Garage doors endure many cycles of daily use, and since they use motors and controls to open and close, a break down is inevitable. For homeowners in Carlisle PA, the cold winter weather and winter salt serves to exacerbate these problems even further.
Common Garage Door Problems and How to Fix Them
Fortunately, most of the issues you’ll encounter from the effects of winter salt, weather and everyday use require only a simple fix you can do yourself. However, even for simple problems, it’s wise to call a professional if you aren’t certain what’s wrong or if you don’t feel comfortable making repairs.
To help you understand what to do, here are five common garage door problems and tips on how to fix them.
1. Garage Door Won’t Close All the Way
Sometimes your garage door may fail to close all the way, whether it’s an inch or a few feet left between the door and the ground. Most garage door closure problems could lead to pest problems or even burglaries, which is something you don’t want.
If you’re experiencing this, there are a few things you need to do. First, you need to check the sensors. If the sensors aren’t properly aligned or if something is blocking their line of sight, they may fail to close completely.
You may also need to check your limit switch. Garage door openers have an adjustable switch that dictates when a garage door stops. If you set the limit switch too high, the door may stop too soon and won’t close all the way. So, make sure you adjust it to the correct setting using the screw on the motor unit.
2. The Wall Switch Doesn’t Work
A dead switch is among the most common garage door problems homeowners have to deal with. If the wall switch cannot open or close the garage door, the problem may be somewhere in the power supply.
If your switch is the reason why your garage door won’t work, then you need to ensure your motor unit, as well as the cord, are plugged in correctly. Also, check your fuse and circuit breaker or GFCI to see if they have tripped, are broken or have possibly burned out. If they have, you may need to replace the burned-out fuse or reset the breaker.
If the breaker keeps tripping, there could be a short circuit somewhere in the system or a burned-out garage motor. In such cases, our experienced technicians at Jarusewski’s Garage Door Service can fix or replace it for you.
3. The Garage Door Refuses to Open in Winter
Among the most common garage door problems homeowners in Carlisle experience during winter is a frozen garage door. The cold weather makes the rollers stiff and unable to operate well, and the garage door won’t work.
The best way to fix this garage door problem is by lubricating the rollers. If lubricating doesn’t help, you may need to adjust the opener sensitivity. There’s a screw on the monitor unit that’ll help you make adjustments for the door to open as fast as you want.
4. Noisy Garage Door
Garage doors have a way to communicate. A small creak or grinding noise is a common occurrence that suggests your garage door has a problem. This could mean the rollers are worn out, there is loose hardware or the openers need anti-vibration pads.
A noisy garage only requires small, affordable fixes. The first thing you should do is to grease all moving parts using a garage door lubricant. You should also tighten loose nuts and bolts on the garage door track and replace worn-out rollers and hinges. If the noise persists, you may have imbalanced springs that need some repairs or replacement.
5. The Garage Door Reverses Before or Immediately After It Touches the Floor
If your garage door reverses before it reaches the floor, then the problem could be a result of an incorrect close-force setting. Close-force is the amount of friction allowed when closing the door.
An incorrect close-force setting can make the door stop when it experiences a little bit of friction from the tracks. This is one of the most common garage door problems for homeowners around Carlisle due to rusty rollers caused by winter salt used by road treatment trucks. To correct this problem, check your rollers for damage and make the right close-force settings.
And if your garage door opens after hitting the floor, you need to adjust the close-limit switch settings. Make small adjustments until the door can stop whenever it hits the floor.
We Are Here to Help!
If you can’t figure out why your garage door won’t work or you do not know how to fix the problem, contact Jarusewski’s GarageDoor Service today for a free quote and free estimate. We offer fast and accurate services to homeowners in Carlisle, Mt. Holly, Aspers, Gardners, Mechanicsburg and Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. We’ll ensure your garage door is as good as new!