Let’s be clear at the start: If you’re dealing with an off-track garage door, it’s important for you to use caution, as well as stay away from the door. In addition:
- Don’t try to operate it.
- Don’t try to move it.
- Don’t try to fix it.
A door that’s off its tracks is extremely dangerous! Not only can extensive property damage occur, but there is definite risk of serious injury to you or a family member.
What causes an off-track garage door?
#1: You backed into the door with your car.
The most common case of a door coming off its tracks is due to human error. Late for work or in too much of a hurry, you forget to open the door with the remote, and instead of backing into the street … you back straight into the door. Oops! We have also seen homeowners driving into the garage while the door was still closed.
When hit by a vehicle, a garage door most often suffers damage to not only its panels, but also the whole door system. What usually happens is that a couple rollers are knocked off the tracks, leaving the door hanging from its lift cables or even more precariously, its springs.
#2: Poor Installation
The second most common case is linked to poor installation. If the tracks were not properly aligned when installed, they may become loose, causing the brackets to wobble at the slightest vibrations when opening and closing the door. Eventually, the tracks themselves can come off the wall, potentially causing the door to fall. In addition to the tracks, the door’s hinges, which connect the panels together should be checked.
#3. Broken cables
The cables are located on each side of the door. Each cable winds around grooves in a drum, with the drum attached to a steel shaft holding a torsion spring, which work in tandem to hold the weight (150 plus pounds) of the door as it opens and closes.
All the weight of the door will transfer to one side when a cable breaks. This is a problem because one side cannot support the full weight of the door. If one of the cables broke, you may notice an unbalanced door, in which one side is closed while the other is suspended in the air.
Go Ahead! Give Us a Call Today!
Have an off-track garage door? The safest thing you can do is to turn off power to your garage door opener, so that no one inadvertently tries to operate it. Next, give Sun Devil Garage Door a call at (480) 838-9397 to schedule an appointment to have one of our expert specialists come out to your home, ensuring every component of your garage door is back in proper working order.
Do not attempt to repair the door or opener by yourself.
