Common Warning Signs That Your Garage Door May Need Repair
A vital feature of your garage is its door, and if it ceases to function properly, you may find yourself at worst locked out of your garage and at best stuck with a half-functional garage, unable to utilize one of its key features. Though garage doors have become far more robust and sturdier in recent years, it has not stopped them from wearing down or even breaking down at times, be it from age, accident, or a mechanical failure. In these occasions, repair becomes necessary
A malfunctioning garage door will not only risk costing you money but also potentially pose a danger to both yourself and your family or possessions if you aren’t careful. Over 10,000 injuries are reported each year, so it’s better to be safe than sorry and be on the lookout for some of the following problems.
Stuttering While Opening/Closing or Failure to Run Smoothly
When a door fails to travel up and down in its usual smooth manner or otherwise begins to show signs of stuttering and/or pause while opening, it’s giving you one of the biggest signs and possibly even red flags for what may happen in the future. This can often result from either loose screws and hinges or even corroded / worn tracks. An unsteady and otherwise shaky door should be promptly repaired as it’s one of the biggest red flags one can see as it often signals a possible disaster waiting to happen.
Visible Rust or Cracks in the Door That Require Repair
Though sometimes purely visual, rust should be kept track of and cleared early. These issues are often easy to repair so long as tackled early; as an example, surface rust is easy to get rid of, only becoming a problem once it penetrates deep into the metal. After that, it will most likely lead to a necessary replacement of the door.
The Door Opens Very Slowly
Aside from being annoying, this usually means something wrong with the torsion springs within the door. Fixing this issue is not only important for the sake of your sanity (let’s face it, who wants to spend a minute watching a garage door open?) but also because failure from these springs can pose a considerable threat of harming you or your belongings should one of them give way.
The Door is Making Weird Sounds During Operation
Perhaps one of the best indicators for things going wrong with your garage door is the noise it makes. While you’re unlikely to find a quiet garage door, by the time you’ve used your garage door a handful of times, you should be aware of what sort of noises it makes. If that noise somehow changes or you feel other sounds alongside it, such as scraping or squeaking will indicate the need to either lubricate, re-align or signal the need to check your torsion springs.
At the end of the day, it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you aren’t sure about your garage door’s condition, you may be best off contacting a professional. Proper garage door maintenance should be left to professionals to ensure your safety.
