Other than obvious damage from a car accidentally backing into the garage door or a basketball hitting it one too many times, problems with your door’s components can cause a crooked garage door. Starting from the bottom, the floor or foundation of the garage may settle through the years, leaving an uneven surface. If the door is landing on a slanted floor, its alignment can be thrown off, making it appear crooked.
Time and wear and tear on the garage door’s components can lead to many problems, but one of the most noticeable will be a crooked appearance. Here’s where things can go wrong:
Tracks and Rollers
Both rollers and tracks can wear out from years of use. The tracks may bend or warp and the rollers can break. Damage to either of these components will impact the door’s movement, making it look tilted or uneven when it opens and closes. While damage to these parts is often the culprit for a crooked door, sometimes it’s simply that the track is gummed up, full of debris or improperly greased.
Hinges & Hardware
Hinges hold the garage door sections together allowing the door to move up and down in one solid motion. These and other components can break, knocking the door off balance and causing it to lean or hang crookedly. Our team can replace broken parts, but we may find the repair is as easy as tightening hinges that can loosen over time. Regular maintenance of your garage door, which includes tightening the parts, can prevent further damage.
Cables and Springs
There are cables that, along with the springs, lift your garage door. The cables can stretch and even snap over time, affecting how the door opens and closes and causing it to lean. A snapped cable or broken spring could also cause the door to fall or not work at all, so be sure to call a professional who has the skills and tools to handle this tricky and potentially dangerous repair.
Before
After
Our team will:
- Align or Replace the Tracks: We will carefully loosen the track brackets and adjust the alignment of a bent track or replace the tracks if necessary.
- Lube or Replace Rollers: We will clean the rollers and tracks to remove dirt and debris and then lubricate them. We’ll replace any broken rollers as needed.
- Tighten or Replace Hinges: All of your garage door hinges will be tightened, and broken ones will be replaced to ensure the door sections remain properly aligned.
- Fix or Replace Springs: Garage door springs are under high tension. If we find they are broken or out of balance, our experienced technicians will safely make repairs or replacements.
- Check and Adjust Cables: We will inspect the garage door cables to determine if they are damaged and worn or not evenly tensioned. We will make adjustments or replacements as needed to keep your door functioning properly.
When a garage door is crooked, the pressure on its components, such as rollers, tracks, and springs, becomes uneven. This can cause these parts to wear out more quickly. The misalignment can make the door more challenging to open or close, which could lead to additional strain and premature failure of critical parts.
Misalignment can warp or crack the tracks and force the rollers off-track, increasing the risk of breakage. The damage will make it impossible for the garage door to function properly, leading to jerky or erratic movement. If the door gets stuck or moves unpredictably the chance of falling off its tracks becomes more likely. A sudden drop poses a safety risk to anyone near the door when it malfunctions. Additionally, a crooked door puts stress on the springs and cables, which could snap, causing injury.
Outside of having a door that doesn’t function properly or poses a threat of injury, a crooked door can also allow cold or hot air to seep into and out of the garage through gaps along the edges and bottom seal of the door. Without a proper seal, the temperature inside both the garage and your home can be impacted, leading to higher energy bills. Plus, those gaps can allow dirt, dust, and moisture into your garage.
Finally, a crooked door can be an open invitation for burglars or vandals who see your garage as an easy target. A functioning, properly aligned door adds an extra layer of security for your home and belongings.
While it may seem like a minor issue at first, not fixing a crooked garage door can lead to more significant problems and more expensive repairs. It’s best to address the issue early to prevent further damage, improve safety, and keep your home looking its best.
Call the expert technicians at Overhead Door Company of Portland to assess the problem, offer a solution, and get to work making repairs.
