The garage door is an essential component of every home. It protects your vehicles, adds more security to your house, and improves property curb appeal.
On average, most homeowners open and close their garage doors approximately 1,500 times every year. But despite using the garage door every single day, very few people pay attention to the condition of their garage doors until such time when it breaks down or doesn’t function as expected.
A faulty garage door won’t be able to close or open efficiently, which means the security of your vehicles or home, in general, could be at risk. According to statistics, 9% of burglars use the garage door as an accent point. With a broken garage door, intruders can easily slip into your home. Aside from being a security issue, a damaged garage door can be a safety threat to family members.
Recognizing the signs that your garage door requires repair or complete replacement will help you know when it’s time to call a garage door repairs company. Read on to learn what those signs are.
Problems with opening or closing
The most noticeable sign that your garage door is having problems is when it fails to close or open properly. Does your garage door move up or down in an inconsistent manner? Does it stop opening or closing in the middle? Or in the worst case, did the door fail to operate altogether as expected?
Ideally, a well-functioning garage door should take no more than a second to close or open itself after pressing the button. Otherwise, the potential problem may be one or more of these issues:
- Broken torsion springs or extension springs
- Loose cables
- Faulty wiring
- The remote batteries of the garage door opener are old
If you’re unsure of what the main issue is, avail of garage doors repairs services to have your garage door inspected and identify the problem. If the issue is one of the reasons mentioned above, they’ll repair your door immediately and replace the parts that present problems. However, if they’ve found that your garage door has had problems closing and opening for several weeks or months due to worn tracking, they may suggest a full garage door replacement.
Noisy garage door
A garage door making a lot of noise isn’t normal. It’s a telltale sign that it requires immediate repair. Pay close attention to the sound. For example, if you hear a rumbling or grating sound, it could signify that the torsion springs are flawed. If the sound is like a popping noise, internal parts may be loose or aren’t coming together. As much as possible, you should have your garage door inspected and repaired immediately before the problem worsens.
Old garage door
At best, garage doors can last for up to 50 years when properly maintained. However, when always neglected, your garage door may show signs of defects or damage within 10 to 15 years. If your door is already well beyond its intended years of use, it may not be able to insulate your garage properly. This can pose a bigger problem, especially if your garage door is directly attached to your home.
With an old door incapable of insulating the garage, freezing and scorching temperatures can easily leak into the rest of the property, causing your home’s indoor temperature to fluctuate. This also forces your HVAC system to work harder, increasing energy bills.
To prevent this kind of situation, call a garage door service company to have your old garage door checked. They may have to replace it with a new one.
Sagging garage door
A sagging garage door is a huge sign that it needs to be replaced immediately. This often happens when your garage door is not maintained or inspected regularly as required. The pulley is already misaligned, causing the other side to hang or sag.
Sagging can also happen if the internal parts are already beginning to rot or deteriorate after years of usage, and there’s not much fixing that can help the door rebalance. For safety measures and to avoid garage-related accidents, it’s best to have your sagging garage door replaced with a new one by professionals.
Loose or broken cords and wires
One of the reasons why regular garage door inspection is essential is to ensure the cords and wires in your door are properly working. If one of the cords becomes frayed and the wires snap, your garage door may start sagging or malfunctioning during opening and closing. When ignored even for a couple of days, the loose or broken cords and wires will cause the entire system to fail, and your garage door could crash down on your vehicles, pets, or even family members.
Broken cords are even more dangerous when not repaired immediately, as they don’t often show any warning before they snap and cause the garage door to crash. So, if you spot any loose or broken cords or wires during your regular garage door inspection, have them repaired or replaced by a professional garage door technician as soon as possible before it’s too late.
Conclusion
Your garage door may look sturdy and solid on the outside. But remember, the critical parts that determine its performance and functionality are mostly found internally. So, as part of your home’s regular maintenance, always check your garage door for any of these signs that might be present. Better yet, you can hire a professional to inspect the door for you. The earlier you spot the problems, the quicker and easier it will be for professionals to repair your garage door.