A garage door can be the biggest moving part in your home or business that is used every so often.  Its major components include the door, tracks, rollers, springs, and the garage door opener.

Knowing the function of each of the components of your garage door will make it easier for you to know if something is wrong with it.  Garage door problems can be very stressful especially when you don’t know how to fix them.

The common problems with garage doors that can either come with normal wear and tear or by an accident include:

• High-pitched scraping sounds when the door is opening and closing

When your door is not opening or closing as smoothly and quietly as it should, this indicates that there is something amiss with the rollers and/or the tracks.  Unusual sounds shouldn’t be present because your garage door components do not generate these types of noises.  Leave this garage door problem to the specialists.

• Shaking or vibrating garage door

Something is wrong with the rollers and/or tracks when your garage door rocks and rolls when you open and close it.

Begin resolving this garage door problem by inspecting the tracks thoroughly.  Clean off any debris that can be hindering your garage door to open and close smoothly.

If the tracks are in place and clean, and all the rollers are in place, have your garage door technician look at your opener to see if they can fix it or if it needs to be replaced.

• Snapping sound and then a free-falling garage door

This is the most frightening garage door problem.  When you hear a loud snap and your garage door comes crashing down without control, the torsion spring has snapped.

Do not attempt to fix this on your own unless you’ve tried doing it before.  The torsion springs store enormous amounts of energy and should only be handled by a garage door technician who is properly trained in garage door installations and repairs.

• Your garage door closes faster than usual

If you don’t hear a snapping sound before your garage door free falls to close, the garage door problem might be the cable.  Cables transfer energy from the torsion spring to the door.

If the cable is not working even if the torsion spring is functioning well, the weight will go to the motor, which is not designed to handle this load.

A spring that has worn out and is simply on its last leg can also cause this problem because it simply cannot function properly.

Call the pros to deal with garage door problems that deal with the spring mechanism of your door.

• Frozen garage door

On snowy days, moisture and cold can cause your garage door to freeze to the garage floor. This common garage door problem can be caused by a minor icy connection between your door and the floor.

Sometimes the door opens when you hit the opener button.  But if your door refuses to open, break the frozen ice by using a heat gun or hair dryer to melt the ice.

You can also apply deicing products but you should be very careful not to damage the door or the seal on the bottom of the door.

Another option for remedy is to use a flat shovel or a similar tool to chip away the ice.

Clear any water, ice, or snow from the floor beneath your garage door to prevent it from freezing again in the future.

• Worn-out garage door

A well-maintained garage door can last for fifty years or more.  But, when it is poorly maintained, it can remain fully functional only within 10 or 15 years, and then you have to replace it.

Shop for a new garage door by checking the many resources available on the internet and answer these questions:

• How much does a garage door cost?
• What are the choices for materials?
• What style of garage door will look best on my home
• How do I get the best deal on installation?

More Help For Garage Door Problems

Some garage door problems are just minor issues that you can fix on your own, but some need the expertise of a seasoned garage door specialist or technician.

Either way, garage door problems will demand your attention and interfere with your garage door’s operation.  For more complicated garage door problems that need major repairs, leave them to the professionals.