Garage Door Gaps: Common Fixes You Should Know About
If you have ever noticed a slight, unsettling gap in your garage door, you should know it's more than just a cosmetic issue. Such gaps could allow critters, dust, or weather elements into your garage, compromising the safety and cleanliness of your stored items. They could even lead to higher energy costs.
This article walks you through some common and fairly simple fixes for those pesky garage door gaps.
Adjust the Limit Screws
Adjusting the limit screws is a straightforward and often effective way to fix garage door gaps. The limit screws on your garage door opener dictate how far the door moves when it's opening or closing. If these screws are not set correctly, they may cause the door to stop short of the garage floor, creating a gap.
If you adjust these limit screws, you can change the point at which the door stops when it's lowering. If the door stops too soon, tightening the down limit screw will lower the door further. Alternatively, if the door is closing too much and causing a gap at the top, adjusting the up-limit screw can correct this. You should make these adjustments in small increments, as a drastic change can cause the door to close too tightly against the floor, potentially causing damage to the door or the opener mechanism.
Finally, remember that adjusting limit screws is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Various factors, such as the age and model of the garage door, the weight and size of the door, and the current state of the door springs, can all influence how much adjustment is necessary. Always consult your garage door opener's manual or contact a professional if you are unsure about making these adjustments.
Align Photo Eyes or Sensors
Misalignment of photo eyes or sensors is another common cause of garage door gaps. These sensors, typically located along the bottom of the door track, send out an infrared beam that stops the door from closing if anything disrupts it. If these sensors are out of alignment, they may mistakenly detect an obstacle, causing the door to stop prematurely and leave a gap.
Aligning the photo eyes is a relatively simple process. For starters, loosen the screws that hold the sensors in place so they can be easily moved. Then, use a level to ensure they are at the same height and directly facing each other. This alignment will ensure that the infrared beams they emit can connect without interruption. Be careful not to tighten the screws too much after aligning the sensors, as this may cause them to shift out of alignment again.
Performing this task not only fixes the problem of gaps in your garage door but also ensures the safety feature of the door is functioning correctly. If the photo eyes are misaligned, they might not detect an object or person in the path of a closing door.
Contact a local garage door repair service to learn more.
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