How to repair a garage door
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Step-by-step guide on how to - attempt to - repair a garage door...
"What would your garage be without a garage door, this is the question." :)
For fix-it-yourself types of guys like I am, I think the most normal thing to do when something goes wrong is to try to get it working again, and NOT to call the 1-800 number on the fridge... Even though lot of people tend to think that this can only be done with small objects, this is completely not the case. For example, if a garage door goes wrong, usually most home owners call a repair service right away. Now this is probably what you should be doing in most cases, but still, there is no reason to think that there are no steps that you could take before calling the repair number.
I had some problems with my garage door not so long ago and I decided that I will definitely do not call in right away, but first, rather try to fix it my self. So I spent quite a few hours online on how to repair a garage door and within a few hours I got the old thing working again.
So here are the conclusions to what I've found.
PS: Now it's important to note, that this doesn't mean that if your garage door or garage door opener needs service, you shouldn't call the experts, but follow these steps and solve it yourself... No. I am just saying that if you enjoy repairing things, you might as well give it a shot, have fun and if you can fix it by doing this, GREAT, if not, simply please call the service. (The image above symbolizes a clear situation when you should NOT try to fix it on your own... :) )
For fix-it-yourself types of guys like I am, I think the most normal thing to do when something goes wrong is to try to get it working again, and NOT to call the 1-800 number on the fridge... Even though lot of people tend to think that this can only be done with small objects, this is completely not the case. For example, if a garage door goes wrong, usually most home owners call a repair service right away. Now this is probably what you should be doing in most cases, but still, there is no reason to think that there are no steps that you could take before calling the repair number.
I had some problems with my garage door not so long ago and I decided that I will definitely do not call in right away, but first, rather try to fix it my self. So I spent quite a few hours online on how to repair a garage door and within a few hours I got the old thing working again.
So here are the conclusions to what I've found.
PS: Now it's important to note, that this doesn't mean that if your garage door or garage door opener needs service, you shouldn't call the experts, but follow these steps and solve it yourself... No. I am just saying that if you enjoy repairing things, you might as well give it a shot, have fun and if you can fix it by doing this, GREAT, if not, simply please call the service. (The image above symbolizes a clear situation when you should NOT try to fix it on your own... :) )
New Table of Contents
Step One
Inspect the garage door
The first thing you want to do is to inspect the garage door. Take a look at the metal tracks and the mounting brackets on the garage door. Sometimes these can become loose and they will wobble, which causes the garage door to not work properly. Tighten any screws that are loose.
Step Two
Dents and dirt...
Now, look for any dents or crimps in the garage door track. One dent can cause the garage door to stop opening. If you do find a dent, try and tap it out with a hammer. If this does not work, you may need to have the track replaced. A dent on the track is usually the biggest reason garage doors do not work. Don't forget to clean the tracks with a household cleaner in order to remove any grease and dirt that may have accumulated on the tracks. Once you have cleaned the tracks, lubricate both the rollers and the tracks. Lubricate any wheels that are involved in moving the garage door.
Step Three
Level
Now, take a level and ensure the track is level. If the track is slanted improperly, it can cause problems with the garage door opening and closing. The tracks must be the same height as the walls of the garage. To align the tracks, all you have to do is to loosen the bolts without removing them and tap the tracks lightly with a hammer to get them back to where they need to be.
Step Four
Tighten those loose ends
Look for anything that is loose on the garage door and make sure that everything is tightened. The garage door can snag itself on one side of the track and not move any further.
Step Five
Take a look at the hinges
If your garage door swings up, check the plates where the spring is mounted to make sure that everything is tight and there are no loose screws. If you have a garage door that rolls up, then you should look at the hinges and see if any hinges are loose are broken. If there is a broken hinge, you will have to replace it. You can usually use any type of hinge, as long as it is strong enough to handle what garage doors will do on a daily basis.
Step Six
Check the springs
Springs are something that can cause major problems on garage doors, so make sure you check these if you still have not found a solution to the problem. Doors that swing up will have a spring on each side of the door. You may need to change the tension of the spring by moving it to a new hole. If you have a roll-up door, then the spring is on each side and it is controlled by a pulley. Again, adjust the spring until the door is opening properly.
Summary
Garage doors are wonderful inventions, but as with anything they can break down. If you work to repair the garage door and it does not fix the problem, the next place you have to look is the opener. Make sure that the batteries of the garage door opener are charged. If still nothing, tap yourself on the shoulder, you've done everything you can, but now it is time to call the garage door repair service and have the pros take a look.
by squidoo-gyc
Hello world. This is my bio. I can edit it later!
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