Signs of Garage Door Damage and Garage Door Repair FAQs

A modern garage door is a complex piece of machinery that is called upon to work perfectly day after day, year after year. We tend to take our garage doors for granted until we arrive home one day and the door doesn’t open. There are myriad reasons why a garage door may fail and any of the major components may be to blame. In this post we’ll go over those major components, detail what they do and explain how they may contribute to the need for garage door repair.

Essential Garage Door Components and Signs They Need Repair

Many feet wide and weighing hundreds of pounds the garage door is a behemoth that helps to make our lives a little easier. The average garage door in Broomfield has a number of vital components that all need to work in concert in order for the door to work as a whole, which we've outlined below.

Garage Door Springs

There are two types of springs used in garage door openers. Torsion springs which run parallel to the length of the door and coil and uncoil, and extension springs which run perpendicular to the length of the door and lift or drop by stretching and contracting.

Signs of Spring Damage

• The door opens slowly.
• The door appears to be hanging crooked.
• The extension springs look loose, like an old rubber band.

Important: People have died trying to fix torsion springs. Leave spring repair to the professionals.

Garage Door Panels

The door panels are the ‘face’ of the door. Door panels may be made of wood, aluminum, steel, fiberglass or a composite. They may be insulated or uninsulated and they may incorporate glass panels or not.

Signs of Panel Damage

• Rotten or cracked wooden panels.
• Rust along the bottom of steel panels.
• Dents and dings in steel and aluminum panels from incidental impacts.

Garage Door Tracks

Garage doors rise and fall along a pair of parallel tracks that run from the floor to the motor. The tracks are not mechanical, they’re simply guides to show the door the way. While they may not be high tech it’s important that they be kept clear at all times.

Signs of Track Damage

• The door stuttering as it rises and falls.
• One side of the door lagging behind the other.
• The door sticking and then jumping forward.

Garage Door Safety Cable

The safety cables run through the springs on a garage door and are designed to prevent the door from snapping if a spring breaks. This is a critical safety feature.

Signs of Safety Cable Damage

• Visible fraying or rust on the cables.
• The cables are loose or hanging.
• The door opens unevenly or doesn’t stay in place.
• A loud noise occurs when the door is in motion, indicating a potential cable issue.

Garage Door Hinges

Hinges are the small metal components that allow the door panels to fold and unfold as the door moves up and down. They play a critical role in the smooth operation of the garage door.

Signs of Hinge Damage

• The door makes creaking or squeaking noises when opening or closing.
• Visible rust or wear on the hinges.
• The door panels appear misaligned or uneven.
• The door struggles to open or close fully.

Garage Door Opener Motor

The job of the opener motor is not to lift the door but to set the process of lifting in motion. Once the door has been set in motion the springs take over and do most of the lifting. Motors are one of the primary reasons people call for garage door repair. If you know the trouble signs to look for you can have the motor repaired or replaced before you get stuck out in the cold.

Signs of Opener Damage

• Excessive chain noise during opening or closing.
• Failure of the auto reverse mechanism.
• The opener makes a grinding noise, but the door doesn’t move.
• The door doesn’t respond when you press the button on the remote or keypad.
• The door opens or closes only partially.
• The remote has a weak or inconsistent signal.

Garage Door Rollers

The door uses rollers that extend out from the door’s side and lock into the track to keep it in place. The rollers are typically made of high-quality steel and bear all the weight of the door when it’s fully opened.

Signs of Roller Damage

• The door catching as it opens and closes.
• The door making rattling or screeching sounds when in motion.
• Part of the door hanging down when the door is fully opened.

The Electric Eye

Garage door sensors, often located near the bottom of the door, are designed to prevent the door from closing if something or someone is in the way. The safety sensor - also known as the "electric eye" - sends a beam of light from one side of the garage door to the other. If this beam is broken while the door is closing the door will automatically reverse so that it does not come down onto an unsuspecting child, pet or someone else. These sensors are crucial for safety. You should have the electric eye tested periodically to ensure it’s in good working order.

Signs of Electric Eye Damage

• The door reverses unexpectedly when trying to close.
• The sensor lights blink or don’t light up at all.
• The door only closes when you hold down the button continuously.
• The sensors are misaligned or dirty.

Garage Door Lock Bar

The garage door lock bar is a metal rod that slides into the door’s track to secure the door when it’s closed. It’s an additional security feature that can help prevent break-ins.

Signs of Lock Bar Damage

• The bar doesn’t slide smoothly into place.
• Rust or corrosion on the bar or its components.
• The lock mechanism feels loose or wobbly.
• The door can still be moved slightly even when the lock bar is engaged.

The Weatherseal

Along the bottom of your garage door is a funny looking strip of material that is intended to fill in any gaps between door and pavement when the door is closed. This is called the weatherseal.

Signs of Weatherseal Damage

• Noticeable drafts in the garage after the door is closed.
• Ice or water intruding under the door.
• Part of the strip is hanging loose when the door is open.

The garage door is certainly a marvel of engineering, but it needs to be well maintained in order to perform to its capabilities. If you see, hear, or sense any of the above warning signs, be sure to call us for immediate garage door repair. We’ll send someone straight out to your home, be it in Broomfield or anywhere else in the area, and restore your garage door to proper working order in no time.

Reasons to Never Delay Garage Door Repairs

Most homeowners don't give much thought to their garage door until a problem arises. Even then, some folks just assume minor problems will stay minor problems and they’ll get around to fixing it when they have the time. But this approach ignores the nature of the garage door as well as the important role it plays in securing your home against intrusions, energy waste and more. A malfunctioning garage door is not the same as a malfunctioning TV or a dodgy Internet connection. If garage door repair is called for it really needs to be addressed quickly and efficiently.

Garage doors may seem like big, boring pieces of home technology that don’t merit much attention but they in fact play a variety of important roles in the life of your home. Below are seven reasons why it's essential to schedule garage door repairs promptly after noticing signs of damage.

• Protection from Intruders — It’s an unfortunate fact of life that, even in a town like Henderson, good people need to secure their property against criminals; it’s a fact of life you ignore at your own peril. The garage door is not only the largest moving thing in the house, it also represents the largest opening in the home’s exterior. If your door doesn’t close properly, or if it’s stuck open it’s an invitation to burglars, often the kind looking to back up a U-Haul.
• Prevention of Serious Damage — If there’s a problem with the tracks and the door is stuttering as it rises and falls it needs to be fixed immediately. If not the door could wind up coming loose and crashing to the ground. Or let’s say your torsion spring has shown signs of wearing out. If you delay repair and the spring snaps the door will freefall back to the closed position with nothing to stop it or even slow it down.
• Lower Energy Costs — Loose rollers, debris in the track and worn extension springs can all lead to the door not closing properly. If the door is left slightly ajar when in the closed position you not only have a major security risk but a major energy waste as well. With cold air rushing into the garage every adjoining room will feel the effect and require greater amounts of energy to keep warm.
• Lower Repair Costs — For instance: broken rollers can damage the track if not quickly repaired. Or, if one of the 2 extension springs is broken and not repaired quickly it can lead to excessive stress on the motor that will cause it to burn out prematurely. As a result the cost of garage door repair will be higher than it would have been if the problem was taken care of when it first arose.
• Reduce Risk of Injuries — The electric eye is actually a sensor that detects when someone or something is in the path of the closing door. If, for instance, a child has crossed under the door while it’s closing the beam of light emitted from the electric eye is broken. This sends a signal to the motor to immediately reverse course. In this way no one is hurt. If the electric eye is allowed to malfunction this important safety feature is taken out of play.
• Keeping Critters Out — A garage door that doesn’t close properly will also send a message to local wildlife that shelter is available at your address. Raccoons, mice, opossums, birds and other creatures are no more fond of living exposed to the elements than you are. If your garage door isn’t closing properly you’re inviting every cold critter in the neighborhood to set up house in your garage and trying to remove them later can be an expensive proposition.

DIY Garage Door Repair Risks

First of all, no homeowner should ever attempt to enact repairs on the door’s spring mechanisms. People have died trying to do this. Secondly, necessary parts may not be available to non-professionals and you may have to perform a risky work-around that will come back to haunt you. And lastly, if the door is still under warranty, working on it yourself may result in that warranty being voided.

It can be tempting to look at a garage door problem as something that can be handled later. You’d be wise not to succumb to this particular temptation. Failing to enact garage door repair work when it’s necessary will lead to a slew of problems you’ll wish you didn’t have. Do the smart thing. If the garage door on your Henderson home is acting up, call the professionals at A Better Garage Door and prevent that molehill from growing into a mountain.

Garage Door Repair FAQs