Signs Your Garage Door May Need Repairs

A garage door is an important part of your home. Not only does it keep your vehicle safe and protected, it also adds curb appeal and provides privacy for your workshop. All garage doors require routine maintenance or repairs, but it can sometimes be difficult to spot the signs. Keep reading to learn what you should be on the lookout for.

Unusual Noises

If you’re starting to hear squealing, grinding or rattling, it usually indicates a problem with your garage door. There could be worn out rollers, loose hardware, or a malfunctioning motor. An indication you have worn rollers can be heard with a vibrating or screeching sound. Plastic rollers only last two years. Steel rollers last longer but can be susceptible to corrosion and rust.

Slapping sounds indicate a chain is loose. This can be from improper installation or other parts of the door being already damaged. When clinking or rattling noises occur it may require lubrication of the door’s moving parts, but if that doesn’t work, you need to have it checked by a professional company like Dayton Overhead Door Company.

Issues When Closing or Opening

If your door jams, jerks, hesitates, or doesn’t open or close all the way, there could be misaligned tracks, broken springs, or a faulty sensor. Misaligned tracks can block the doors movement. In situations like this, the tracks need to be replaced or moved back into position.

Faulty sensors can occur when there’s misalignment or dirt on the sensor, or if there’s damage to the sensor from water or other external force. Leaving this problem can cause the door to fail completely. When this happens, you can lose access to your garage until it’s fixed.

Sagging Door Panels

Sagging panels can occur due to age-related wear and tear. Wooden garage doors are especially susceptible to deterioration over time. Accidents and weather conditions can also weaken the structural integrity of the door, causing it to droop and sag. Structural damage should be assessed at the door level and with the mechanism that’s holding it up.

Lastly, imbalanced springs can cause problems with tension. This tension puts extra pressure on the springs, causing it to sag. Leaving panels too long without maintenance or repairs can cause more damage to your garage door in the long term.

Uneven or Slow Movement

One reason for uneven or slow garage door movement could be damaged cables causing tension on one side of the door. An old motor may struggle to lift the door, causing it to move slowly. Last, there could be debris or other small objects lodged in the track that prevents smooth operation.

Rising Energy Bills

Many garages doors are designed to keep the weather out completely. If the weather stripping is worn or damaged, your energy bill can be affected. Your home can lose heat during the winter months, gain heat in the summer months, or the temperature can fluctuate due to the air leaks around the garage door.

The average garage door runs on around 350 to 600 watts during operation while opening or closing. Factors which affect a door’s power consumption include the motor type, the door’s weight and size, and how well maintained the door is.

To calculate how much the door uses, simply take the power consummed (kW), then multiple it by the hours of use per day. Times that by 365 days in a year and you have your answer. To know the cost you simply times your number by how many cents per KWh you consume on your power bill. A garage door might be opening and closing just a few minutes each day, so power consumption figures won’t be high.

Endnote

A robust garage is an important part of your property. By being able to identify signs early, you can reduce the risk of an excessive repair bill. Always check with a professional garage door repair company to make sure the problem is diagnosed properly.