3 Common Problems With Garage Doors

To help you recognise and diagnose problems you may be having with your garage door, this short article goes over some of the most common issues people have with garage doors, and ways to help prevent them.

1. The garage door isn’t closing all the way

The cars parked, you’re looking forward to having a bit of dinner, but when you go to close the garage door, it stops about an inch from the ground.

This is quite a common problem, and has a number of different causes, including –

• Limit switch issues – Limit switches are switches usually located either side of the opener, one to control how far the garage door opens, and the other how far it closes. A small adjustment on either, one way or the other should solve the issue, but if it doesn’t, it’s best to call in a garage door repair specialist.
• Obstructions – It may not be a big obstruction, such as the car bonnet, or your mountain bike, but even a small box or old screwdriver caught in the opening mechanism could prevent the garage door from completely closing. So, before calling in a garage door repair professional, carefully check the mechanism for obstructions, whilst being careful not to trap your fingers or clothes.
• Bent tracks – This shouldn’t happen when a garage door is regularly serviced and maintained, but if the tracks your garage door mechanism runs along are bent or have come loose, you will need to hire a garage door repair professional in your area.

2. The garage door is sticking

A sticking garage door isn’t only frustrating, over time the garage door could jam shut, or it could create a security risk should the door become permanently stuck open.
The reasons for a stuck garage door could be a variety of different issues, but some of the most common are –

• A bent track or broken pulley – Any broken mechanical part of your garage door, will more than likely require the help of a garage door specialist, but remember, semi-regular inspections of the moving parts of your garage door, including removing debris from tracks etc. does help prevent issues becoming more serious than they need to be.
• Lack of maintenance – Another common reason garage doors get stiff or stuck is through lack of general maintenance, such as lubricating or checking that moving parts haven’t worked loose. It’s also a good idea to have an aftersales maintenance plan in place, either with your garage door provider or an independent garage door company, so that a garage door specialist can inspect, lubricate, and adjust or replace moving parts accordingly.
• It’s locked – It might sound surprising, but often people assume a garage door is stuck when it’s simply locked. So, before calling the local garage door repair company, ensure you haven’t got any locking devices engaged, especially if it’s an electric garage door.

3. The garage door is making unusual noises

If you suddenly notice more squeaks, creaks or grinding noises coming from your garage door, it may just be a simple process of making sure moving parts are lubricated and correctly adjusted.

Or, in the event of a loud bang, it’s probably something more serious, such as a snapped cable or a broken spring, so we’d definitely recommend getting a garage door specialist to take a look.

Safety Tip

Although there are some issues with your garage door that you can easily resolve yourself, certain components such as springs or motors can be extremely dangerous if the correct repair or inspection procedures aren’t followed. In these circumstances, we’d strongly recommend hiring a garage door professional.

Contact us

If you’re looking for a garage door replacement or someone to repair garage door parts, or fix garage door problems, contact Garage Doors Ltd, either by using the contact form, sending us an email, or giving us a call, to speak to an experienced advisor.