You’re running out the door to get to your car because you have an important meeting at work you can’t be late for.
You sit down in your car only to realize that your garage door opener isn’t working. Now you’re late, and you have no idea how you’re going to get your car out of the garage!
If you’re having issues opening and closing the garage door, you may need to do some DIY garage door repair. Keep reading to learn how to repair a garage door!
How to Repair a Garage Door
It can be a huge inconvenience if your garage door isn’t able to open or close.
Here’s how to fix a garage door…
Step 1: Check the Metal Track
When you first notice issues with your garage door opening, you’ll want to take a look at the metal track for the door.
There are mounting brackets that keep the track attached to the wall, so make sure there aren’t any loose bolts on the track. If there are, tighten them.
Step 2: Check for Dents or Other Imperfections
Once you’ve tightened any bolts for the track, look for damage.
You can do this by closing the garage door and examining the track from inside the garage. Take a flashlight and closely examine the track for any dents that may be stopping the door, flat points, or irregular bumps.
If you notice any imperfections, try correcting them with a hammer or a rubber mallet.
Step 3: Clean the Track
Once you’ve tightened any loose bolts and remedied any dents or dings, you’ll want to clean the track.
When dirt and grease collect on the track, it may stop the garage door from being able to open and close correctly. To clean it, find an abrasive household cleaner. Make sure both tracks are cleaned completely while cleaning the roller as well.
Step 4: Look for Loose Hardware
Even if the bolts aren’t loose, there may be loose hardware on the track.
Sometimes there are issues with the spring that attaches the track to the garage door that needs to be addressed. If the spring isn’t tightened to the track and the door, you’ll need to tighten that hardware.
If you notice the door has a sag on one side, the hinges may need servicing.
Step 5: Replace the Garage Door Opener
If you’ve carefully examined and cleaned the track and the garage door still won’t open, it may be an issue with the garage door opener.
The garage door opener relies on the connection between itself and the door to open and close on command. If the opener is faulty, the correct message won’t be sent to the garage door so you will be unable to open it.
In this case, you’ll want to invest in a new garage door opener. When you purchase a garage door opener, the instructions for how to install it will come with the product.
How you install it will depend on the type of garage door opener you purchase, as each opener has its own set of unique features. If you don’t want to install the garage door opener yourself, try reaching out to a local service company.
How Will You Repair Your Garage Door?
If you’re not a particularly handy person, you may be scratching your head at how to fix the garage door.
Now that you know how to repair a garage door, browse our other home content!
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