Garage Door Problems? Some Things You Can Fix Yourself
Garage doors are big and very heavy. The springs that are in place to open and close the door are taut and can cause serious injury or damage if not handled properly. All this makes doing your own garage door repairs difficult and hazardous. However, there are some repairs you can do yourself when the door is not working properly. Here are some things to look for.
Track Alignment
One of the first things you can check is the track alignment. If they are not exactly straight and aligned across from each other the door will not go up and down correctly. It will get stuck if the tracks are even slightly off. You can use a level or plumb line to correct a track that has moved a bit. To ensure they are directly across from each other it is a good idea to use a simple laser beam. Buy a small laser pointer and use it to correct tracks that are not properly aligned t each other.
Clear the Tracks
Dirt and debris may be clogging a small portion of the track. Start at the top with a damp rag and work yoru way down cleaning out anything that is in the tracking. Another problem could be a screw that has wiggled loose and is blocking things.
Dirty Eye
If you have an automatic door opener, there is probably an electronic eye placed near the tracks, or on the side of one of them. This eye is a laser that shoots a beam across the doorway. On the other side is a receiver. If either of these has dirt or dust on them that keeps the beam from going across the opening, the door will not work. This is a safety feature that keeps the door from coming down on anything that might be in it's path. If both sides are clean and clear, check for a string or something that could be blocking the beam.
If you have taken care of the above problems and the door still will not go up and down the way it should, you need to call a professional. The problem could be with one of the springs and that is not something the average DIY-er should take on alone. Residential garage door repair technicians usually work in a team. Having two people to help with a spring and the weight of the door makes the job much safer. It also gets the door repaired faster.
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