Common Garage Door Problems and How to Deal With Them

Your garage is one of the most heavily-used areas of your home, which means it needs a lot of attention. You have to rid your garage of clutter, for example, to ensure everything has a proper place and is easily accessible. With all that use, your garage door may also run into some problems over time, and you need to address them immediately.

While some garage door issues are easy to deal with, some of them may require professional garage door repair services.

Here are some tips on how to deal with the most common garage door problems.

No response

Check your remote and see if it needs fresh batteries. If the batteries are fine and nothing’s happening, check the garage door opener itself and see if its lights are on. When they’re out, then it must be something about the power source. If it’s plugged in and it still doesn’t work, there’s a possibility of a blown fuse. Your circuit breaker might also have tripped, so reset it and see if that gets it going.

Slow-motion action

A garage door that takes a long time to open could just be because of a low speed setting on the opener, so if that’s the case, adjust the speed accordingly. However, if the speed setting is okay, then it’s probably the rollers that need more lubrication. Dirty tracks could also cause the garage door to open slowly, so try cleaning them up.

Funny noises

Whenever something that runs on a motor produces sounds it’s not supposed to make, you can be sure that there’s something wrong somewhere.

Squeaking or grinding noises from your garage door, for example, are a possible sign that its rollers need more lubrication. Lithium- or silicone-based grease is the best lubricant for this purpose.

When your garage door is making a rattling noise, it could be a case of loose screws and bolts. Get a wrench and tighten them to put a stop to the rattling.

While you can DIY the above noises, you can’t do the same when you hear a popping sound from your garage door. It usually means there’s something wrong with the torsion spring, and only a professional garage door repair service should perform the necessary fixes for it.

The door won’t close or open fully

When a garage door doesn’t open or close fully, there may be a problem with the alignment of the sensors or electronic eyes that most modern garage doors have.

These sensors, which can be found on both sides close to the tracks, emit a beam of light and have lenses that are supposed to face each other at all times.

When these sensors are misaligned or if there’s an obstruction between them, the garage door won’t open or close. Dirty lenses can do the same thing, so make sure the sensors are always perfectly aligned, unobstructed, and clean.

The garage door moves unevenly

A garage door is supposed to move evenly when you’re opening or closing it, so when it isn’t doing that, its tracks may be obstructed. Remove anything that’s blocking the tracks as soon as you can.

There’s also the possibility that it’s your spring system that’s causing the uneven movement. The spring system must have the right amount of tension. When there’s too little or too much of it, your spring system needs adjustment, and it’s a job best left to professionals.

The garage door reverses

The sensors on both sides of a garage door ensure proper opening and closing, so when a garage door suddenly changes direction, these sensors are likely misaligned or blocked in some way or form.

A garage door that suddenly reverses direction puts children and pets at risk, so you must address this problem immediately by making sure these sensors are aligned perfectly as well as clean and without any obstructions.

Rust

The metal components of a garage door opener may rust, so if you see any of it form, address it right away. Soak a piece of cloth in vinegar, which is great at dissolving rust, then rub it on the affected areas. Sand it for good measure.

Cracks

As time passes, garage doors—wooden ones in particular—will likely suffer some cracks. Use a sealant or a waterproof filler on them.

Keep in mind that there are garage door problems that you can fix the DIY way, and there are ones that need the touch of a garage door repair specialist. Know which ones you can do, and which ones to leave to a professional.

About The Author: Irene Trentham is the Content Marketing Strategist of Arizona’s Best Garage Door and Repair Company, a locally-owned enterprise that specializes in garage door installation and repair for residents of Phoenix and surrounding areas. She loves to do camping, hiking and yoga and to spend time with her family and baby girl, Tatum when not writing.