Garage doors that don’t work properly can be frustrating when you are in a hurry to get to work or home from a long day. It can be difficult to repair the garage door yourself. However, it is possible to pay for repairs. If you are able to diagnose the problem correctly, it might be possible for you to fix the problem yourself. This is because the problem can seem overwhelming but can be broken down into manageable pieces.
Are you unsure where to start? To begin, let’s take a look at common garage door problems to help you identify the issue. These are some ways you can tackle simple problems yourself. Let’s get started!
Tighten Any Loose Components
The most basic, but also the most important step of evaluating your garage door is a visual inspection. Visually inspect the garage door for any loose bolts, screws, or other components. Look out for loosely attached mounting brackets and spring plates as well as hinges. You should tighten the bolts and screws on these components if they are loose.
Fill the hole with some wood glue and hollow fiber plugs if the threads of a screw have worn down. The glue will dry, then you can replace your screw with a new one that is the same size but of a longer length. Alternately, you can also screw or tap (depending upon the style) a screw anchor in the hole. Then screw a brand new screw into that anchor.
Clean and Align the Rollers and Tracks
You may have a problem with your garage door’s rollers or tracks. These parts should be checked for damage and any bends or dents that might prevent the rollers from moving smoothly along the track. If necessary, clean the tracks and rollers to remove dirt and other materials. Then, use silicone or lithium-based grease (not WD-40) to lubricate the track. — To ensure smooth movement.
You can loosen the screws, but not take them out, to align the tracks properly. Then you can gently move the tracks into their proper place. To ensure that the tracks are correctly aligned, use a level. Horizontal sections of the track should be slightly slanted downwards. Vertical sections of the track should be straight on both sides.
Evaluate the Garage Door Springs
Garage doors with a lot of use eventually lose their torsion springs. Single-car garage doors only have one spring with tension. This construction presents a higher risk of injury and should be referred to a professional for adjustment or replacement. Two-car garage doors, however, have multiple springs. Although this sounds more complex, it is actually safer for homeowners who are not trained to make repairs.
To adjust spring tension, two-car roll-up doors use a cable attached to a pulley. To achieve the desired tension, you can pull, tighten, and re-knotted the cable. Spring tension can be adjusted for two-car garage doors that swing upward by moving the spring hooks at different positions on each side. Before making any changes to springs, it is important to thoroughly review the entire process.
Investigate the Garage Door Opener System
The motor or remote control functionality could be the cause of a garage door opener Indianapolis that doesn’t work. You may hear unusual noises from the garage door opener when it is activated. This could indicate a motor problem. You are familiar with the sound of your opener’s motor, so you should be able to tell when it isn’t working. It could be the motor, or the remote controller if the motor won’t turn on at all.
First, check that the lock function was not accidentally turned on with the remote. Older models may not have this feature but the newer models do. Next, you can replace your remote control’s battery. The battery life of garage door remote controls can vary, with some lasting many years and others needing to be replaced more often. If your remote fails to turn on the garage door even after you have replaced the battery, please refer to your user manual and follow the instructions to reprogram the remote. (This might also be necessary after replacing the battery. If this fails, you might need to replace your remote completely.
If the garage doors don’t activate, but the reverse happens, there could be something blocking the sensor. This tells the garage opener whether it is safe to open or close the doors. To begin, make sure that nothing is blocking each sensor’s laser beam. Before the door works, it is possible to replace either one or both of the sensors if the lights stop working.
Hire a Professional
These tips may not reveal a simple problem that you can fix by yourself. You might need to hire someone to diagnose and do professional repairs. While professionals can perform more complex repairs, in some cases you might need to replace the garage doors or opener. To ensure that you get the best equipment for the lowest price, make sure you thoroughly research the replacement cost. You should also consider the cost of replacement, such as how durable the new components are, their power consumption, and warranty details.