Having a garage door that won’t open is super frustrating! Let’s go through some checks you can do yourself before calling in the professionals. In this blog post, I’ll outline the main things to look for when your garage door is stuck and not moving freely.
The first thing to check when your garage door won’t budge is to make sure it’s not just stuck from being left partially open. Give it a few good pulls to see if it will fully disengage and move up or down. Sometimes debris or ice can get stuck under the door panels which is preventing it from fully closing.
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Check the Door Balance
If pulling firmly on the door doesn’t get it moving, the next thing to examine is the door balance. Nearly all garage doors have a torsion or extension spring system to help lift the heavy panels. Over time, these springs can lose their balance which makes the door harder to open and close.
To check the balance, disconnect the door from any automatic opener motors and manually lift the door about halfway. It should stay in place without any support. If the door slowly creeps down on its own, the spring needs to be tightened or replaced by a professional like Garage Door Repair in Chesapeake. Out of balance springs are a common cause of stuck doors.
Check the Tracks and Rollers
Make sure to closely examine the metal tracks on both sides of the garage door where the rollers run. Look for any debris, dents, or misalignments that could be preventing smooth movement. Clean out any dirt or grime. Rollers can also become worn down over time which causes increased friction. Try moving a roller back and forth with your hands – it should roll freely without feeling gritty.
Check for Obstructions
Next, carefully inspect along the entire height of the tracks and door panels for any objects obstructing movement. Things like cobwebs, cords, or tools left leaning against the door can all trap a panel and jam the mechanism. Also look up above to ensure nothing is binding or hanging on tracks near the top where it curves inward.
Try Lubricating the Moving Parts
If no obvious obstructions are found, it’s a good idea to lubricate all points of movement. Spray white lithium grease into the tracks where rollers slide as well as onto rollers themselves. Also lubricate hinges, brackets and any pulleys or chain links involved in lifting mechanisms. This can help free up sticky or corroded parts allowing for smoother operation.
Garage Door Repair in Chesapeake recommends using a lubricant specifically formulated for garage doors rather than generic oils which can gum up or damage parts over time. Take special care to wipe away any excess grease so it doesn’t attract more dirt. Proper lubrication is especially important during winter months.
Inspect Cables and Check Their Tension
On many older garage door models, the lifting force comes from steel cables running either along both sides or centered above the door panels. Over years of operation, these winding cable systems can lose tension causing the door to become difficult to open.
Tight cable systems are also prone to fraying or breaking which would obviously prevent door movement entirely. Carefully examine cables for any signs of damage or corrosion. Check for adequate tension by grasping the cable firmly with both hands a foot apart – it shouldn’t have more than 1/4 inch of slack in any direction. Cables that show issues need replacement from a garage door technician.
Test the Automatic Opener
If your garage door was recently working fine but now gets stuck, check that the automatic opener motor isn’t preventing closure or lift. Disengage the motor release arm so it can’t attempt operation. Make sure power to the opener is disconnected before manually testing the door movement by itself. A stuck opener motor can often mask other mechanical issues.
Know When a Job is Too Big
After ruling out common causes yourself, if your garage door still stubbornly refuses to lift at all it may require hands-on attention from an experienced garage door company. Stuck doors with possible spring or structural issues can pose safety risks if not handled properly. Professionals have the special tools and expertise needed to diagnosis tricky problems. They’ll get your door functioning reliably again without wasting your time on unfixable parts.
Avoid further damage to your system by not forcing a stubborn door. Repeatedly slamming it can bend tracks out of alignment or break fragile components like torsion springs under high tension. With some basic checks and possible lubrication, many common issues can still be addressed on your own. But a thorough inspection and service from local pros is often the best way to fully remedy a chronically stuck garage door and prevent future breakdowns.
With the right troubleshooting approach, you should be able to determine what’s holding up your garage door.
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