Tips For Troubleshooting Your Garage Door

It's so frustrating to hear the squeal of your garage door every time you leave or arrive home. It's even worse if the door doesn't open at all. As a homeowner, you may not give a lot of thought to how your garage door functions until it doesn't do so properly. It's also hard to know when to call a repair shop, like Zook Garage Door Services. Troubleshoot common garage door problems, though calling for professional repair may still be the best option.

Clean the Tracks

A squealing door usually heralds dirty or dented tracks. In this case, use a brush to swipe away debris along the tracks. While doing so, inspect the metal for dents. You can hammer out dents yourself, but it involves taking the tracks down, using a rubber mallet to smooth out the dent and hanging the tracks back up. If there are no dents, the Family Handyman recommends lubricating the hinges, roller bearings and springs with a lubricant made for garage doors.

Listen for Grinding

If you hear a grinding noise, the problem is likely with the opener. Stand near the opener and attempt to open or close the door again. If the noise is accompanied by the door staying put or moving slowly, the gears inside the opener have likely gotten worn. It's possible to replace just the gears, but the job involves taking the opener down and performing the repair.

Observe the Trolley Carriage

If your door doesn't move yet there are no grinding noises, it could be your whole opener needs replacing. Before you make that conclusion, though, check the trolley carriage. The trolley carriage is the mechanism hanging from the rail with an arm attaching to the door. During normal operation the arm hanging down from the trolley moves to open or close the door. If, however, the trolley carriage is moving but the door isn't, you probably need a new trolley.

Check the Sensors

If your door only closes when you hold the wall switch, there may be a problem with the safety sensors. By law all garage doors have to be fitted with sensors that prevent the door from closing when there's an obstruction. Check to ensure the sensors are still aligned – the small light on each sensor lights up when the way is clear. If they're not lit up, try adjusting the sensors in case they simply got out of alignment. If they still don't light up, it may be necessary to replace the sensors. If this is the case, it's a relatively easy job – you simply need to buy the kit that goes with your garage door brand.

You may not be able to repair your garage door yourself. However, troubleshooting the problem at least facilitates discussion with your repair experts.