Garage Door Repair

When things go wrong with your garage door, it might take some time diagnose the problem. Your garage door is made up of many smaller components working together in harmonized action, and if any of those smaller parts develop a problem, it can be enough to throw off the whole system. However, when things go wrong, it's important that you don’t get frustrated. There are a few things you can do at home to help diagnose the issue while keeping calm and collected. If you're having issues with your door and you can't figure out what's going wrong, here are a few tips to help you get started.

Do a Thorough Visual Check

The first step to figuring out what's going wrong with your garage door is to go through each element of your opener and try to see if anything looks off. The causes for your door getting stuck, malfunctioning, or simply not working at all could range from a broken part to a dirty track to a loose cable. The more thorough you are, the better. When you're doing your check, don't just look for damage. Keep your ears open as well. If you hear any kind of grinding or squeaking sound during your door's opening or closing cycle, chances are the sound will lead you straight to the problem.

Tighten and Lubricate

As a homeowner, it's always good to keep a checklist of tasks to do weekly, yearly, and monthly. In the same way that you know to change your car's oil every 3,000 miles, you should pay close attention to your garage door to see if it's in need of any cleaning, lubrication, or upgrades. After your visual inspection, make note of any rust or dirt buildup. If you've kept your track clean as well as your parts, it can't hurt to go through and make sure everything is well oiled and tightened up just in case.

Check for External Damage

Sometimes even something as small as a dent on one of your garage door panels can be enough to impair your garage door's function. If you've gone through the inside of your door and still haven't noticed a problem, the next step is to take it outside. Pay attention to your garage door panels, especially the bottom panel, which tends to see the most damage in harsh weather. If your door is still functioning but seems to be opening or closing too quickly, you might need to replace one of your door's panels.

Reset Your Opener

When you've checked everything else, it's time to test the technology. Sometimes your door can stop functioning simply because its sensors or camera eye is misaligned. The first step to figuring out whether you're dealing with a technical problem is to reset your garage door opener. This can be done manually, via the 'learn' button on the side of your opener, or on the homepage of an app. If you've reset your opener and you're still seeing a problem, it might be time to call in the professionals.