Garage doors are essential to keeping your home safe and secure, but they can also cause incredible frustration and confusion when they don’t function properly.
The most common problems with garage doors can range from minor issues, such as the door not closing all the way, to major issues, such as a broken spring that can cause the door to become stuck.
So, whether you’re dealing with an older system or a brand-new one, it’s essential to understand the most common garage door problems and what can be done to prevent them, including how to repair a garage door.
Taking the time to identify and address these problems can help you avoid costly repairs and ensure that your garage door is functioning properly.
Frozen Garage Door
One of the most common problems with garage door openers is a frozen garage door. When this happens, it’s easy to become frustrated and think you’ll never get your garage door open again. Fortunately for you, there are things you can do to keep that from happening:
Remove snow from the tracks of your garage door opener. This will allow it to work properly when you try opening and closing it later on in the day or even over winter break if necessary.
If there’s ice on your tracks, use a scraper blade or even an old credit card to scrape away as much ice as possible before trying again with opening and closing operations.
Worn-Out Springs
The garage door industry makes torsion springs that should last 10 to 15 years, but some can lose spring tension sooner if they’re exposed to weather or lack preventative maintenance.
When a garage door spring goes bad, you’ll hear it rattle when you open and close the door. Take this as an indication that it needs to be replaced. If your garage door won’t stay up on its own, or if it’s hard for you to lift manually, there are signs that it might be time for new springs.
Worn-Out Garage Door
A garage door that isn’t working properly and has been in your home for a long time can cause many problems with the rest of your system.
For example, if you have a driveway gate that needs to be opened every time you want to go out or come home, this can lead to excessive wear on your automatic gate opener.
Also, an old garage door may not match the style or color scheme of your home, which could make it look dated and unattractive. If your garage door is old or doesn’t fit your décor, you should install a new one.
The Door Opens or Closes With a Thud
Suppose that your door is not closing or opening properly. The first thing to check is whether or not the safety sensors are working correctly. The safety sensors prevent accidents by detecting when someone or something is in front of the door as it opens or closes, so if these sensors aren’t working correctly, your door won’t close properly either.
You’ll know if this is an issue if your door suddenly starts making loud noises when you open or close it. This means the safety sensors have been tripped and are trying to slow down movement by causing friction between the tracks and rollers of your garage door opener system.
Garage Door Opens But the Motor Won’t Stop Running
If your electric garage door opener doesn’t stop running, check to see if the door is stuck. If the door is opening but not closing all the way, then it may be that your springs are too tight or something is blocking them from fully extending.
In many cases, you can solve this by adjusting your spring tensioners to allow more extension room for your springs. If you have a torsion spring-powered system, make sure it’s properly lubricated and functioning before adjusting its tension in any way.
If you’ve tried those options and your garage door still won’t stop running when activated remotely, or by a remote control unit (RCU), then there may be an issue with either the RCU itself or its wiring connection to other components in the system, such as a wall control pad or keypad switch.
The Garage Door Reverses Immediately After Touching the Floor
If your overhead door reverses immediately after touching the garage floor, it is most likely due to a problem with the installation. There are several things that can contribute to this issue.
If your garage door opener is not installed properly, it will cause an error code that says “garage door reverse” or “garage door safety reversal.”
Suppose you have a broken spring on your garage door opener or a malfunctioning emergency release cord. In that case, it may also result in this error code being displayed on the control panel. You will need to replace or repair these springs before manually opening or closing the door.
A motor that’s not properly aligned can also cause this problem by not allowing enough room for the motor arm to move from one side of its track to another when needed. This could also be caused by failing bearings on either side of where each rail ends up at its endpoints for travel.
Call Local Garage Doors to Help You With Your Garage Door Repair
Your garage door is an essential part of your home’s security and integral to your home’s aesthetic. A damaged or malfunctioning garage door can not only make your home look unsightly, but it can also be a risk to your safety.
In the event that you have to deal with any of the issues highlighted above, then you should get in touch with Local Garage Doors.
We are a garage door repair company offering different services ranging from new garage door installation to repair and maintenance. We will help ensure that your garage door stays in top condition and keeps your home safe and secure. By keeping your garage door functioning properly, we will help prevent costly, more intensive repairs down the line.
Call us today at 866-337-1631 so we can help you enjoy a safe, secure, and easy-to-use garage door now and in the future.