Garage Door Repair

Side Hinged Garage Doors

Once you have your custom home or purchase a new home, over time a garage door will require some attention. Garage door repair is simply something that is a innate part of owning a home. No matter what style or type of home you have, there are four primary kinds of doors.

1) Side hinged doors

2) Retractable doors

3) Canopy doors

4) Sectional doors

The primary type of doors installed in homes today are the sectional doors. Let’s consider each type of door before the maintenance each may require.

Side hinged doors are some of the most traditional. There are two doors that meet in the middle. The hinges are mounted on the side. If you can imagine an old carriage house, you may have a good idea of what they could look like. Today we have seen some return of this style door in high end homes or for homeowners who are trying to match a theme with the exterior design of their home. Unfortunately, this style of door does not operate with a garage door opener, so the home owner is stuck opening and closing it on their own each time.

The most common type of repair needed for the side hinged door is when the door drags on the ground. Over time the hinges become weakened from use. Sometimes new hinges are needed. Also the bottom of the door may need to be slightly trimmed.

Retractable doors are one solid piece. Usually made from wood, this type of  door is track mounted. It is lifted by a counter weight system and the entire door is retracted into the ceiling of the garage. This type of door stores completely out of the way. When choosing a retractable door, the ceiling height of a garage must me high enough.

Over time the door may sag on one side or not close all the way. The track also may become dirty or the rollers can pick up foreign objects. Sting is the worst culprit as it becomes tangled in the door rollers. If the door sags, the springs may need to be replaced or the weights may need rebalanced. When not closing all of the way, the door may require adjustment on one of the weights.

Canopy doors are very similar to the retractable doors, except they are not concealed totally along the ceiling of the garage. Part of the door will remain outside. This is an older style of door and I have only seen it on a few garages of older homes. Counter weights lift the door. Being one solid piece, the door lifts as a single unit.

Sectional Garage Doors

The sectional door is the most common. Traveling on a track, the door rolls up and rolls back down again. Sectional doors are most commonly made from aluminum, vinyl, wood, or another type of metal. At times vinyl is preferred over wood because it does not require frequent painting, it weighs less, and the vinyl never warps. Aluminum is a nice choice, but it does dent easily. Other metal doors can be heavy and do rust over time. Spending a little bit more and purchasing an insulated door is a great way to conserve heat in a garage.

Sectional doors are easier to repair when the it is hit by a car. My elderly neighbor backed into his garage door twice in a year’s time. When a door panel is damaged, the effected sections can be removed and replaced. This way the whole door does not have to be rebuilt.

The most common garage door repairs related to use, are the track and the door opener itself. If a door is not traveling up and down smoothly or is unable to pass a certain point in the track, inspect the track for dents or dings. A dented track will keep the roller from passing by it. A block of wood and a hammer can fix the problem. Place the block of wood where the dent is and then hit it with the hammer. The block of wood spreads out the force of the blow so that a dent the size of the head of the hammer is not left in the track. Also the block of wood can be positioned so that it reaches were a hammer head could not.  But be careful, as garage door parts are delicate and too hard of a blow may result in an even bigger problem.

When paying attention to the track the rollers should also be inspected. Mud, rust, and even gum left from lubricate mixed with dust can cause the rollers to stop turning. In the case of mud and oil residue, ordinary house hold cleaners can be sprayed on the track and then wiped clean. Also inspect the rollers for things such as sting or other things than can become entangled around the wheel. A razor knife can be very helpful in cutting it away.

As with any moving parts, the door tracking, rollers, lock bar, and even the hinges joining one panel to the next should be regularly oiled. The lubrication may build up over time and need removed, but the it should also be reoiled to preserve the life of the roller.

If one side of a door opens faster than the other, or the door does not close the entire way, the problem may lie in the garage door springs. High tension and torsion springs are best maintained by a professional. Releasing even an older spring can have enough strength left in it to knock a person over. The safest avenue is to call a professional. The torsion springs are the most dangerous.

Garage door openers are another area of concern. Before trying to inspect one, be sure the electric is unplugged. A shock is all one needs to change a day from good to bad. Commonly the belts to open and close the door are the thing needing attention. Also check for something, even a balloon string, becoming entangled in the mechanism. If further repair is needed be sure to record the brand of door opener. This is important to provide to the repair shop or if ordering parts for it on line. Also be sure to notice the series of garage door opener and the horse power. Providing the supplier with more information about the garage door opener parts will help to get the right one the first time.

When all else fails and you decide to call the garage door repair man, ask around for a referral. Neighbors, people at church, or other parents at the school bus stop might just have had the same problem recently. Other ways are to check local phone book listings or to contact the company you purchased the door from in the first place.

And when all else fails, sometimes we are all just ready to sit out on the best patio furniture you can find!

Garage Door Repair needed from Kermyta flickr