It’s true that garage doors wear out overtime. No matter how well you take care of your door, eventually it will need replaced. It’s inevitable. That’s practically a law of physics when it comes to home ownership. But it’s also true that regular preventative maintenance goes a long way. In fact, if you have a noisy garage door, a few simple repairs could have it running as good as new. Not only that, but following through on these 5 simple DIY garage door repairs will keep your door lasting longer, needing fewer expensive repairs in the long run, and help you get the best value out of your garage door. And the best part is that these repairs are easy — and can be done in a few minutes on a Saturday afternoon. Do them every season like clockwork.
When Your Door Bottom Doesn’t Close Tightly on Either Side
If your door bottom isn’t closing tight enough on one side, there’s a good chance the two lifting cables are not properly adjusted. You might also have a screw loose on one of your drums. Whatever the cause, do not try to fix this problem yourself. Anything cable or drum related is not a DIY garage door repair. These cables are under incredible tension and can cause serious bodily injury if suddenly released. Contact a professional garage door repair service today.
Your Rollers are Broken or Worn
If the rollers on your garage door are worn or breaking, they’ll need to be replaced. Remember it is important for them to be able to roll on the track, not slide.
Also, take a look at the brackets on the door. Are they screwed in tight? If not, you might want to go over them with a screwdriver and tighten them down.
A word of warning: If the rollers or the brackets are on the bottom end of the door, don’t attempt to repair them yourself. This area is under extremely high tension. Any repairs near the bottom of the door is best left to a professional garage door service.
The Door Doesn’t Close Completely with the Opener
If the opener doesn’t close your garage door completely, you may need to adjust its settings. Check the adjustment settings on the monitor box. You’ll see up and down arrows. Using a flat head screwdriver, turn the screw one quarter of a turn. Test the opener and see if it is repaired. Continue as necessary.
The Horizontal Rail Moves
If one of your horizontal rails moves too much, you’ll need to tighten the bolts on the metal fastener. Check both rails. When one starts to go, the other is not too far behind.
Check Your Drain
If you’ve got a drain by your garage door, check to make sure it is clear and in good condition. Look at the materials of the drain to be sure they are in good repair and of a proper material to be able to withstand temperature changes.