The Residential Garage Door Repair Guide: What Every Texas Homeowner Should Know

The garage door is one of the most used parts of the home but is one of the most overlooked when it comes to getting maintenance and repairs. This is because homeowners are often unsure as to what it is they need to keep an eye out for. While some issues, such as large dents in the garage door, are an obvious sign that your garage door needs repairs, other issues, such as a track or roller issue, may not be so noticeable until it causes a bigger issue.

The garage door repair technicians at Action Garage Door Repair Specialists have been proudly serving the DFW Metroplex, Austin, and Houston, Texas with all of their garage door needs since our founding in 1984. We have made it our commitment to ensure that every homeowner in our communities has access to reliable and affordable garage door repair, installation, and maintenance services. To continue our mission to provide unparalleled customer service to every one one of our clients, we have created this residential garage door repair guide. Here is what you need to know about your garage door when it comes to repairs.

Signs Your Garage Door Needs Immediate Attention

A well-functioning garage door is essential to the continued safety and well-being of your home. Not only does a faulty garage door cause a major headache but it also has an increased risk of causing an accident that leads to serious injuries. Here are signs that every homeowner needs to be aware of that signal when their garage door needs to be repaired:

Your Garage Door Will Not Open or Close

There are a wide range of issues that can cause a garage door to be unable to open or close, including:

• The power source is not functioning properly.
• Something blocking the door sensor’s eye.
• The torsion springs are broken.
• The overhead garage door has come off its tracks.
• The garage door opener battery needs to be replaced.
• There is debris blocking the garage door from operating.
• The door’s reverser sensitivity levels need to be adjusted.
• The limit settings are not correct.
• The door is “locked.”

Some of these issues, such as the door being set to “lock” are quick fixes while others are more serious, such as broken garage door springs, and require immediate attention. An experienced garage door technician can perform an inspection to determine the cause of your garage door issue. 

The Garage Door Stalls Or Has a Delay When Opening

Garage doors have a complex system of springs, pulleys, and tracks that allow them to operate with ease. When any of these parts are damaged due to wear and tear, the garage door may be slower to respond or can completely stall when moving up or down. Common causes of these issues are:

• The garage door parts need to be lubricated.
• The speed settings need to be adjusted.
• The hinges are broken and need to be replaced.
• The door is misaligned.
• The door has come off the tracks.
• The garage door cables have snapped.
• The garage door springs are damaged.

You Cannot Manually Lift the Door When the Garage Door Opener Is Disengaged

If you disengage the garage door opener and try to open the door manually and it won’t open, this is a serious and frustrating problem. (This is especially true if your vehicle is in the garage when it happens). Most garage door openers are equipped with a bypass switch for when the power goes out, the lift motor stops working, or you need to operate your door manually.

The manual release is often a rope with a handle on the end. When this rope is pulled, the automatic trolley becomes disengaged which allows the operator to lift the door manually. If the garage door is working correctly, then the garage door should open with no issue. However, if there is resistance or the garage door opener will not open at all, then there is likely a serious problem, such as broken cables or garage door springs.

Your Garage Door Won’t Close All the Way

Your garage and home can be left vulnerable when the garage door will not close all the way. Even the slightest crack can leave the weatherstripping susceptible to damage, let out your conditioned air, and invite unwanted pests to invade your home. 

The causes of this issue are as follows:

• The garage door opener’s distance settings are off and need to be adjusted.
• Misaligned photo eye safety sensors.
• The garage door springs are damaged.
• The garage door tracks are damaged or have a lot of debris.
• The cables are broken.

The Garage Door Has Come Off Its Tracks

A garage door that has slipped off its tracks is extremely dangerous. It significantly increases the risk of an accident that can lead to serious injuries, such as the garage door falling suddenly. Garage doors often come off their tracks when the alignment is off or if a cable has been broken. Other potential issues could be a damaged garage door roller or if the garage door was hit by a heavy object, such as a car. Only a trained garage door repair technician should address this issue.

The Automatic Garage Door Opener Is Not Working

Garage door openers are extremely convenient inventions that allow homeowners to open and close their garages with the push of a button. However, power outages or dead batteries can lead the mechanism responsible for opening a garage door opener to no longer work. These issues often have easy fixes, such as replacing the batteries.

However, in some cases, the garage door opener may be faulty due to a worn-out gear, in which case, it will need to be replaced. A trained garage door specialist can help you install a new garage door opener or run diagnostics on your current one to get to the root of the issue.

Action Garage Door Insight: Can I Install a New Garage Door Opener Myself?

No. Garage door openers should never be a DIY project. When you need to get one installed, it is best to hire a trained professional to do it for you. Garage door openers require special tools and experience to install them correctly. Inexperienced hands could damage the garage door opener  and the garage door, and lead to serious injury caused by accidents. In addition, most garage door opener manufacturers will not honor warranties on their automatic openers if the installation is not done by a professional garage door technician.

Garage Door Panels Are Damaged

Broken garage door panels not only reduce the visual appeal of your garage door but also create serious issues. These problems include:

• Air conditioning escaping resulting in rising energy costs
• Compromised functionality of your garage door
• Higher risk of an accident due to dented or broken parts

These panels can be repaired, though more extensive damage may call for a full garage door panel replacement. Not sure which solution is best for your garage door? Contact your trusted garage door repair specialist for an inspection.

The Garage Door Springs Are Damaged

Your garage door will run on either torsion springs or extension springs.

Torsion springs are mounted above the garage door and aid in balancing the garage door. This allows it to open and close with the same amount of pressure and reduces the pressure on the garage door opener.

Extension springs are mounted horizontally from the back of the garage door to the front. They operate by pulling the garage door upward against the force of gravity to support the weight of the door. This is accomplished through a pulley system that allows the springs to stretch as the door closes.

No matter what type of garage door springs you have, they are both under an extreme amount of tension when the door is closed. This tension gives them the strength to lift the door when needed. If the coils are wearing out or the springs snap, then the garage door will not open. 

Springs are essential to the garage door’s mechanical movement. They need to be repaired as soon as you notice an issue, as failure to do so can lead to serious accidents, such as the garage door suddenly crashing down. 

It is also important to reiterate that garage door springs should never be handled by inexperienced hands. These springs are extremely dangerous and can lead to serious injuries, such as lacerations and broken bones if not handled with care. Only a trained garage door professional should handle the garage door springs to avoid an accident.

The Garage Door Makes a Lot of Noise

If you hear squeaking or grinding sounds when your garage door opens or closes, then the garage door parts may need to be replaced. Common culprits of these noises include the following:

• Worn garage door rollers
• Frayed cables
• Worn garage door bearings
• Damaged torsion springs

How to Perform a Visual Inspection of Your Garage Door

Performing a visual inspection of your garage door starts with knowing the different components of your door. Here is a quick overview:

• Torsion springs: counterbalance the garage door’s weight to make it easy to lift
• Track: guides the garage door up and down
• Rollers: ride inside the track to help the garage door open and close with ease
• Hinges: connect the horizontal sections of a garage door
• Sections: The individual panels that make up your garage door
• Lock bar: Engages with the track to prevent the door from opening
• Weatherstripping: seals the door edges and prevents conditioned air from getting out
• Photosensors: the divides that detect whether something is blocking the garage door

Once you are familiar with the different parts of your garage door, you can start the visual inspection. Here are the steps you need to take:

1. Testing the Photosensors

The first area you should inspect is your garage door’s photosensors. These devices are responsible for alerting the garage door opener that something is blocking the garage door and the operation needs to stop. They are generally located along the bottom of the garage door’s tracks. To check if they are level, you will want to use a level. The air bubble inside of the level should remain in the center. If not, you will want to speak to a garage door professional about correcting the placement of the photosensors.

Before you move on to the next step, you will want to ensure that the photosensors are functioning properly. To do this, put something in between the two sensors and try to close the garage door. If the garage door stops before closing all the way, then the sensors are working properly. If they don’t, then you will want to call a garage door repair specialist immediately. Photosensors that are not working properly create a huge safety risk, especially for families that have small children or pets that may try to dart under the garage door as it is moving.

2. Check the Garage Door’s Balance

First, manually open the garage door part of the way. Leave it partially opened and see if it remains in place. If it does, then the garage door is well-balanced. If it drops, then you will want to call atrusted garage door technician to check the garage door springs and cables.

3. Do a Visual Inspection of the Torsion Springs

Check the torsion springs for signs of rust. If they are rusting, you will want to get them replaced as this is a strong indicator that they are nearing the end of their lifespan. You can also listen to them as your garage door is in motion. If they are making a lot of noise, they may need to be lubricated or adjusted.

4. Inspect the Pulleys

The pulleys guide the torsion springs and lifting ropes during the garage door’s operation. You will want to visually inspect the pulleys for signs of disrepair. If you see signs of wear or tear, you will want to have them replaced to avoid the sudden failure of your garage door.

5. Visually Inspect the Rollers

The garage door rollers connect the door to the tracks. They roll along the track whenever the garage door is opened or closed. They need to be lubricated once a year to ensure that the bearings don’t wear down prematurely. Always listen out when you open or close your garage door, as worn out rollers make a lot of scraping noises. If you hear this, you need to call a garage door technician about replacing your rollers.

6. Listen and Inspect the Garage Door Hinges

If you notice that your garage door hinges have rust, then they may need to be replaced. It is also important that the hinges are routinely lubricated to ensure they can operate smoothly. Failure to do this can result in the premature wear of your garage door hinges.

7. Do a Visual Inspection of the Garage Door Panels

Take a look at the outside and inside of your garage door panels for signs of denting. Small dents won’t impact the garage door’s overall performance but big dents can lead to serious issues. Always have a garage door repair specialist take a look at your garage door panels if you see damage to ensure that the denting isn’t going to cause major problems down the road. To save your garage door, you may want to replace the damaged panels.

8. Test the Garage Door’s Weatherstripping

The rubber weatherstripping should be flush to the ground and the sides when the garage door is closed. If there are signs of weatherstripping bulging, having gaps, or showing signs of wear, then your garage door will not be properly sealed. You will need to replace your garage door’s weatherstripping to properly protect your garage from the elements, losing conditioned air, and becoming a home to critters.

What to Listen For During Garage Door Operation

When your garage door is opening or closing, you will want to pay attention to the sound it is making. If you hear creaking, squealing, or grinding, then it is time to call a trusted garage door repair specialist. These signs often are caused by your garage door’s hardware either grinding together or nearing the end of its lifespan. 

Checking Garage Door Safety Features and Sensors for Proper Function

You will want to do regular checks of your garage door’s safety features, such as its auto-reversal system. This safety feature ensures that if there is an object in the garage door’s path, it changes direction to avoid hitting the object. To test it, you can place an object, such as a piece of wood, on the garage door’s threshold. Next, try closing the garage door using the remote control. The garage door should immediately go back up when it comes into contact with the object. If it doesn’t, this is a serious safety issue and should be addressed by a professional. Your family and pets are at serious risk for accidental entrapment or being crushed by the garage door if it isn’t handled quickly.

You will also want to check the photosensor’s lenses for dirt. If they are dirty, it could result in your garage door failing to close properly when the sensors tell it to open to avoid hitting an object that isn’t there. 

Why Regular Garage Door Spring, Cable, and Track Inspections Are Critical

The garage door is a powerful piece of machinery. With so many moving parts that allow it to operate, even one of them being off can lead to more serious issues and a higher risk of an accident. It is important to have your garage door inspected yearly to ensure that all of its moving parts are operating as they should. Without this inspection from a garage door repair specialist, you run the risk of your garage door breaking down completely or having an accident occur on your property that results in serious or life-threatening injuries.

When to Schedule Professional Garage Door Maintenance and Repairs

Your garage door should be inspected by a professional garage door technician at least once a year to ensure it is running properly. Routine maintenance can ensure any minor issues with your garage door do not turn into serious and expensive problems. While routine maintenance can prevent issues from occurring, normal wear and tear will call for repairs or replacements from time to time. If you notice any problems with your garage door, such as unusual noises or your garage door becoming stuck, you will want to contact a trusted garage door technician as soon as possible.
The garage door repair specialists at Action Garage Door work hard to ensure that the residential properties of DFW, Houston, and Austin can rest assured that their garage doors remain healthy year round. Our team is passionate about protecting our community through unparalleled garage door maintenance, installation, and repair services. Contact our technicians today for more information on our service or to schedule an appointment.

Additional Resources:

• Inspect Your Garage Door Regularly To Be On The Safe Side
• How to Tell if Your Garage Door Torsion Springs are Bad
• How to Prepare Your Garage Door for a Blizzard
• 10 Signs Your Garage Door Needs Repairs
• The 6 Most Common Garage Door Problems
• Garage Door Makeover: Transforming Your Home’s Exterior
• Comprehensive Texas Garage Door Maintenance Checklist