Reasonably-priced garage door repair and installation in Sacramento
1099 stewart rd Sacramento, CA 95684

Fixing a Garage Door That’s Come Off Track

Most Common Garage Problems_2

A garage door coming off its track is a pretty common garage door repair problem. Most of the time, it’s fairly easy to fix — you can even do it yourself. But here’s the thing: if your overhead door comes off track, you need to stop using the garage door immediately. You could cause expensive damage both to your track and to the door if you keep using it. 

Continuing to use an off-track garage door can also cause damage to the garage door’s opener. Not to mention that you could bend tracks, break them, or even pull them away from the wall. It’s important to get the door back on track before you continue to use it, or you’ll see your garage door repair costs really start to pile up.

Getting a garage door back on its tracks is typically a fairly inexpensive repair — even free if you manage to do it yourself. But if you force the door and damage the track or the door, then this repair can be several hundred dollars. It’s much cheaper to just call yourself an Uber to get to work and then deal with it when you get back. 

Did we mention we have 24/7 emergency garage door repair to the Greater Sacramento area? We can have your door fixed and your life back on track before you even get home!

How Much Will it Cost to Repair a Garage Door that’s Jumped its Tracks?

The repair cost for a garage door that’s come off its tracks can vary depending on the type of garage door you have, but most can be put back on the track for $150 to $280. If the track has become so badly bent that the entire thing needs replaced, this can be considerably more expensive — in the several hundred dollar range. Again, we caution you to stop using the door until it can be put back on its track. These kind of emergencies is why we feature 24/7 emergency garage door service.

To fix a garage door that’s off-track, we first, disconnect the garage door from the opener. Then we reach overhead and pull the rope to release the door. Manually opening the door allows us to locate where the wheels have jumped the track. We then apply a pair of locking pliers underneath the door on one of the tracks to act as a stop. By pulling the outside of the track open with another pair of pliers, we can place the wheels back in the track. Then we knock the track back into position with a rubber mallet. And that’s it; fairly simple, right?

Check that the overhead door is fixed by raising it manually first. Then use the remote to start working the garage door opener, which should catch and secure the door’s release mechanism again.

DIY Garage Door Repair: Fixing an Off-Track Overhead Door

If you notice your garage door is off track and stop using it before any serious damage occurs, you may be able to guide it back into position yourself. Pulling this off depends on the condition of your door, how badly it’s off track, and your skill and tool expertise. 

If the job feels beyond your ability at any time, do yourself a favor and call a professional garage door repairman. It is possible to cause serious and expensive damage to either the door or the track if you’re not careful.

  • First, make sure the garage door opener is separate from the door. This can easily be done by pulling on the rope or pulley that hangs down off the connector to the opener.
  • Open the door high enough to reach the point where it jumped off the tracks. Secure the door in that location with a pair of clamping pliers. It’s also a good idea to place something like a ladder underneath the middle of the door as an extra safety measure.
  • Use a pair of pliers to pry open the track where the door has come off. Only bend the track just enough to get the rollers back in. Glide the wheels back onto the track.
  • Place a block of wood against the bent area of track and hammer back in place with a rubber mallet. The wooden block will act as a buffer to protect the door and the track. 
  • Remove the locking pliers and the ladder. 
  • Activate the opener. As the door goes through its normal opening processes, it will automatically reconnect.

When it’s Time to Call a Professional Garage Door Repair Company

Some garage door repairs, even if they seem straightforward, are not safe to do yourself. For instance, repairing a broken garage door spring. Under extreme tension, bent or broken garage door springs are a serious hazard that only multiplies when you decide to mess with them yourself. This is one case where you’re best left calling a professional like SACS GARAGE DOOR REPAIR. Even for door repairs that you can safely do on your own, if you simply don’t want to, give us a call – it’s what we’re here for!

We are a local company serving the Folsom and Greater Sacramento area. All our services are 100% guaranteed, and all our exterior door installation and repair specialists are certified, insured and bonded.

Broken Garage Opener Repair Advice

If you think you have a broken garage opener, there’re a few easy steps you can take to make sure. Rule out the simple things by replacing batteries and checking the remote and door switches. Make sure there’s no blockages and the sensors are aligned properly. Starting with the door closed, pull your emergency release cord and try to manually open and close the door. If you can, then the most likely culprit is the opener. There’s a lot of moving parts along with electricity involved with openers. We recommend letting the pro’s deal with that. Don’t risk injury to save a few bucks. Garage repair is usually very affordable.

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