Did you realize that most Americans use their garage door more often than their front entry door? It’s true, and this means that when your garage stops working, it’s vital to diagnose the issue and work on correcting it.
At Crawford Door Sales, we’re proud to offer both commercial and residential garage door repair for garages that are experiencing relatively minor issues and don’t require full replacement. In this two-part blog, we’ll dig into some of the primary signs that indicate your garage door might be in need of repairs.
Noise Concerns
Has your garage begun to make more noise than it used to while opening and closing? If so, try to walk around the door and narrow down the source of the noise – it could be cracked rollers, rusted springs, or broken hinges or panels. If you don’t find the specific source this way, the kind of sound being made might give you some hints:
- Squeaking or squealing: This is usually the hinges, which are made of metal and can squeak when they are not properly lubricated.
- Grinding: Grinding sounds generally mean there’s an alignment issue with the door – panels may be uneven, or the rollers could be dragging across their tracks.
- Rattling: Rattles or shakes while opening or closing usually signal loose nuts or bolts. If not, they may be due to warping on the track.
- Clinking: This sound is usually the cause of springs rubbing together due to rust.
- Banging: A loud banging noise every time your garage door hits the ground could mean a weather stripping issue, or could also be door springs that have built up too much tension over time.
Opening and Closing Problems
If your garage door is having trouble opening or closing, or simply won’t open or close at all, it could be due to several specific causes:
- Power disruption: Either the outlet or the actual power source may have stopped working, both of which you can test using other electronics nearby.
- Photo eye issues: Nearly all modern garage doors have photo eye sensors that stop them from closing when the opening is being blocked. If your door won’t budge, check to ensure nothing is in the way here.
- Springs or cables: If you hear a loud booming noise right before your garage stops working, it’s likely your torsion springs snapping – they only last for so many years. During torsion spring snaps, it’s also possible for the cable to break.
- Remote issues: Your garage remote may have dead batteries, or could just be out of range.
- Limit settings: Limit settings help determine how far the door needs to move to close properly, but if your door isn’t set up properly, the door will hit the ground before the limit setting thinks it should. This will cause the door to reverse because it assumes it’s hit an object, not the ground.
- Track offset: If the door has fallen off the track, it will not open or close.
- Disconnect switch: All garages have disconnect switches, knobs or cords that allow for closing the door manually if the power is out. Check to make sure your motor hasn’t been disconnected.
For more on the possible reasons your garage door might require repair, or to learn about any of our garage door installation or repair services, speak to the staff at Crawford Door Sales today.
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