The Heritage Theatre of Campbell
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Introduction
The garage door is one of the most important parts of your house. It keeps your car and belongings safe from intruders, weather, and other dangers. It also protects them from being stolen by burglars. Unfortunately, there may be times when you need to repair or replace your garage door. The good news is that most garage door repairs are easy to do—all it takes is a little bit of know-how (and maybe a few tools). In this article, we’ll explore common garage door problems so you can fix them yourself or determine if it’s better to call a professional garage door repair service.
Common garage door problems
If your garage door is malfunctioning, a few common problems might be the cause. Here are some of the most common issues and how you can fix them:
- The garage door won’t open or close. This can be caused by a broken or damaged opener or simply by a power outage in your area. If you think this may be the problem, check your circuit breaker to make sure that it’s on, and try manually opening and closing the door with a long stick or broom handle (don’t do this if the weather is stormy). If everything looks good, but nothing happens when you try to open it manually, then it’s probably time for an electrician to give it a closer look.
- The garage door is crooked on its track—or worse, off completely! If this happens frequently enough, then there’s probably something wrong with how often you service your springs (every six months would be optimal) and whether they’re installed correctly in their brackets at all times during use. If this is the case, call an expert immediately; these parts will need replacing as soon as possible.
- A broken spring or cable: Check for loose bolts on either side of the garage door where it attaches to the opener mechanism (called torsion springs). Loosen the bolts and tighten them back up as necessary. If this doesn’t fix the problem, you may need new torsion springs or cables! It is better to hire a professional to ensure your new springs are installed properly.
- Your garage door won’t open or close all the way: First, check whether any objects are blocking your door from closing completely; if they are, remove them! If your issue is not as simple as this, then check out our guide on how to fix common issues with your garage door! If basic troubleshooting doesn’t work, call a technician as soon as possible.
- Squeaking: The squeak can be caused by two issues: excessive tension in the springs or too much friction between parts of the assembly (this friction can cause a buildup of dirt). To fix this issue, lubricate all moving parts and tighten any loose bolts as needed. While you only need basic tools to do this, hiring a professional garage door repair service is always a good idea. They will make sure to service the whole garage door system and make sure everything is working nice and smoothly.
- Rattling/clanking: This is usually due to a bent pawl tooth on either side of each spring assembly that holds your door open when it’s raised halfway up its track. If this happens, the pawl should be straightened out; otherwise, it might not engage properly when activated later on down the road!
After noticing any signs of wear and tear on your garage door, it is always a good idea to service it. This way, you can avoid further damage later down the line. Waiting until things start falling apart is always more expensive than preventive maintenance.
