Diagnosing and Fixing Unusual Garage Door Issues
In our earlier blog content, we have shared our experience of the most common garage door problems that we encounter while providing garage door services in Broomfield, Parker and surrounding areas. In this article, we are going to take a look at a few of the more unusual issues we have come across, along with our suggestions as to how they can best be resolved. It may be possible for you to tackle a couple of the issues yourself but, as a rule, we recommend contacting a team of experienced professionals such as ourselves. If you are in any doubt as to whether you can fix a garage door problem without putting yourself or your family in any danger, it is always best to call an expert.
Review our previous guide to learn more about the biggest DIY garage door repair risks.
Dealing with Less Common Garage Door Problems
Although the issues listed below are relatively uncommon when compared to the normal types of garage door problems we are asked to fix, they happen often enough to make it worth your while to look out for them in the future.
Direct Sunlight Causing Sensor Malfunctions
If there are no trees in your garden or nearby buildings to provide any shade, it is quite possible that you will encounter this problem at some time in the future. All modern automatic garage doors are fitted with safety sensors that are designed to stop the doors from closing if they detect a person or an object in the way. Normally, these sensors, which are sometimes known as safety eyes, are very reliable but if they are in direct sunlight at certain times of day, they may malfunction. If the sunlight hitting the sensors is brighter (in terms of lumens) than the light of the infrared beams the sensors use, they can no longer see each other and will assume that there is an obstacle in the way.
This problem normally only happens when the sun is shining directly at the sensors so if your garage door sometimes refuses to close for no apparent reason and it only exhibits this behavior at certain times of the day (on days when the weather is fine), it may be worth planting some bushes or installing a fence to provide some shade for your safety sensors. Before you do this, you can simply position yourself in between the sun and the sensors to verify whether direct sunlight is actually the cause of your problem. If the door still refuses to close when the sensors are in shade, call a professional to investigate.
Garage Door Freezing Shut
We have been called out to perform a garage door repair in Loveland and other areas in the past, only to find on our arrival that there is nothing actually wrong with the door, the opening mechanism or the door opener. This only ever happens in the coldest months of the year and is due to moisture trapped underneath the garage doors that freezes and holds the door in position.
It can be very perplexing to the homeowner who verifies that the door opener and the door itself are free from any obvious issues but still cannot get the door to open. If you ever find your door is completely unresponsive on a winter’s morning and you have no idea why, take a look at the bottom of the door to make sure it is not frozen shut. If it is, an application of boiling water or salt will quickly melt the ice. Alternatively, you can adjust the sensitivity of the opening mechanism so that it pulls a little harder in future.
Misaligned Tracks Due to Damage from Pest Infestation
Misaligned tracks are a fairly common problem that homeowners notice when their garage door starts to open unevenly. In most cases, it is due to damage to the tracks that is fairly easy to spot but in a case that our Broomfield garage door repair team came across recently, the tracks themselves were in a good state of repair. The root of the problem, which was uncovered after a more thorough inspection, turned out to be a termite infestation in the wooden door frame and garage ceiling. The damaged to the wood caused by the termites had caused the tracks to shift, resulting in the door opening unevenly. If you encounter this particular problem, you will need to contact a pest control expert as well as a reputable garage door repair company.
Corroded Tracks Due to Leaking Roof
If your door is reluctant to open and it feels like there is an obstacle stopping it but you can’t see anything obvious, take a look at the top of your tracks to make sure they are in good condition and check your garage roof for leaks as well. Our experienced Broomfield garage door repair team has visited a few properties over the years where a leaking garage roof was found to be the root cause of this problem. The water leaking through the roof had caused the tracks to corrode, which made it more difficult for the doors in question to open. In some cases, the tracks can be repaired but if the corrosion is too bad, replacement is the best option, after fixing the roof of course!
Our Broomfield Garage Door Repair Pros Can Handle Any Issue
If you are looking for a garage door repair or installation team that you can trust, feel free to call A Better Garage Door for a free estimate on repair and installation services.