If you have used both an automated and manual garage door, you understand how convenient the former is. Your garage door opens and closes easily without developing mechanical issues or getting stuck halfway. Imagine if you were able to understand your garage door, avoid these issues, and operate it like a new automatic garage door. It is possible.
One of the reasons why your garage door gets stuck is because of the climate in Kentucky, which is characterized by extreme variations in weather. You move from the blistering summers to the heavy snow and frigid weather in winter. These temperature variations are not lenient on your garage door, as moving from low to high temperatures has adverse effects on the door material in the long run.
During the winter, it is exposed to great levels of moisture and high temperatures. With such whiplash year in and year out, some problems are bound to come along. Let’s review four of the most common garage door problems you are likely to encounter in Kentucky.
1. Broken Springs
When the spring of a garage door breaks, the door hangs too low. This means that every time the door is opened, it makes some loud noises. Broken door springs are dangerous to the entire garage door as they put too much pressure on the cables. This can be hazardous, especially if you try to restore or fix the problem yourself. It can cause a serious injury. Ensure that you engage the services of a qualified technician to fix the spring for you.
Various reasons can damage or break your garage door springs. The most common one is a lack of lubrication. You need to ensure that the rollers and tracks are lubricated and run smoothly. Damaged rollers and tracks do not move properly, which results in undesired noise. The problem is complicated if the tracks are misaligned or bent. Moreover, if the door is heavy, there is bound to be a complex problem.
The most practical solution to fix the broken springs is to get new springs. Engage a technician to determine the springs that are suited for your garage door. As you wait for the technician to arrive, ensure you don’t operate the door, as it can cause injuries to the people around you and also to the vehicles. A professional garage door technician will fix the springs in no time and allow you to enjoy your convenience and peace of mind.
2. Misaligned Sensors
Nothing is as infuriating to a homeowner as a garage door that will not close or open. Mostly, this problem comes from a misaligned sensor. Garage door sensors are designed to prevent the door from accidentally closing in on a person or a pet.
Sensors are critical to the normal functioning of a garage door. The two ‘eyes’ of the garage door sensors must be aligned for the garage door to open and close. However, when there’s an interruption in the beam’s path such that the two eyes are not aligned, it hinders the ability of the door to open or close fully. This failure to work efficiently is a result of misalignment or debris. The only way to know if the problem with closing and opening the garage door is the sensor is to call a technician to troubleshoot and fix the issue.
The sensor should be red or green when working well. If it does not show anything, it is an indication that the laser is blocked by something. Make sure no plants or branches are blocking the sensor. Moreover, ensure that the antenna does not block the signal as a result of buildup or dirt. Readjust the antennae, as they could be unaligned. Sometimes, that could just fix everything.
You will also need to check the up-limit and close switches. Ensure that you adjust these two major parts as they determine the performance and efficiency of the garage door.
3. Noisy Doors
Noisy garage doors are not much of a dangerous problem, but they can be irritating whenever you want to open or close the garage door and have to avoid the annoying sounds. Other than enduring the screeching sound, you may find that the noisy door becomes less smooth when opening or closing.
The problem originates from the wheels and tracks of the garage door. From exposure to extreme temperatures all year round, together with other obstructive equipment such as lawn equipment strikes and warp materials, it is possible for garage doors to develop some noise when operating up and down metal tracks.
The noise from your garage door could also come from dry or clear tracks, such that the wheels are obstructed from running smoothly. Moreover, check the age of our garage door. Garage doors that have been around for so long may need some attention.
Contact a technician to check the source of the noise in the garage door to prevent the loud noise from escalating into something big. The technician will be able to help clean and lubricate the garage door so that the door system can operate as desired without the necessary noise.
4. Hung Doors
Sometimes, the garage door does not hang as straight as it is designed to. This prevents you from opening and closing it properly. You may notice debris or excess dirt entering your home from the garage door just because the hung doors are allowing such dirt through the loose bolts that it results in misalignment of the tracks.
A careful inspection of the bolts can shed light on whether they are suitable for the hung doors. If they are, tighten the bolts, and the problem will be fixed. However, if the problem persists and all the bolts are sturdy and not the cause of the issue, contact a garage door technician to help you troubleshoot the door to identify possible issues. Some of the causes of hung doors to look out for include worn-out or broken pulleys and cables. If these are the culprits, consider replacing them.
It is also important to consider the age of your garage door. If the problem persists, consider the garage’s lifespan because it could be time to replace it. Moreover, ensure that you schedule regular maintenance visits with a garage door technician to check your door and fix small issues before they get out of hand.
Do You Need Help Fixing Your Garage Door?
While you can replace or fix some of the parts on your garage door just fine, allowing a professional garage door expert to walk that journey with you is safer. Some garage doors are too heavy, and if handled by someone without the experience, tools, or expertise to do it, the issue could escalate into a bigger problem that could even result in higher costs.
Allow Lewis Door Service to troubleshoot the problem, identify what needs to be done, and then solve the problem so you can continue enjoying the seamless operation of your door. Besides installing and repairing garage doors, we specialize in garage door operators, emergency garage door repairs, and garage door maintenance in Kentucky. Check out insulated doors, custom-built carriage-style doors, and stamped carriage doors.
Contact Lewis Door Service today for more information.
