You’re trying to leave your home and get to work in the morning — only to find your garage door is just not budging. Stubborn garage doors are a common problem that occurs for any number of reasons, from broken machinery to something as simple as the weather. Of course, in order to fix the problem, you first have to determine its cause.
In this article, we’ll help you troubleshoot why your garage door sticks and offer practical solutions. You’ll be back on your way to work in no time.
Request Service NowTroubleshooting Your Stuck Garage Door
A garage door can start sticking for a variety of different reasons. Some may require professional assistance to repair. Others are simple fixes that can be avoided with regular maintenance and preventive measures. Common reasons include:
- Weather: Melted snow left around your garage can turn to ice and freeze your door. If ice is the culprit, you should be able to diagnose the problem visually. Bad weather and ice can also damage door springs, causing them to become brittle and stop working.
- Obstructions: Your garage door operates using torsion springs, which exert force with rollers along a track. If these rollers become obstructed, they’ll stop functioning properly, leaving your door stuck.
- Broken remotes: Electronic garage openers will sometimes break down. If you’re unsure why your door isn’t opening, try pulling your garage’s emergency release cord and lifting it by hand. If it opens all the way, your remote is likely the issue and may need replacing.
- Jammed pulleys: A pulley and spring system pulls your garage door up and down on the track. These pulleys and springs can become jammed or wear down over time.
- Unprofessional door installation: Garage doors should be installed by an expert who knows what they’re doing. If you’ve attempted a DIY installation project or moved into a home with a previously-installed door, there may be faulty mechanisms causing it to stick.
Fixing Your Stuck Garage Door
Once you’ve deduced the likely cause of your garage door sticking to the floor, what should you do? In most cases, it’s best to call in the professionals. They will be able to resolve the issue properly without causing any potential damage in the process.
Melt or Scrape a Frozen Door
Non-mechanical issues — such as weather and obstructions — are often simple fixes that you may be able to perform yourself. If you notice that your door is frozen, pour some hot water over the icy area and promptly try to open it again. Alternatively, using an ice scraper can help get rid of the ice buildup and unstick your door.
Check and Remove Obstructions
If your garage door opens halfway and stops, its tracks might be jammed or obstructed. To fix obstructions, check all tracks for any objects or debris in the way and carefully remove them if possible.
Request Professional Service
If your garage door is sticking as a result of jammed or broken pulleys or springs, it’s time to bring in the experts. Continental Door is a go-to door maintenance and repair service in the greater Spokane area, providing 24/7 emergency service to help homeowners or commercial businesses un-stick their garage doors. Repairs may require replacing broken parts, fixing springs or repairing jammed tracks.
Check Your Technology
If you’ve deduced that your door remote is the issue, try replacing the batteries or purchasing a new opener. Alternatively, the garage door photo-eye may be malfunctioning due to being knocked out of alignment or mistaking bright sun glares for an obstruction. Assess your photo-eye to see if this could be preventing your door from opening or closing. If it’s misaligned, you may need to request service from a professional to fix it.
Why Choose Continental Door?
Whether your garage door sticks when closing or won’t open up at all, there are few things more frustrating when you’ve got somewhere else to be. This common issue has plenty of causes, many of which can be deduced with an investigative eye. To handle a difficult or stuck door, it’s always best to call in the experts.
If your garage door isn’t moving, Continental Door is here to help. We’re available around the clock to unstick your door if you need urgent assistance, and we can also offer repair and maintenance services to reduce the chances of it happening again. Interested in learning more? Request our service or a free quote today. You can reach us for emergency service at 509-921-2260.
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