Garage doors are used daily, which means inevitably, they will develop some wear and tear. One common problem, especially if you’ve got doors that have already been there for several years, is an unbalanced garage door.
It may only look like an aesthetic issue, but an unbalanced garage door should be dealt with immediately. A garage door repair team can arrest any other issue before the door becomes unusable!
Signs that Your Garage Door is Unbalanced or Uneven:
If you think your garage door is unbalanced, the first thing you should do is visually inspect it. An unbalanced door will usually look crooked or lopsided, and may appear to be sagging on one side. If you can see daylight around the perimeter of the door, that’s another telltale sign that something is wrong.
-Crooked or lopsided appearance on the garage doors
-Sagging on one side when fully open
-Daylight can reflect around the perimeter of the door
-Worn-out springs or tracks
-Garage door is much slower when cycling
-Garage door does not budge or gets stuck at times
-Unusual sounds or noise (means garage door opener is straining)
What Causes an Unbalanced Garage Door?
There could be any number of reasons why your garage door becomes unbalanced. The springs may be providing too little or too much tension. This causes an improper counterbalancing process on the doors’ overall weight.
Another reason could be damaged cables. Garage door cables support the doors when cycling, which could sag or even snap with constant use. Depending on how severe the cable damage is, it could show how uneven the garage doors hang when you’re closing them down.
Regardless of the cause, it’s important to get garage door repair professionals to help fix the problem. Trying to do it yourself could result in further damage or even injury.
How to Perform A Garage Door Balance Test
Start by disconnecting the opener from the door. You can do this by unplugging it from the power outlet or, if it’s hardwired, flipping the circuit breaker.
Next, pull the red emergency release cord to disengage the trolley from the opener carriage.
Once the trolley is disengaged, manually lift the door about halfway up. The door should stay in place without assistance; if it doesn’t, then it’s unbalanced and needs to be adjusted.
If the door is unbalanced, you’ll need to adjust the springs. To do this, start by finding the adjustment screw on each spring. It’s best to call a garage door service for this job.
Once you’re done checking the door, reattach the opener to the unit.
What About a Sagging Garage Door?
An unbalanced garage door is both unsightly and far from secure, but that doesn’t mean that you have a safety emergency on your hands. Of course, it’s better to go ahead and get a new garage door, but a sagging door may not be an urgent concern.
This could point to a more straightforward issue if you have a sagging garage door. Sagging happens when the garage door hangs down lower than it usually does.
Sagging could occur when there are areas that have warped due to wear and tear. In some cases, however, there are simple solutions.
For instance, the problem could be with the hinges. Check the hinges that connect the garage door panels. If they are too rusty, damaged, or aren’t tight enough, you may need to replace them with new hinges you can buy at the local hardware store.
You can also check the roller tracks and fix any areas where the lips of the tracks are flattened. You can do this easily with pliers.
Lastly, you can check the brackets. They should be tight enough to secure the rollers and hinges. If loose, they can be adjusted using a screwdriver.
Call Our Garage Door Repair
If your garage door is unbalanced, don’t wait to get it fixed. And given that there are many reasons why it is uneven, it’s best to get an expert who can figure out the most accurate cause.
Contact our professional garage door repair today to schedule a consultation. Our technicians are licensed and experienced to deal with this concern urgently. Whatever your garage door concern is, we will be able to evaluate the problem and recommend the best course of action to get your door back in working order. We also offer 24/7 emergency garage door repair.
Talk to our customer service today to get started!