> > Garage Door Troubleshooting This page should help you troubleshoot your garage door problems. While many problems that keep the door from opening are caused by broken springs, a lot of other parts could be keeping your door from functioning properly. One of the more difficult problems for Do-It-Yourselfers to diagnose is a worn cable pulley on an extension spring door. There are, of course, many other problems that can keep your garage door from functioning properly. Click on a problem below to see the possible causes and solutions. Bottom of the door is up on one side Door closes only if you hold in the push button Door closes part way and then reverses Door won't close all the way - it is uneven Door won't close all the way Door won't stay open Loud bang before the door quit working Opener is straining as the door opens Popping sound as the door operates Radio controls will open but not close the door Rear support for the upper track is broken
Replace torsion spring cable (See: cable prices) Replace extension spring cable (See: cable prices) Replace the worn pulleys (See: pulley prices) Align, clean or replace as needed (See: photo eye prices) Straighten, adjust or replace track (See: track prices) Replace the broken spring (See: extension spring prices) Replace the broken spring (See: torsion spring prices) Adjust track spacing or trim molding. Replace any bent hinges Replace the broken torsion spring (See: torsion spring prices) Replace the broken extension spring (See: extension spring prices) Replace the worn rollers (See: roller prices) Replace the cable (See: cable prices) Straighten or reinforce the bearing plate as needed. File the shaft and replace the bearing as needed (See: bearing prices) Replace the worn pulleys (See: pulley prices)Your garage is supposed to prevent trouble by keeping your car safe from the elements (and from thieves), but sometimes garages have problems of their own.
Garage doors won't open, refuse to lock or age and warp. Here's how to solve garage door dilemmas.The power to your garage is out with the door shut, and you need to get your car out or you'll have to take a bus. You'll notice a cord—usually with a red handle—dangling down from the guide track that the opener uses to open and close the door. This is the manual override. Once pulled, it allows you to open and close the door with your own power in the form a little elbow grease.Cold weather has stiffened the mechanism of your garage door opener and caused it to lose power. Most garage door openers made in the past 15 years have pressure adjustments for both raising and lowering. Check and adjust these settings seasonally to keep things running smoothly.That sagging garage door is getting harder and harder to open. Garage doors, especially older, wooden models, are as susceptible to the ravages of time and gravity as the rest of us. If your aging doors are a little saggy, square them up with the tension rods positioned on the back of the door.
The rods are placed diagonally from top to bottom corners and can be tightened at a turnbuckle to straighten out the door--do a little at time to allow the door to adjust to the change. If your door isn't already equipped with tension rods, you can buy them at home centers.Your dream car is parked in out of the elements, but it's not secure because the garage door won't lock. Most garage doors have two horizontal bars that move out from the center of the door into slots along the side of the door in the door track, effectively locking the door in place. Over time, these bars can shift slightly out of position so that they are no longer correctly aligned with the locking slots. To realign the bars, unscrew the guide brackets on the edges of the door so that they are loose enough to move, and then reposition them so that they smoothly guide the locking bars into the locking slots. Lubricate the lock mechanism with machine oil and you're done.After working on the car, you find a big oil stain on the driveway.
Pulverize a scrap piece of drywall with a hammer (any new home construction site will have dumpsters full of waste pieces of drywall). Crumble the pulverized drywall with your hands and sprinkle on the stain. Leave it overnight, and rinse off in the morning. Reapply and brush in with a bristle broom in cases of stubborn stains.Although small stains and cracks can usually be fixed with store-bought products and a little elbow grease, bigger troubles in your home's masonry walls call for more expertise. Bring in a mason or structural professional when:+ A crack in a masonry wall is large and growing rapidly.+ A foundation wall appears to have shifted.+ You find large patches of black mold on the wall.+ The wall is actually buckling.+ Bricks, mortar, or stucco simply crumble away to dust at your touch.The power source has probably been disrupted. Make sure the motor unit is plugged in. Check the circuit breaker, fuse or GFCI. The close limit switch needs adjusting. If not, see if the door is binding when raised and lowered manually.
The close limit switch probably needs adjusting. The limit switch may need to be moved toward motor unit. The limit switch probably needs to be moved away from the motor unit. There are several possible solutions: (1) Move closer to the door (you might be out of range); (2) Make sure that the antenna on the motor unit is hanging down; (3) If the door functions fine with the wall switch, replace the battery in the remote; (4) Reprogram the remote.Garage doors provide one of the major entryways into your home. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that they are secure and in good working order. If you are having problems with your current door, then you need to have a professional determine if it can be repaired or if it will need to be replaced. Here are some of the most common factors that will affect the cost of a garage door repair. Though you can do some maintenance to your garage doors on your own, it may be a good idea to schedule routine inspections with a professional.
A typical service call will include a manual inspection of the door and opener. Then adjustments can be made including spring tension, chain/belt tension, limits and force adjustments and door lubrication. Fees for this service vary from place to place, but garage door repairs typically cost between $148 and $323.Here are some common garage door repairs and their associated costs:There could be several reasons for your garage door to stick in one position or another:Squealing, screeching, or grinding noises from your garage door are usually indicative of a lack of lubricant or an accumulation of dirt or debris in the tracks. When removing debris, do not use harsh chemicals to clean the tracks. Once the track is clean, coat it with lubricant designed especially for garage doors, if possible. If you do not have access to this special type of lubricant, you can use WD-40 on the tracks and hardware.If you follow these steps and your door still makes a loud noise when you use it, it is time to call a professional for possible repairs to your track.
Average cost for track repair is $155.If your garage door falls more quickly than it once did, or bounces around when in use, it is likely due to broken chains or cables. This is a repair best done by a professional. The cables or chains are relatively inexpensive, but installation takes some time. Average costs may be $150 to $200.Here are a few other issues that may arise, depending on the type of garage door you have:Hire a Garage Door ContractorThe goal in choosing a garage door is to match the style of the house. There are several styles of garage doors to choose from. Here is a brief overview of a few popular garage door styles and their advantages and disadvantages:In general, single tilt-up models are the most affordable doors. Single roll-up are also on the affordable side of the spectrum. Custom roll-up models will be more expensive, and solid wood custom doors are the most expensive.Repair costs for garage doors can also be affected by the type of material used. In order to cut down on repair costs, you should work with the correct garage door material for your climate.
Here is a quick rundown of the different materials used in garage door design and some associated costs:Regardless of the material, you will likely need to perform some regular maintenance tasks. A garage door professional can examine common problem areas to ensure all are working as they should. Additionally, it is necessary to examine the integrity of the door itself, since your garage can be especially vulnerable to security issues if your door is not structurally sound.Find a Garage Door Repairman TodayIf you install a new door and the new color does not match the trim or exterior of your home, you may decide that painting or refinishing is preferred.Because your garage door is a major entryway to your home, it is important to keep it in good working order for your own safety, security, and convenience. Choosing the right style and appropriate materials will lessen the amount of repairs that may arise. Additionally, investing in regular maintenance can be cost-effective in the long run.