This can cause the door to scrape against your house or fall off the track, leading to expensive and inconvenient repairs. The good news is that the problem is usually easy to fix by rebalancing your door with the help of a trained garage door specialist. Just be sure to turn off your garage door opener before attempting any maintenance yourself. This will prevent you from accidentally injuring yourself or someone else.
2. Your Door Is Shaking
Your garage door does more for your Siouxland home than you probably give it credit for. It safeguards your vehicles, protects against extreme weather, and keeps out insect damage, rodents and thieves. As such, it deserves your care and attention, including regular service and maintenance. Here are some of the warning signs that your door is due for repairs:
While all doors make some noise as they open and close, any new sound or increasing sounds of grating and grinding should be a sign that you need to call a professional. These squeaking and grinding noises can be caused by many things, but they typically mean that your door and track are no longer aligned correctly, which can result in expensive repair bills.
If your garage door is shaking or jerking during operation, this is another clear sign that it is time to call a professional. The problem may be with the tracks, which often get worn or damaged over time and can cause your door to shake as it moves up and down along them. It could also be an electrical issue, as your door might not be responding to your control prompts or it is refusing to operate at all.
Damaged cables are also a common problem that leads to jerking and shaking. These cables help to counterbalance your door’s weight, so when they are broken or deteriorating, the door can fall too quickly when it opens or close when it shouldn’t, which is a major safety concern for anyone entering or exiting the garage.
3. Your Door Is Stuck Halfway Open
There’s a good chance you’ve heard of the old adage “Murphy’s Law: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” Well, sometimes that applies to your garage door. It’s easy to get frustrated with your garage door when it gets stuck half way open or closed and you can’t figure out what the problem is. However, before you start cursing at your garage door, take a moment to evaluate the issue and make a few simple fixes.
Often the problem is caused by an obstruction. It could be something as simple as dirt that has blown into the path of the garage door. You may also want to try lubricating the tracks and hardware with a rag or grease. If the problem persists, you may need to call in a professional.
It is also possible that one of the garage doors’ sensors has been knocked out of alignment. The sensors send an infrared beam to each other and if they can’t see each other, the door won’t close or open. Examine the sensors for dust and debris that may be blocking the infrared signals and adjust them accordingly. You should also check to see if any of the door sections have become dented. Small dents are a common issue, but larger dents can affect the operation of your garage door and should be looked at by a professional.
4. Your Door Is Won’t Close
When your garage door doesn’t open or close as it should, that is a clear sign that it is time for repairs. It could be as simple as something overriding the safety mechanisms (like a toy left in front of a sensor) or as complex as a faulty control panel. In either case, a professional should be called in to diagnose and repair the problem.
If your door won’t close and you have tried the quick fixes like cleaning the sensors or lubricating the moving metal parts, it is probably time to call in a specialist. A faulty limit switch, which can cause the door to reverse when it hits an obstacle, could be the culprit here. If this is the case, a technician should be hired to replace the limit switch.
A sagging or uneven garage door is another telltale sign that it is time to call in a specialist. The imbalance can lead to the springs wearing out, which can also prevent the door from closing properly and may even cause it to fall suddenly, posing a serious safety risk. A sagging door could be due to misalignment of the tracks, panels, or rollers, which can be fixed by a specialist. They can adjust, straighten or replace the damaged parts to restore the balance of the door.