Isn’t it frustrating when your garage doors aren’t opening correctly? You might need to get your car or take something from inside the garage, but then you couldn’t get in because the garage door is stuck or even not opening.

Or worse, you could get trapped inside your garage if the doors aren’t budging.

Not to mention that if the doors get jammed and won’t close properly, your car and equipment would be at the mercy of environmental conditions and burglars.

With those things in mind, many things can cause the garage door to get stuck, but one of the most obvious things to look for is the door tracks.

Here are some tips to help you identify the issue and get the necessary help to fix it.

Garage Door Tracks

Door tracks play an essential part in holding up the mechanism of your garage door.

In fact, they do hold up overhead garage doors.

These tracks are alloy or metal frames that line the side of overhead garage doors.

Those frames support the garage doors and provide a path for moving the doors over and down.

That’s why a small misalignment or a crook can get your door jammed.

Loose Screws

The tracks are secured to the jamb and ceiling by the screws or bolts.

Loose bolts and screws result in the track slipping and going out of alignment.

The immediate solution is to tighten these components, but make sure the tracks are correctly aligned first.

Track Misalignment

A track out of alignment can jam your door or leave it hanging on one side. In this case, the tracks just need readjustment to align them again.

Bent Tracks

The gradual damage from daily use can catch up to the metals and cause them to bend.

A mishap can also accidentally dent the tracks. You’ll eventually encounter this issue with garage doors and when you do, call a trusted garage door repair company to get it fixed.

Track Adjustment

Depending on your garage door build and model, you can do the track adjustments yourself and save on labor payments. Here’s what you’ll need:

Safety Tips

Before you repair your garage tracks, make sure that you are wearing the proper protective equipment.

The garage door mechanism comprises heavy metal components and tense springs, so any accident is prone to happen.

Hence, make sure to protect yourself with the right clothing to prevent or minimize injuries.

It is also recommended that your garage door is down to prevent anything from falling and make your job easier in aligning the door itself.

Simple Cleaning

Your tracks might be so dirty that the rollers have a hard time moving on it.

Scrub it down with a damp cloth or old toothbrush.

Once the tracks are clean, try to see if your garage door is moving properly now.

Adjusting Garage Door Track to the Rollers

The issue might be that the track is too close to the door, preventing free movements of the roller.

To adjust the tracks, bring the door down.

Only adjust the tracks one at a time and loosen the lag bolts or metal clips to move the track forward, backward, or side to side until the track is completely aligned to the door.

Additionally, ensure the track is tightened and secured.

The distance between the door’s edge and the track should be between 1/2″ to 3/4″ to allow the rollers’ movement.

Adjusting Garage Door Overhead Track

At the end of the door tracks, you’ll find angled metals with holes that hold it in place.

These metal angles are attached to your garage’s ceiling.

The vertical angle needs to be moved to adjust the track.

Using wrenches, remove the bolts from the angles and move it over the holes until you get the desired distance.

Then, re-tighten and repeat to the other track.

When you’re done, carefully and slowly move the door up to see if the adjustment worked.

Call For Aid From Technicians

If your adjustments didn’t work or find yourself unable to do so, it might be better to call technicians to make the adjustments for you.

It’s not just the tracks that may need to be adjusted, but also the springs, which might be risky to mess with without the right equipment.

If all else fails, call our experts at Vancouver Overhead Doors now at (778) 654 6470 and get your garage door fixed.

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