Garage Doors Repair

In some households, owning a car is almost as valuable as being a homeowner. So if you’ve got a car, it only makes sense to invest in a garage with a sturdy, durable garage door that will secure your car. But garage doors, like any part of your home, are prone to wear and tear so you’d have to be ready to spend on some garage doors repair.

The ABCs of Garage Doors

Garage doors repair can range from small ones to major overhauls. So these repairs can be simple do-it-yourself tasks or can be something that you’d have to pay the pros to do. It’s important to understand however that most damages on garage doors and the consequent repairs they will require depend on the kind of material your garage door is made of.

• Wood. Traditional garage doors were made of wood and even now, there are still households that use wood for their garage. It’s a good insulator but unlike other materials like steel and aluminum, require more maintenance for paint and finishing.

• Steel.    Most garage doors are made of steel as it’s cheap, durable, and low maintenance unlike wood.

• Aluminum. Aluminum, along with steel, is another popular choice for garage  doors, but it’s thinner and therefore more malleable and likely to dent.

• Fiberglass. This is the lightest choice for garage doors and therefore even more likely to dent than aluminum or steel.

Garage Door Tips

Here are three of the most common garage door headaches and the repairs you can do on your own.

1. Screechy sound.
It’s likely that the screeching noise you hear every time you      open/close your garage door is the result of rusty hinges or screws. Check your garage door screws and springs and replace them if rusty.  Lubricating the springs and screws will also lessen the screechy noise.

2. Garage door opener does not respond.
This is very common with remote- controlled garages such as those with roll up garage doors. Check your batteries to make sure they’re full or replace your garage opener sensor or motor.

3. Door doesn’t close all the way.
Roll-up garage doors also have the tendency not to close all the way down. This could be due to a misaligned sensor. Realign the sensor and check if there is anything blocking it. In some cases, you just might need to get a new sensor for your garage door.

There are, however, repairs that you cannot DIY. These include replacing broken springs and cables and replacing garage door opener motors and sensors. Roll-up garage doors are especially harder to repair, and because they are more dangerous and likely to cause injury compared to swing-up doors, will require the help of a professional.

Regular Checks Beats It All

Like any other part and furniture in your house, your garage door requires regular check and maintenance. At the very least, tracks and rollers must be maintained clean, and springs and hinges lubricated and tightened.