A crooked garage door could lead to a lot of problems, both immediate and down the road. It doesn’t even have to be that dramatic to cause damage you will have to deal with later. This can include breakage of the garage door springs or tension cables causing physical and property damage as well as your garage door not opening or closing as it should. What could cause the garage door to go crooked and how do you fix a crooked garage door?
One way your garage door could go crooked is the door could be off track or the track could be damaged. Sometimes the vertical track can shift on the wall, causing the track not to be exactly vertical. This changes the length it goes up and down. You also want to make sure the track does not have any bends in it causing the rollers to stick and not roll all the way. If this is the cause, just gently take a pair of pliers and bend the track back in place.
Another reason your garage door is crooked is that a cable has fallen off of the cable drum. Jumped cables can be caused by the door hitting an object or if the door has been lifted too fast manually. The cables themselves can also be a problem. When cables get old, they can fray and snap, leaving your garage door crooked. For a jumped cable, there are several methods to getting the cable back on the drum, but it is usually best to call a professional garage door repair technician as they have the right tools every time and usually get the job done quickly and at an affordable price.
If your track and tension cables are fine, you may want to check your garage door tension springs. One could be wearing out and not holding the load correctly. Springs are designed to create tension that produces counterbalance for the door. A garage door can weigh as much as several hundred pounds depending on your garage door material and when the tension is released, it will cause the full weight to come down. You can replace your garage door springs on your own, but in many cases, we recommend calling a garage door technician if you’re not completely comfortable doing this on your own. The potential damage to life and property is real if safety precautions are not followed or the replacement is done incorrectly.
Worn hinges or garage door material can also cause your garage door to be crooked or get out of alignment. If your garage door panels are connected by hinges, those hinges could come loose. You want to make sure each one is nice and tight. If one is rusted and not in good working order, it is best to replace that hinge.
If your garage door has become crooked, you can call the Houston garage door repair experts at Spectrum Overhead Door LLC at 281-748-9542 or if you live on the east side of Houston call 713-557-3407. Spectrum Overhead Door LLC has been in business since 2006 giving Houston area residents award-winning service without a trip charge. If you have a garage door issue, don’t wait, schedule your appointment today!