Signs You Have a Garage Door Problem

You might think it's all in your mind or that you are doing something to cause the reaction that you are receiving when you attempt to open or close your garage door. The truth of the matter is that it is probably something wrong with your door and it isn't all in your head.

If you listen carefully whenever you are using your garage, you'll be able to save yourself the added expenses of expensive repairs and eliminate the possibility of being harmed by your garage door. We are often too busy to pay attention. Most people simply go on, day after day, doing the same thing without paying much attention to the way their garage door is functioning. The only time they pay attention is when they notice something or the noise they hear is so loud that they cannot ignore it any longer. By the time the sound has become so loud that you are unable to ignore it, this tells us that there is something seriously wrong that needs to be addressed by a professional technician. Your garage door will generally continue working until there are some indications that it is about to stop. It hardly ever just stops working without notice. If you are able to identify the warning signals that your garage door is about to stop working, you might be able to prevent this from occurring. You are likely able to be able to catch the problem while it is still small before it turns into a much more expensive repair job.

Signs There Is A Problem

Door Not Closing Completely

When you notice that your garage door will not go all the way down to the ground, this means that there is something blocking your sensors. The sensors are located toward the bottom of the door. If there is something blocking them, it will not close completely. Over time, debris may develop on the lenses and this makes it impossible for the sensors to work properly. You can clean them with a soft cloth. Gently wiping away any debris on them. We stress ‘gently’ because if you wipe them too hard, you could damage the lens. If there is something as simple as a trash can or a shoe blocking even one of the sensors, it should be removed in order for the door to go to the ground. If they are not correctly aligned, this will also prevent the door from going all the way to the ground. If you sense that this might be the problem, allow an expert service technician to evaluate this for you. They will open the garage door opener and make the needed adjustments. Finally, it there is any loose or damaged cables, this could prevent the door from opening.

Unusual Noises

You will have to deliberately listen for any noises that your garage door makes. You shouldn’t wait to address the issue when the problem is so loud that you can’t ignore it. If you’re hearing noises when your garage door is in use, it is likely that there are some loose hardware or parts that need to be lubricated. A technician will lubricate the moving parts of your door system with WD-40. They will only apply a light coating so that debris doesn’t quickly begin to build up. They also examine the bolts and screws attached to the door along with its connecting hardware and make needed repairs and adjustments.

Door is Difficult to Open

When your garage door does not appear as though it will not close, there may be a problem with your springs. The door balance will need to be checked. Since the springs are tightly wound, they can become dangerous if you do not know what you are doing. We recommend that you allow a qualified professional to handle the job of assessing your spring problems. However, to get out of your current situation, disconnect your garage door opener and pull the override cable in the rear of your opener. This will enable you to open the door manually. If there are problems with your garage door springs, allow a trained professional to repair or replace them as soon as possible. If you allow the problem to get worse, the springs can break and the door will fall down. If the door falls down, it will make the problem a lot worse. Your car can be damaged or the falling door may harm you.

These are simply some of the most common things that we see our customers ignoring. Pay attention to what is going on when you use your garage, it can mean the difference in the amount of money you ultimately end up spending to get your garage door working appropriately again. The best way to avoid an incident from occurring is to schedule routine garage door maintenance. Every inch of your door will be evaluated to ensure that there is no problem that can stop your door from functioning the way that it should. You can also avoid any potential harm due to a faulty garage door.