Garage Door Not Working Right? Here Are 3 Common Issues That Might Be To Blame

You depend on your garage door to open when you need it to in a nice, smooth fashion and to close down securely after you are done using it. However, the weight of these doors can end up causing them to fail. At one point or another, you might have to deal with some garage door repairs. Here are some of the most common repairs homeowners have to deal with for their garage door.

The garage door is sticking open or closed.

There are a few different things that can cause your garage door to stick in one position. For those with remote garage door openers, check the sensors, switches and batteries before going on to anything else. Those who have to open their door manually should check to make sure there isn't something blocking the track and causing the door to stick. The lubricant on the tracks can have problems caused by various weather conditions.

One of the biggest causes of garage doors that won't open is that they aren't hung properly. Make sure the springs and cables holding them in place are the same length and the springs are the same on either side.

The door is shimmying from one side to the other.

If you notice your garage door moving from one side to the other, it might be that you have something stuck in the tracks that is blocking the wheels from being able to move through the track smoothly. Clear the tracks and see if that helps. Otherwise, you might want to check the springs and see if they are still in good condition. Springs that are in good condition should stretch out the same amount and spring back into shape easily. Doors that open automatically might need to have a motor replaced.

The garage door slams down when trying to close it.

Garage doors falling down too quickly can be extremely dangerous for anyone who is walking underneath. Oftentimes, this is the result of a broken cable or springs that are worn out. Once you have the door closed, take a look at the springs and other connections to see if you can identify the problem. Avoid trying to replace cables and springs alone. You may need to bring in a professional repair technician to handle the repair for you. There are far too many safety risks in replacing the springs that you shouldn't attempt it without knowing what you are doing.

If your garage door starts acting up, the best thing to do is call upon a professional to come out and take a look at it for you to give you an idea of what might be the problem.