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A garage door is one of those things that you don’t really think about until something goes wrong. Between the moving parts (garage door track, springs, etc.), the opener, and the door itself, there’s plenty of potential for issues to arise. Life gets busy and regular garage door maintenance can often fall to the bottom of the to-do list. Totally understandable! Understanding a few of the most common problems with garage door is the first step.

An Unbalanced Garage Door 

When your door is unbalanced, it can cause costly problems and may even be dangerous. A garage door that’s not balanced puts unnecessary strain on the opener, springs, and door itself. The longer an unbalanced door goes unaddressed, the more damage can happen. There are a few ways to tell when your garage door balance is off.

The Door is Slanted

a garage door damaged and slanted

If your garage door looks slanted/uneven as it opens or closes, that’s a telltale sign that it’s not balanced. Look at the bottom of your door. It should line up horizontally with the floor of your garage. When this happens, it puts undue pressure on the moving parts of the door. More pressure means a higher likelihood of broken springs and damaged doors.

Loud When Opening or Closing

Your garage door shouldn’t be making strange, loud noises while opening or closing. Of course, some doors and openers are louder than others, but if you’re hearing banging noises, squeaking, or rattling sounds, that’s an indication that the door is unbalanced. 

Garage Door Falls Quickly

A garage door should open and close smoothly. If your door is falling quickly and/or won’t stay open, it’s unbalanced. Of course, a falling garage door is incredibly dangerous. Having a heavy garage door fall on a person or animal can cause serious or fatal injuries. 

Garage Door Won’t Open

When a garage door is difficult or impossible to open, it may be due to an unbalanced door, but it could also be thanks to a broken spring. There are a number of other reasons your door may not be opening. 

Photo Eyes Are Blocked

Garage door openers with safety sensors that stop and reverse a closing door when someone or something is under the door. If dust or grime is blocking the beam, the signal to open the door could be cut for safety. Take a look at the photo eyes and if you notice some grime, gently wipe it clean with a soft cloth. If that’s not working, you may need to readjust your photo eyes. Keep in mind, they should never be more than 6 inches off the ground. Loosen the fly nuts, then adjust the photo eyes by hand. When they’re aligned properly, a green or yellow light will display.

Remote is Malfunctioning

If you can’t open the door remotely, but it’s easy to open it manually or with the door switch, it could be a problem with your garage door remote. First things first: replace the battery. This is the most common problem and easiest fix. If that doesn’t fix the issue, the motor’s receiver could be blocked or damaged. In that case, a call to a professional garage door technician is in order. If it’s not the battery and it’s not your opener, it could be a problem with radio-frequency interference (RFI). Learn how to address this issue in our blog on RFI.

Broken Garage Door Spring

broken garage door spring

Your garage door can easily weigh several hundred pounds and all that weight is controlled by one or two springs. On average, a garage door spring has about 10,000 cycles in it (once up and once down equals one cycle). With regular maintenance and proper lubrication, their service life may be a bit longer. Regardless, every now and then, a garage door spring breaks and when one breaks, the other is not far behind. Never attempt to repair a garage door spring on your own. This is definitely not a DIY project you should attempt. Serious injury and death has resulted from untrained people trying to fix their own garage door springs. Absolutely leave this job to the pros.

Physical Damage to the Door

Sometimes the problem with your garage door is more visual than operational. Dents, dings, scratches, and other damage to the door can be unsightly and bring down your home’s curb appeal. Some minor dents may be able to come out, but if you’re truly unhappy with the way your garage door looks, it’s time to look for a new one. Take a look at our full gallery of garage doors and start thinking about how one could enhance the overall look of your home. You can also custom design your own garage door with our interactive Door Vision tool.

Talk to Amega Garage Doors & Openers

Central Iowans choose us because we’re a full-service garage door company with over 30 years of experience. From purchase to installation, and providing regular maintenance and any needed repairs, our professionally team of garage door professionals are ready to help. Let us know how we can be of service and contact us today!