Garages are becoming increasingly important in our homes. Today’s population is larger, and more people own their own private vehicles, which means garages are necessary to store cars. They keep your car safe and protected while also protecting it from external factors like sudden weather changes and theft.
As you or someone you know may have noticed, your garage door may become misaligned and this can affect rollers which could come off track. As well as looking less than ideal, this ultimately increases the chances of something going wrong. One of the main reasons your door might come off track is because of bad rollers, but misaligned tracks are usually what cause most problems.
When this happens, you can do the garage door repair by yourself without having to schedule a visit with your local repairman. Emergency repair service can not only take time but can cost you a lot especially if it is something you can just do by yourself.
Here are the things you need to do and consider when trying to fix an off-track garage door:
Finding the problem
You cannot fix something without knowing the main cause of the problem.
The same is true for this situation.
Before picking up your tools, try to assess why your garage doors are going off track.
You can’t just go tinkering right away on your door.
The following are some of the tell-tale signs you should look out for when trying to identify the problem:
- Loose Tracks
- Dents on Tracks
- Misaligned Tracks
- Lubrication Issues
- Dirt accumulation
- Other loose parts or appendages
If you are able to pinpoint what is causing your problem, repairing it will go on smoothly and without a hitch.
Fixing the problem
After having identified the problem, it is now time to proceed to phase two. If you have a garage door opener or anything of the like, please disconnect it from the door. There should be a rope that releases your door from the opener.
Or disable the function so that you may be able to work on that door safely. Since you have already identified the problem, this will be much easier. If your door has loose tracks, make sure to realign them properly and secure them tightly in place.
It may be a good idea to replace the bolts with newer ones. If there are any dents, try reconnecting the area with the dent. If it is impossible to straighten, make sure to have a replacement with you on hand. Replacement parts may be readily available on your local hardware.
If everything seems to be in place and you have observed that there are placements where the door is harder to move, apply lubricant on the rollers of your garage door.
Last but not the least, before you try re-fixing your garage door to the opener, check the tracks for any accumulated grime or dirt. Make sure to clean them properly.
Testing your newly patched-up garage door
After you’ve fixed the garage door, you might want to make sure that the solution was a success. Before you put your tools in the closet, try opening and closing the door a few times. About 10 cycles of using the garage door should be enough to test it.
This will check the quality of your fix for the garage door. Opening and closing it back and forth will not only see if the fix is good, but you’ll also test if the solution works. You couldn’t keep on fixing the same thing over and over again could you?
Make sure you’re proud of the work that you’ve done by double-checking before sending it off.
Conclusion
And, voila! There you have it. You have successfully repaired your off-track garage door.
A good maintenance schedule on your garage door might be a great idea.
Being able to fix your garage door is certainly a great thing as it will not only cut you down on your costs but also allow you to learn new things.
However, if you do not have enough time, you can always choose to schedule a visit with your local repairman for their services.
If you are part of the latter and are unable to repair your garage door on your own, try out GDR Houston Garage Doors.
They offer residential and commercial garage door services including repair.
We have already over 12 years in the industry of installing and repairing garage doors.
We offer 24-hour emergency repair service to anyone who might need it.
So if you live in Houston and need help with your garage doors, then GDR Houston might be just the company for you.
Contact us now!
