There are numerous issues you could face with your garage door and each vary in severity. There are some issues that can be fixed via DIY, some are a little more complex and require professional service. Let’s walk through the 5 most common issues and how to get them resolved.
Garage Door Not Closing All The Way
Having a door that won’t close all the way can be very frustrating and can lead to further issues if not addressed immediately. There could be a couple reason your door is not closing all the way – let’s explore each:
Sensor Issues
Sensor issues tend to be easier to fix than most other garage issues and typically are quick to spot. There are a couple things to check to determine if you have issues with your sensors. First, check to make sure there is nothing obstructing the line of sight between both sensors. Once confirmed, then remove any cobwebs, dust, and or excess debris from the wiring.
Broken or Blocked Tracks & Rollers
Your garage door tracks and rollers are what allow your garage door to easily go up and down seamlessly. While rare, there are scenarios where your tracks can encounter obstructions. Simply double check and make sure nothing is lodged into either track and remove any items that may cause the rollers to not move freely.
In addition, double check to make sure either track is not bent. Your rollers may not all stay in line – thus causing an issue with how far the door can open and close. Careful inspection of both obstructions and the equipment itself should allow you to properly determine if your tracks/rollers are to blame.
Glitchy or Broken Garage Door Motor
Normally an issue with the motor is not the first thing you’ll suspect and is often times overlooked. There are some clear signs when you need your garage door motor replaced or repaired.
- Strange noises coming from the motor
- Garage only works some of the time
- Garage door operates slower than normal
While your garage door not closing is a common occurrence, we normally DO NOT recommend trying to fix it yourself – besides removing obstructions or cleaning the sensors – as it can be a tough fix that can only cause more issues.
Should you notice your garage door not opening or closing all the way, we recommend you do try and diagnose the issue before calling a professional. Some issues can be easily fixed including clearing obstructions and cleaning the sensors. Should you rule both those issues out, give us a call and we can come out to you ASAP. Appointments usually take 45 minutes – 1hr.
Broken Garage Door Springs
Broken garage door springs are a normal occurrence as most springs have a designated lifespan and most people do not keep track of that information. Per our friends at Banko Overhead Doors in Florida, garage door springs normally last around 10,000 cycles or 3-5. However, there are many varying factors that can impact how long your garage door springs will last.
When it comes to your garage door springs, we do not recommend waiting until it’s too late. To make sure you don’t run into any overnight headaches with your garage door, we highly recommend a yearly inspection if you are unsure of the age or condition of your springs. In addition, if your overhead spring looks any of the examples below, give us a call or submit a request ASAP! Our garage door spring repair/replacement usually takes ~30 mins.
Damaged Roller
Similar to the garage door springs, each roller has its own lifespan. When purchasing rollers, we recommend purchasing the rollers in complete sets to ensure they are all have a similar lifespan. This doesn’t mean you won’t have issues at different times but it’ll help limit this as much as possible. To determine which rollers you may have and the life expectancy, here is a quick blog that goes through the different types of rollers.
If you’re questioning the age of your rollers or think they might be the cause of your garage door issues, we can come out and complete the replacement ASAP! Just put in a request or give us a call, it normally takes us ~25 minutes to replace your garage door rollers.
Car Drove into Your Garage Door
Running into your own garage door is typically the #1 fear of garage owners – or having someone else run into it. Occasionally an afterthought, it’s not as uncommon as you would think considering we get at least 5 calls a week for someone hitting their door. Keep in mind even the slightest bump can cause your garage door to quit working. Multiple issues can arise after your garage door is hit including a cracked door, scratched paint, bent frames, broken hinges, and more.
Below images include the sights of different doors getting ran into. If your door looks like any of the below, give us a call today to schedule a replacement. The bright side of this inconvenience is that our service level is top notch. You can expect us to be in and out within 2 hours for a complete garage door replacement and we can install a wide range of garage door sizes and styles.
Unresponsive Electrical Equipment
If you notice your equipment in good condition and are out of ideas, it may be your electrical equipment. Garage door electrical equipment issues can the culprit of various issues including the floor sensors, overhead motor, or even the remote itself.
Resetting the motor could be an easy fix. If you already followed the manual to reset your motor and replaced your garage door remote batteries, we suggest you reach out immediately because fixing the electrical equipment for your garage door is a tough DIY project. Normally DIY leads to more issues if you don’t have a background in electrical work. Our electrical equipment repairs/replacements usually only take 30 minutes or less.
We know that having a garage door that isn’t operating correctly can be a headache and a major inconvenience. If you’re having a tough time figuring out what the issue may be, take a look at our garage door FAQs or reach out to us and we can help diagnose the problem as well as fix it if it’s something you don’t want to deal with.