garage door makeover or replacement

Is your home's garage door no longer operating smoothly, with jerky movement whenever you close or open it? If so, you'll want to take steps to fix this problem before it causes damage. Here are some tips to get that garage door moving smoothly once again.

Inspect The Tracks

Start by getting out a ladder and taking a look at what is going on with the tracks. It's possible that you have debris stuck to the tracks that the rollers are going over every time the door moves, causing that jerking motion that you want to stop. You can clean a dirty track by using a wet rag with soapy water on it.

Inspect The Screws

There may be loose screws in the track that are actually sticking up, which make it difficult for the rollers to go over these parts. You can secure these loose screws back in place so that they are not sticking up anymore. The goal should be to have a smooth track with nothing obstructing the path anymore.

Inspect The Rollers

The problem may be with the rollers on the door being damaged. You should inspect each roller for debris that is stuck to it, as well for any cracks on the roller which are a sign that they need replacement. You may need the help of a garage door repair specialist to find the correct replacement part for the rollers and handle the installation of them.

Inspect The Tension Springs

Jerkiness can also be caused by tension springs that are not putting the same amount of pressure on the door. It may take some trial and error, but you can adjust the tension on these springs so that the amount of tension on the door is equal on both sides. Just make sure that the safety cable is properly installed through the middle of the spring before making adjustments, and if not, contact a professional for help since it can be quite dangerous to work on the springs. You can also check the door's springs for potential warning signs that they are about the fail, such as rust that is eating through the metal springs.

If you inspected all of these things on your garage door, you now hopefully have a garage door that rolls up and down very smoothly every time you use it. However, there are more things that can be done to fix the problem if it is still happening. Reach out to a repair specialist for assistance.