Quick Fixes for Common Issues with Garage Doors

Certain garage door problems require the intervention of a specialist. If you come home from work to find your door hanging askew on its hinges, you may want to call a professional to take a look at the problem before you break out your toolbox. But most common garage door problems can be solved in a matter of minutes with a little bit of light troubleshooting. If you can learn to fix the following problems yourself, you’ll save yourself a lot of time, money, and frustration.

Garage Door Will Not Open or Close

A garage door becomes a garage wall when it won’t open, and it turns your garage into a carport when it won’t close. There are several things that can cause a door to stick, so tackle the troubleshooting in a logical, orderly fashion until you identify the problem

• Check your remote opener batteries and also make sure there is nothing blocking the safety sensors
• Look for anything in the tracks preventing the door from traveling smoothly
• Clean any gunky lubricant slowing the door’s progress

If the lubricant turned out to be the problem, consider looking for a different brand that can hold up against a variety of weather conditions.

Garage Door Won’t Open and Close Evenly

Most home owners that have garage doors utilizing extension or stretch style springs have faced this problem at least once. You try to open or close the door, and it’s like trying to close a difficult set of blinds. First one side drops and then the other. This can be frustrating, but there are some factors you can check before calling a repairman. First, make sure there aren’t any obstructions in the way by cleaning off your tracks. If that doesn’t work, try the following steps:

• Check spring quality – they should all be of equal length and flexibility
• Identify your sticking points – check those points for visible damage
• Check garage door cables – look for frying, breakage and signs of wear

Relentlessly Noisy Garage Door

You don’t want to wake up your neighbors with a squealing garage door, and noisy operation can be symptomatic of a serious problem. More often than not, however, it merely signifies the need for additional lubrication. Oil your tracks with proper lube to put an end to the screeching. If you already keep up with that aspect of maintenance, clean off your tracks to make sure debris in the oil isn’t the source of the noise. One important note: use only oils specifically made for garage doors or general-purpose lubricants like JB80 or one of our specialty lubes. Using heavy weight grease or machine oils can slow your door down and cause more problems.

Remote Control No Longer Works

If you can’t get your remote control to open the door, your first order of business should be to replace the batteries. Brand names and generics are interchangeable in many areas of life, but reputable, brand-name batteries are typically superior to generics. If those are not the source of the problem, check the following:

• Battery contacts – make sure your battery contacts aren’t too dirty to establish a connection.
• Reprogram the remote – directions to reprogram your remote to your garage door opener can be found on the manufactures webpage.
• Do a reset – take the batteries out of your remote and unplug your garage door opener, for about a minute each, to initiate a full reset. Often, this is all it takes to get a garage door remote control working again.

If you are uncomfortable with performing any of these repairs or maintenance items please call a garage door technician.

How to Update Your Garage Door’s Look

When looking for ways to enhance the curb appeal of their home, people often overlook one component that can make a dramatic difference: the garage door. Regardless of the size of your garage door, it has a major impact on the outward appearance of your home. Replacing it entirely is expensive, but there are ways to update and upgrade it to make it look fresh and new. We've rounded up five of the best options for updating your garage door’s look:

Repaint It: Repainting your garage door will have a very positive impact on the overall appearance of your home. Simply giving it a fresh coat of the same color paint can work wonders. If you're really looking to mix things up, you should consider trying an entirely different color. For an even more dramatic look, switch to a two-tone design. It's easy to find complementary shades that look great on garage doors. Always use exterior paint that works with whatever material your garage door is made out of, and remember to wash, sand and prime the door first to ensure that the new paint looks as vibrant and stylish as possible.

Add a Trellis Topper: This isn't something you see every day, but some especially handy homeowners have taken to mounting beautiful trellises just above their garage doors. If you have a green thumb, you may even be able to convince some climbing plants to grow up there too. There aren't kits available for this kind of thing, so you'll have to come up with a design yourself. It's a fun DIY project that really refreshes the style of your home.

Add Windows: If your garage door is made out of easy-to-remove panels, you're in luck. You can easily add new windows to the door to liven up its appearance. There are kits available to help and they include everything you need. In terms of style, you can take your pick from windows made out of translucent glass, plexiglass, plain glass and other materials. Some styles include texturing, inlays and other eye-catching features, so the sky is really the limit.

Try a Garage Door Poster: Like most people, you've probably never seen a garage door poster in action. That doesn't mean they don't work or aren't worthwhile options to consider. Garage door posters are kind of like wallpaper for your garage door. Many styles, colors and patterns are available when it comes to these weather-resistant posters, which are typically sold in kits that have everything you need to mount them.

Install New Hardware: Transform your basic garage door into one that looks downright fancy with new garage door hardware. Your local home improvement store should carry hardware kits that are specifically designed for garage doors. They're often called decorative garage door hardware kits, and many styles are available. At the very most, you'll have to drill a few small holes. From there, just screw in the hardware, and you'll be all set!

Whether you try one or several of these suggestions, you're sure to love the way your garage door and home look when you're done!