It can be infuriating when you come home from work and find that you can’t park in the garage. But, unfortunately, jams do occur, and overhead doors are liable to come off of their tracks from time to time. It’s wise to remain wary of signs that your garage is coming off of its track, before a bigger problem can crop up. After all, a completely derailed garage door can damage its panels, the hardware of the door, and even belongings in your garage (and it can be a safety hazard!). That’s why we’ve collected a few signs that you can keep an eye out for below. Be sure to repair your garage door right away if you notice any of the following issues — of course, if you live here in Northern Colorado, you can count on Front Range Raynor to repair your garage door!
The Tracks Are Warped
Over time, your tracks may warp — especially if they were installed incorrectly in the first place. Door tracks may also warp if your garage door isn’t balanced (which will place more weight on one track), or if your rollers aren’t operating smoothly (which can cause one side to drag with every raising and lowering of the door). If you can tell that your garage door tracks are no longer parallel and flat, then it’s time to repair or replace them. You could wind up with a complete garage door failure (including a damaged operator, damaged hardware, and broken panels) if you continue to use your garage.
The Track Hardware Is Detaching
Your garage door track should be attached to structural lumber along the ceiling or walls of your garage. If this hardware begins to fail, your tracks will fall out of line, which can cause all of the same problems that we just mentioned. Be mindful of the connecting hardware between your garage door tracks and the rest of your home. Ask yourself: Are any screws coming loose? Is the hardware pulling away from the attachment site? If you’ve noticed that your hardware is about to fail, then you should fix it before a larger problem crops up.
The Rollers Are Derailing
Your garage door relies on rollers which navigate along the tracks as the door lifts and lowers. These rollers should move smoothly along the tracks without much friction or torsion along the length of the panels. However, even slight misalignments along your tracks can cause these rollers to derail or jam. If you’ve noticed that any of your rollers have broken, have halted during a door opening or closing, or have come off the tracks entirely, then it’s time to call for repairs. Do not continue to operate your door, as it may no longer be safe to do so.
Your Door Jams
Garage doors can jam for a number of reasons. Your operator (the motor that drives the chain holding your garage door) may fail. The tracks may become so misaligned that the rollers can’t move along them. You may have an obstruction along the path of the door. Et cetera. Regardless of the issue at hand, if you experience a jam then your door is liable to come off its track if you try to move the door. Shut off the door operator and leave your garage door as is while you reach out for help.
You Hear Loud Noises
Loud noises indicate that your garage door isn’t moving as it should. While doors can be relatively noisey (unless you have a silent door operator), you shouldn’t hear screeching, popping, or shuttering noises. If you do hear noises, you may be able to note the source. For example, if you have an isolated roller that is jammed, it will drag along the track making a high-pitched screech — that’s a relatively easy repair. On the other hand, if your garage door is shuttering, then you may have a misalignment, and you should fix it before operating the door again.
Call on Front Range Raynor
Whether you hear an awful noise when you open your door, or your door is stuck halfway open, we can help. Here at Front Range Raynor, we sell garage door parts, we provide repairs, and we offer full installation services. So regardless of your demands, there’s only one number you’ll need to keep your door in tip-top shape. Reach out to us today to schedule an appointment for repairs, or visit our showroom in Fort Collins if you’d like to explore new garage doors or our parts catalog!
