Diagnosing Problems With A Garage Door

When it comes to problems with a garage door, you might think that as an average homeowner, you have no idea what you to do to fix your garage door. When you push the button on your remote, paying attention to what happens next can give you a good idea of what is wrong with your door and what your next step should be to get your door fixed. In some situations, you will be able to take care of garage door problems on your own. 

Don't Let a Bent Rail Derail You

One of the key components of a garage door is the rail. As long as these rails stay straight and free of obstructions, they should work fine. However, if you notice that your garage door sounds like it is working fine, but it gets stuck partway open, then you likely have a problem with your rails. Inspect your rails for plastic bags, leaves, or other windswept debris that may have accumulated in the rails and caused a problem. Remove the obstruction to get your door working like it should.

Don't Let Sensors Send You into a Tailspin

Newer garage doors will have sensors at the bottom that will detect obstructions and prevent your door from closing. Thus, if you see that your garage door has no problem opening and then will start to close before it reverses even when there is no obstruction, you likely have a problem with your sensors. Make sure the sensors are getting power and that they are aligned correctly. Gently bending the brackets that hold the sensors in place is often enough to get your door working like it should. 

Motor Problems? Call the Professionals

If your garage door motor sounds like it is running alright, but your garage door does not open or close smoothly, the gears inside the motor are stripped. When it comes to opening up the cover on your motor and swapping out parts, you should probably leave the work to the professionals. The same is true if your garage door rails start to separate from the walls of your garage, or you see smoke coming from the motor—leave the major repairs to the professionals. 

As a homeowner, you should try to do what you can to maintain your garage on your own. On the other hand, knowing when to throw in the towel and call the professionals can help you save time and money while getting your garage door working again. For more information, contact Shank Door or a similar company.