There are several reasons that your garage door could malfunction. Perhaps it is frozen due to the frigid winter temperatures. Or maybe it has a broken lock or is sagging in areas. It is possible that your power went out and you are in need of getting your vehicle out of your garage. Whatever the cause may be for a needed repair, we have some tips that can help you in your quest.
Sagging garage door
If you have an older door that has seen better days, it may begin to sag. This happens for many reasons and can be quite a pain. It could cause your door to have trouble opening or it could not open at all. If you are experiencing this type of problem, you can place tension rods diagonally across your door frame. Install them in the corners of your door and tighten them with a turnbuckle. This will cause the door to be sturdy and straight enough to open. If this does not work, you will need to call in a repairman. While not ideal, this solution can help you get through until you can afford to replace your door.
Power outage
Sometimes the power will go out due to a storm that blows through or perhaps your area is having an outage. If you experience a power outage and need to retrieve your car or other items from the garage, here are some helpful tips to doing so. Look at the garage door opener mechanism. There should be a cord hanging down that is most likely red. If you pull down on the cord, it should manually override the garage door opener and allow you to open it manually. This quick fix is easy and will cost you nothing. If you are unsuccessful, you may need to call in a professional.
Locking the door
Sometimes a lock can become frozen due to cold weather or swollen due to heat. Sometimes pouring hot water on a lock that is frozen will dislodge the ice particles that are in the lock allowing for a key to be inserted and turned. If your lock is swollen however, this could be tricky to remedy. If your door is not locking, be sure to check the locking mechanism from the inside of the door and make sure that the bars are on track. Sometimes the bars shift which cause the lock not to work properly. Once they are in alignment again, the lock should work fine.
While these tips are simple and budget friendly, there may notice the signs that your garage door needs professional help, and then you are in need of calling a professionals such as the Garage Door Medics. Some telling signs that you need to contact a professional would be if you notice structural damage, your foundation has shifted, black mold on the walls, or walls seem to be crumbling. If you notice any types of structural damage or weak points, it is best to call for help right away so that the problem does not persist.
