How to Repair a Garage Door
There are two parts into which a garage door can be divided. These are the opener and the door. The problem of the improper functioning of the garage door can be because of either of the two things. However, there are ways by which these problems can be easily tackled.
Whether it is an overhead garage door, hung up in one piece or moving up in sections, the main thing behind its functioning is spring tension. The door shifts on the garage walls, metal tracks and power is provided by a heavy spring. Most of the times, when a garage door does not work properly, the repairs are simple. An individual should first seek the metal tracks in the garage and the mounting brackets, which grip the tracks with walls. In case, they are loosely fit, the screws and bolts on the brackets should be tightened. The tracks should properly be checked for any kind of dents, flat spots or crimps. If any damages are found, strike them hard with a scrap of wood block and a hammer or a rubber mallet. Still if the damage on the tracks is more, a replacement can be done.
The tracks should be checked if they are correctly aligned. The slats that are horizontal should be slanting a bit downwards at the back of the garage. In the track of roll-up doors, its vertical section should be perpendicular. The height of both the tracks on the garage walls should be the same. In case the tracks are not aligned correctly, instead of removing the bolts or screws, they should only be loosened and the tracks should carefully be tapped into position. The level of the tracks should again be verified to be correct, the bolts or screws at the mounting brackets should then be tightened. The tracks should be cleaned with concentrated household cleaner that removes tough grease and dirt. The rollers should thoroughly be cleaned, and the rollers and tracks should then be wiped dry.
Garage door lubricant spray, silicon spray, household oil or graphite powder should then be employed to lubricate both the rollers and the tracks. The pulleys should also be lubricated.
Hardware should be checked and tightened if loose. The spring, plates and screws of swing-up doors should be tightened. For a roll-up door, points that hold together the different sections of the door should be tightened and any damages on the hinges should be fixed. Drooping of the door towards one side can be put in the right order by repairing the hinges. When a screw hole has augmented, the screw should be replaced with a new screw that has a greater diameter. A hollow fiber plug should then be employed along with carpenter’s glue when the new screw is fixed. In case the wood develops a crack at the hinge, the hinge should be removed, and the cracks and screw holes should then be filled with wood filler. The filler should then be allowed to dry. Try to move the hinge on the solid wood, if possible.