Troubleshooting Common Garage Door Issues

Calling a technician when you have problems with your garage door is not always necessary. Some garage door fixes are just part of routine home maintenance. Many of the issues you will experience require simple, DIY repairs. Here is a quick guide to troubleshooting garage door issues. 

Introduction to Troubleshooting Garage Door Issues

Every garage door will act up a little from time to time. When this happens, it is usually due to one of several routine operational snags. When you notice that the door is a little noisy, or is not running quite as it should, you could probably fix the problem just by examining the door’s rollers and tracks, tightening the hardware, checking the pulleys and cables, testing the door balance or testing the auto-reverse feature.

Identifying Common Garage Door Problems

If you are dealing with a more specific problem, there are usually more specific fixes you can try. Here are a few examples of common issues you may encounter:

• Noisy garage door: If your door is making a lot of noise, it could be that the hinges or rollers need replacing.
• Frozen door: Sometimes, in the winter, the door can actually become frozen in place, joined to the floor by a piece of ice. While this can make the door difficult to open, there are some simple fixes you can try.
• Faulty door opener: If the door doesn’t open, or only opens partially when you click the button, there could be a number of causes. Perhaps the photo eye isn’t working, or there is a problem with the power supply, for example.
• Worn-out springs: When the springs that counterbalance your garage door start to wear out, you may notice that the motor is struggling to open the door, or the door may feel heavier if you try to open it by hand. When this happens, the only thing to do is replace the springs. 

DIY Fixes for Minor Garage Door Issues

The common problems listed above are best dealt with as follows:

• If you have a noisy door, you will probably need to replace the hinges or rollers. If you have a lot of experience in DIY, you could probably do it yourself, but it is generally a task left to the professionals.
• If your door is frozen to the floor, try melting the ice with a heat gun, or applying standard de-icing products. A flat shovel or some other tool can be used to chip away at the ice. Just be careful not to damage the bottom seal.
• If the door is not opening properly, try examining the photo eye, reprogramming the keypad, and checking that there is actually power going to the motor. You could also inspect the rollers for rust or anything that might be obstructing the wheels’ movement. 

When to Call a Professional

Whenever the necessary fixes require more than just tightening a screw or adding some lubrication, it is usually advisable to call a technician. Replacing springs can be dangerous work, and repairing the motor requires some level of electrical and mechanical knowledge. Should you have any doubt in your ability at troubleshooting garage door issues on your own, rather call a professional.

Preventive Measures for Future Issues

Tri-Lakes Garage Doors supplies, installs and repairs quality garage doors throughout the Front Range area. Contact us for more information about our custom garage doors. If you have any problems that fall outside of what is covered here in this guide to troubleshooting garage door issues, you can always book an appointment with one of our technicians.