The garage door is one of the most used doors in the house, believe it or not. You take your car in and out of the garage every day, and that makes it prone to wear and tear too. While it seems like a trivial problem for some, garage door problems are definitely something you should look over once it begins to develop.
A lot of issues come with a faulty garage door. The most apparent are security issues as intruders can use a garage door for a break-in. Some break-ins through garage doors are caused by issues in the door itself, while others are caused by negligent homeowners.
Another problem with faulty garage doors is that they could lead to serious injuries. Some garage doors that abruptly close not only put your car at risk of getting damaged it also puts you in harm’s way. That being said, some garage door problems are more common than others, but that doesn’t mean you should let it go easily.
If you want to keep your car, yourself, and your family safe, then it’s a must that you take care of your garage door. Here are a few common garage door problems that you need to look out for.
Garage Door Opener Won’t Properly Work.
This is the most common problem that homeowners face. Garage doors are made to open and close on command, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t prone to any issues due to excessive use. The most common reasons for a garage door not opening or closing properly is usually found in the chain that pulls up and brings down the cover.
In most cases, the chain or the drive-screw-operated garage door malfunctions because the lubricant has dried up. The lubricant is applied to the workings of the garage door to ensure that it can close and open smoothly. The good news is that this problem is not at all hard to fix, and you don’t need to call for professional help ASAP.
All you need to do is buy some silicone-based lubricant or a garage door spray lube to apply on the chains. We suggest getting the spray as this is easier to apply than the lubricant. As a general rule of thumb, you should check on the chains monthly to see if the lube is starting to dry up. Apply lube again if necessary.
Cracks Or Gaps
Wooden garage doors are an excellent choice. They are less noisy as compared to metal doors, and they aren’t prone to rusting too. However, one common problem that wooden garage doors face is small cracks and gaps that appear between the wooden panels after a while. This can be caused by a lot of factors.
For starters, as garage doors are exposed to the elements, they are prone to warping. Warping happens when wood gets wet or goes through rapid changes in temperature. Another reason why these issues happen is that things could be hitting your garage door without you noticing it, hence the cracks.
There is a DIY fix for it too. However, if the gaps become too large, it might be time to call garage door repair experts as they can help replace panels entirely. If you don’t have the time to call for help, you can use a waterproof filler to fill in those cracks and gaps. You can buy these at any hardware store, and they are easy to apply, too.
Garage Door Closes/Opens At Varying Speeds
This is a very annoying and common issue. It happens when you are closing/opening your garage. It will first begin to move at a slow pace. Once it’s closer to sealing or exposing the garage, it will suddenly move fast. It’s a dangerous problem, too, as you can never know when the garage doors are going to shut down on you abruptly.
Problems like this happen when the springs on your garage door have become loose. These springs are usually durable, but they can become worn out after three years especially if you use your garage regularly. The good news is that these are easy to replace, but the springs themselves are usually found online.
Instead of replacing that one loose spring causing the issue, you should instead replace all of the springs on the door. Eventually, the other springs will become loose, too, so it’s best to think ahead and get everything done immediately. Besides, springs are sold in bundles, so you have no choice but to replace everything instead.
Garage Door Won’t Close Fully.
This is a serious issue as sometimes, people don’t immediately notice it. It happens at its worst when you are leaving the house thinking that the garage door has closed all the way through. However, when you get home, you see that there’s a foot or two of space between the garage door and the pavement.
This problem poses a serious security risk as this could be a means for people to break into your house. Aside from intruders, small animals could also get through the gap, thus causing problems for you and your family. How does this problem occur anyway?
The best way to solve this issue is by using pipe insulation to secure the part of the garage door that has the gap. However, if you want a complete fix for the problem, you should call an expert for help as they can see what’s wrong with the garage door. In most cases, this is the cause of the issues within the contraption that makes the garage door work.
Your garage door’s problems won’t be fixing itself on its own. As such, you should try to look for these common problems so that they don’t become worse over time. Remember, all it takes is a small problem for your garage door to become a security risk rather than a security measure. Don’t be afraid to call for help as some problems can’t be fixed on your own.
