Garage – Page 2 – Home Project DIY

If your garage door isn't working the way you want it, it’s likely there are some things you can fix on your own. Before you call the repairman and drop a couple of hundred dollars just to have him tell you it's off the track or something simple, take some time to figure out if it's a fix you can make on your own. Garage door repair is often an easy DIY fix. About Your Garage Door Garage doors are made up of two components, mostly. You have your garage door, and then you have the mechanism that opens it. You may have problems with either part or even both of them. You may also have different issues with a manual garage door and one with an electric opener. Finding Out What's Wrong with Your Garage Door If you need garage door repair, you need to do a little investigating before you call the repairman. Check for the manual lock on your door and make sure it wasn't activated. Make sure there isn't something in the rails blocking it from working correctly. Check the springs, rails, and the door itself for any issues. Here are some of the possible issues you may be facing if your garage door isn't working correctly. 1. Dead Batteries Your garage door issue could be something as simple as dead batteries in your portable transmitter. This is an easy fix, and all you need to do is see if your door opens and closes from within the garage. If it works fine when you push the in-garage button, then you need to change out the batteries in your portable transmitter. If you have multiple transmitters, change the batteries in all of them. It's likely the other ones are close to dying as well. Don't forget to make sure you put the batteries in properly and test each opener before you drive off. 2. Photo Eye Issue The mechanism that keeps your garage door from shutting on your pets and children can sometimes stop working properly. A problem with this mechanism will be noticeable only when the garage door is closing (or trying to close anyway). If your garage door opens but doesn't close or stops going part way down, it may just be a dirty eye. When the photo eyes get dirty, they can stop doing their job. This problem is another easy fix. You need to clean the lens of the eye off with a soft cloth. If it's really dirty, you'll want a cleaner that won't leave any streaks (which could cause problems as well). Alignment can also be off on the photo eyes. To fix this issue, you're going to need a level because you want them to be at the same level and pointing directly at one another. 3. Misaligned Track A misaligned track is a big problem and can damage the tracks. Look for gaps in between the rail and the rollers that go along them. Not fixing this risks having the door fall off. The tracks can get bent and permanently damaged. You may be able to realign the tracks on your own. You loosen any screws holding the rail in place in the area where it's misaligned, then tap them back into place with a soft mallet before tightening the screws back up. If your garage door isn't working at all, it's time to call in the pros. You need to get it fixed before it causes an issue. 4. Spring Issues Garage doors have springs in them that help them go up and down. If your door isn't working and the easy fixes didn't make a difference, you may have a torsion spring broken. These springs lift the doors, and they can wear out and break over time. If you look and one (or both) of your springs are broken, you don't want to try to mess with it yourself. The torsion springs hold a lot of weight, so they are under a lot of pressure, and only a professional should be working on them. If you don't get your tension springs replaced promptly, the weight they are no longer holding will be put on the door cables. They could snap as well. Don't Wait on Your Garage Door Repair If you're having issues with your garage door, don't park your car in there. You shouldn't try to use the garage door until it has been repaired. You risk damage to your vehicle or injury to yourself. Keep kids and pets away from it. Garage door repairs should be done promptly to reduce risks.