If you’re like most people, your garage is one of the most important rooms in your home. It’s a place to store your cars, tools, and other belongings. But if your garage door is broken, it can be difficult to use the space effectively. Fortunately, there are some simple ways to fix a garage door yourself. In this guide, we’ll show you how to identify and solve the most common problems with garage doors. We’ll also provide tips for keeping your door in good condition year-round. So, keep reading to learn more!
1. Replace Damaged Track Sections
The main reason garage doors come off track is because the track itself has become bent or warped. If this happens, you can use a crowbar to straighten the track until it’s flat again. This will help keep your door in its proper position while you work on other repairs. However, if the damage is too severe to fix with a crowbar, you’ll need to replace some of the track sections entirely. First, measure how long each section should be with a tape measure. Then cut replacement pieces from another spare length of metal tubing with heavy-duty shears or tin snips that are about 6 inches longer than what you measured. You can attach them to your existing using screws and nuts. Here are some more tips for repairing garage doors.
2. Replace Rusted or Broken Rollers
Broken rollers make it difficult to open and close the door, so they need to be replaced as soon as possible. You can remove them by unscrewing the bolts that hold them in place with a socket wrench. Then, install new rollers by placing them over the ends of the torsion shafts and tightening the bolts. Make sure all your new rollers are facing in the same direction as the old ones, and lubricate their bearings with a few drops of motor oil to keep them running smoothly.
3. Clean & Lubricate Rollers Regularly
Regularly cleaning and lubricating your garage door’s bearing can help it operate smoothly for many years. You should inspect these parts each time you change your garage door’s oil. If they’re dirty or dry, clean and lubricate them using a damp cloth and light machine oil like WD-40. If any moving part seems damaged or worn out, replace it right away so that it doesn’t cause further damage to your door.
4. Check for Loose Bolts & Screws
Garage doors have a lot of moving parts that can come loose over time, so check for loose ones regularly as part of your regular maintenance routine. If you find any, tighten them as needed with a socket wrench. But be careful not to overtighten the bolts since they could break if you apply too much pressure on them.
5. Use a Power Drill to Remove Hard-to-Reach Bolts & Screws
Sometimes, it’s difficult to remove a stubborn bolt or screw that sits inside an inaccessible space like between two beam supports with a ratchet and socket wrench. In this case, it’s easier to use a power drill with an appropriately sized bit. Just be careful not to drill too deep, or you might damage your garage door’s interior. You can also use a power drill with an adjustable clutch to tighten bolts and screws that are too loose without overtightening them.
6. Add Additional Support if Necessary
If you’re having problems closing the door after replacing some of its smaller parts like rollers, you may need to add additional support under the section where it meets the floor. To do this, measure the height (from the floor up) and length (across from wall-to-wall) of each section using a tape measure. Then cut two pieces of metal tubing to match those measurements using heavy duty shears or tin snips that are about 6 inches longer than what you measured. Attach them to the bottom of your door using screws and nuts, then rehang it by following these instructions.
7. Adjust Track Tension
Garage door tracks should be parallel to each other with enough space in between for a standard roller carriage assembly to glide along. If they’re not, you’ll need to adjust the tension accordingly. To do this, turn the center screw on one side of the track until it’s even with or slightly above the opposite end. Then slowly raise your garage door halfway up its tracks by turning its manual pulley handle as you raise it. Once it reaches that point, make sure one section is lined up evenly with the other before locking it into place.
8. Remove a Stuck Garage Door
If your garage door is too heavy for you to lift, or if it’s stuck part way up its tracks, follow the instructions below to remove it safely:
- Turn off power to your garage door opener from its electrical source breaker box.
- Unplug the opener from the wall outlet.
- Pull down on the emergency release cord with all your weight so that the spring mechanism breaks and lowers down slowly under tension.
- Once it reaches a few inches above ground level, have someone help you push it out of the way so you can access both sides of each section. Then place a 2×4 board between both sections so you can push up on the center while your helper pushes down at the same time.
- Have your helper lift the garage door section while you remove all the rollers, one by one. Then place all of them in a bag or container so they don’t get lost.
- Set aside the roller assemblies outside, then take out any remaining bolts and screws that hold each section together tightly with pliers.
- Next, use a screwdriver to pry open any sections that are difficult to separate without damaging them.
- Check for bent or broken hinges before reinstalling your new roller assembly. If necessary, adjust their placement along the track so they fit snugly back into place. Also check for any loose or broken springs around the section where your garage door closes. If you find any, replace them before reattaching the roller assemblies.
- Once everything is in place and secure, center your garage door under both tracks then lift it up to check that each section runs smoothly along its track without making a lot of noise.
- Plug in the opener into an electrical wall socket and turn on its power switch from inside your car while testing out the garage door to make sure it opens and closes properly.
- Finally, reattach all components securely with bolts and screws, but don’t overtighten them since they could split open if too much pressure is applied. Then close your garage door manually by pulling down on its emergency release cord until it latches securely in place.
