Why a Garage Door Off Track is a Serious Issue
One of the most frequently used parts of your home is your garage door. Some homeowners will even use it as a second entrance. However, an operational issue can be dangerous, especially a garage door off track. That’s because the entire structure and its parts, such as the cables and springs, are meant to support the tremendous weight of a garage door, which can fail if not adequately supported and come crashing down on you or your loved ones.
Garage door problems can also arise from routine use; if you keep your car in the garage and only drive once a day, then the garage door opens and closes at least four times per day — that’s 1,460 times per year! Of course, most people use their car more than once a day, which exponentially increases the wear and tear on the garage door.
Most Common Causes of a Garage Door Off Track
Anything can happen, even if you are already performing regular garage door maintenance. Here are the most common causes for a garage door off track:
- Hit by a car
- Broken garage door spring
- Poor track installation
- Snapped cable
Whatever the cause, do not delay calling a professional technician for emergency garage door repair. That’s because a garage door off track is not only unsightly — it can lead to serious injuries or worse.
A professional repair process involves disconnecting the garage door from the opener, manually opening the door, locating the roller(s), realigning the track where the rollers get stuck, closing and opening the door manually before reconnecting to the opener. However, even the most capable DIY aficionados should not attempt to repair a garage door off track on their own.
A typical double garage door found in most residential neighbourhoods can weigh up to 400 lbs; not something you want hanging over your head for any length of time, especially if you have pets or small children. So, how does this happen? Here’s a more in-depth explanation of what causes a garage door to come off its track.
• Hit by a Car
It may seem a bit incredulous, but this is the most commonly reported cause of damage to a garage door. Driving out or in the garage before the door is completely open can seriously damage the bottom panels or permanently damage the entire garage door and require a replacement.
• Broken Springs
Garage door springs wear out over time. If there are two springs and one of them breaks, it can cause the garage door to go off its track on one side and make the garage door look lopsided. If both garage door springs break at the same time, the door could completely come off its tracks.
• Poor Track Installation
Inadequate installation of the garage door can cause the door to come off its tracks. If they were not aligned when installed, they could loosen over time, causing vibration to the brackets and can lead to a collapse. Inspecting the tracks as part of your regular garage door maintenance can prevent an issue from worsening.
• Broken Tension Cables
Cables on both sides of the garage door work together to support the garage door’s weight when it opens and closes. If one of the cables snaps, the whole door cannot be sustained by a single cable, which will make the garage door touch the ground on one side and the other appear slightly open. The opening can be large enough for small animals to enter.
Paying attention to the garage door’s position when driving in or out of the garage and performing routine garage door maintenance will save you the headache later on.
Trust the Professionals for 24/7 Garage Door Repair
When it comes to garage door off track repair, you might think, “how difficult can it be?” The garage door roller has only come off the track on one side, so it must go back on. Right? Wrong! Garage door repair is complicated when you don’t know what you’re doing because of the door’s intricate workings, not to mention its weight. The springs, cables, and tracks are there because of the garage door’s weight, resulting in you or someone you love to be seriously injured or pinned beneath it if you’re inexperienced with garage door repair.
Leave it to the professional garage door repair technicians at Dodds Doors, who know how to fix a broken spring, replace a torsion cable, and realign the tracks in no time.
If you have a garage door off track that requires repair or replacement, don’t hesitate to call Dodds for 24/7 garage door repair service. Our friendly and professional garage door technicians have the know-how to get your door back in working condition.
Call us today at 1-877-503-6337 to schedule a garage door assessment.