A garage door is an important yet overlooked part of your house. They open and close at least once every day, and some people even use them as the main entrance of their home. With constant use, your garage door can wear off and lose its balance. An unbalanced garage door can snap under pressure and come down with full force on whatever is in its path. To avoid any mishappening, it is wise to conduct timely maintenance of your garage door.
Do you think your garage door is worn out? Are you wondering how you can check whether it is balanced or not? Well, here is all you must know about it. Read on to find out everything you want to know about garage door repair.
How to know if a garage door is balanced or not?
The best way to know if your garage door is unbalanced is to keenly check its performance. Here are some tips to determine if the door of your garage is balanced or not:
#1 Appears uneven:
The first tell-tale sign of an unbalanced garage door is that it appears uneven. You may feel that the door is leaning on one side when you try to open or close it. It indicates that the internal working of the garage door system is faulty. The different parts of the door are not getting equal power, adding pressure on one side, and giving it a slanting appearance. A broken spring or cable may be the culprit behind it, so you may want to check that.
#2 The door becomes jerky:
If you usually operate the garage door in your house, you know that it moves smoothly. It is designed with perfect symmetry to ensure the fluid movement of the door each time. If your door seems jerky every time you try to open or close it, it may indicate trouble with the balance. The jerky motion usually happens because of a broken spring on either side of the door. Whenever you notice erratic or jerky movement in the door, you must check the extension springs of the door. It can help you balance an uneven garage door with ease.
#3 Makes unusual noise:
A well-maintained and well-tuned garage door is often quiet. It makes a minimal sound when you decide to open or close the garage door. If you hear an unusual grating and scraping sound as you move it up and down, it means that the door's mechanism is damaged. There is added pressure on the opener to raise or shut down in an unbalanced door, which can make the whole process an extremely noisy affair. Keep your ears open and noise if there is any unusual sound coming from the door.
#4 Garage door is heavy:
Typically, a garage door is lightweight, and you can easily lift it while opening. Another indicator that your garage door is unbalanced is if the door feels heavy for you. You may have to put more effort into budging the door even a little If you are suddenly unable to lift the garage door at all or it feels heavier than usual, it implies that something is wrong with the alignment.
#5 It takes more time to open or close:
Do you have to spend a few extra minutes each morning trying to open and then close the garage? While you might be blaming the remote for causing the delay, it is the unbalanced garage door that is the real culprit. An unbalanced door takes too long to open or close. If you don’t address it timely, the garage door may eventually become way too heavy for you to handle, rendering it completely impossible to open.
#6 Doesn’t open completely:
Another indicator of an unbalanced garage door is that it doesn’t open entirely. It can either get stuck in the middle or doesn’t go all the way to the top when you open the door to your garage.
#7 Doesn’t close down:
Similar to a garage door not opening properly, trouble with closing it could also indicate that the door is unbalanced. It can either get stuck on top or fall rapidly on whatever is in its way.
What can you do if a garage door is not balanced?
Now that you know how to identify if your garage door is balanced, you can look out for the signs. But what can you do after that? Here are some ways to maintain an unbalanced garage door:
Conduct a balance test:
If you have noticed any of the signs from the ones given above, it may indicate that your garage door is unbalanced. If you want to ascertain for sure, you can conduct a little test. Close the door from inside and disconnect the automatic opener. Open the door to a height of 3 or 4 feet by hand. If the door moves freely and stays in the open position with only minimal movement, it is fine. If it quickly closes or shoots open, the door is out of balance.
Clear the tracks:
To ensure that the garage door works fine, you can inspect the racks on both sides. They can get rusted or full of debris, which restricts movement. You can make sure the tracks are well-aligned in the vertical sections.
Tighten the hardware:
With moving up and down constantly, the motion and vibration of a garage door can loosen up and get it out of balance. Check the brackets that hold the door to the walls and ceiling, and tighten any loose bolts with a socket wrench.
Inspect the rollers:
The rollers placed around the door’s edge must be checked twice a year and replaced between every 5 to 7 years. If any roller is worn out, chipped, or cracked, you can remove it by simply taking out the bracket holding it and then replacing it. Make sure you avoid removing the roller bracket at the bottom as they are connected with lift cables and are under pressure.
Lubricate the parts:
To reduce stress from the parts and extend their life, it is wise to keep them lubricated. Twice every year, you can apply a spray lubricant on the hinges and rollers and then wipe out the excess. You can also lubricate the pulleys on extension spring openers and the bearings on the torsion spring openers.
Call experts for help:
If none of the solutions given above helped you in restoring the balance of your garage door, then it is time to seek expert help from a Loveland garage door company, or one in your area. You can contact a professional to help you fix the door or get you a new one if it is irreparable.
Final thoughts
A garage door that is unbalanced or worn out can prove extremely dangerous for the person operating it each day. Not only that, it can cause damage to your vehicle and anything nearby. If you think the door to your garage is losing balance and becoming difficult to operate, then head on for urgent repairs. You must keep a check for the signs mentioned above to know if the garage door is balanced or not, and take necessary measures to keep it in good shape. If the problem persists, seek help from experts immediately to ensure your and the family’s safety.
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