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You don’t want your bad day to get worse once you find out your garage door stops halfway from closing or opening.
Then you find yourself trapped inside or stuck outside of your garage, and you don’t know how to address this issue.
Don’t worry. If there’s a problem, there’s always a corresponding solution to it.
Read on to find out the possible reasons why your garage door is stuck and how to fix it.
Safety Precautions before addressing the issue
First, consider safety measures when you want to fix your garage door personally.
Before you do the fixing, make sure to turn off the garage door opener.
Garage doors weigh many pounds, so if you’re not considering safety precautions, you’ll risk yourself to accident, hurting yourself in the process.
Cold Weather
It’s normal when your garage door is stuck during the winter season since ice can build up, especially in the springs.
If the spring is not damaged, try removing the ice with de-icing tools or a small shovel.
Otherwise, a garage door repair from a professional is needed.
Jammed track
The garage door opener manipulates the torsion or extension springs that enable your garage door to do its work.
The springs then lift and push the garage roller door along a track.
Check if there are objects along the track that hinders the movement of the rollers.
Remove them because they might be causing your garage door to be stuck open.
Damaged spring and pulley
Both the pulley and spring are crucial for the movement of your garage door.
If these two are damaged, this might be the reason your garage door is stuck. If you happen to open or close your garage door, it will only open or close halfway.
Also, if you have never replaced your spring and did not check your pulley for a long time, then it’s time to get it replaced or get it checked by a garage door repair technician to fix it for you.
Damaged Cables
If the springs are damaged, then most likely the cable will snap.
Besides, the cable may lead to injuries if you are near a damaged one.
It can also damage your car. Make sure to see a professional if you have cable issues.
Misaligned Track
If the door is off-track, it won’t work properly.
These are some ways to check if your garage door is off-track:
- Make sure the garage door is running smoothly along the track.
- Check if the track has bumps, gaps, or obstructions.
- Observe how your door functions. If you hear any squeaking sound or your door slows down or gets stuck halfway, then there’s a chance that your track is misaligned.
The garage door is locked
Check your garage door if it is locked, especially if yours have a locking system.
Make sure to turn it off and try opening and closing your garage door.
If your garage door is working correctly again, you won’t need to call for a professional.
Needs lubrication
This is a pervasive issue for stuck garage doors.
Make sure to properly lubricate your garage door’s track, opener chain, and springs regularly as part of your maintenance.
Also, use the right lubricant for your garage door.
Sensor issues
Garage doors usually have a photo eye feature that detects a person or an object blocking the door from lowering down to the track.
However, direct sunlight can obstruct the photo-eye sensor.
If this is the reason, cover your sensors with shades to block the sunlight.
Moreover, dust can also clog the photo-eye, which can hinder the laser beam.
A thorough cleaning can solve this issue.
In addition to that, if the cord attached to the photo-eye is damaged probably due to a rainstorm or electricity interruptions, call a professional to check it.
Malfunctioning Remote Control
When you use the remote to open your garage door, and it immediately gets stuck, maybe the remote is the cause.
These are the reasons why your remote is having issues:
- It can be out of range.
- The antenna can be damaged or blocked from the signal. Hang it down from the motor to get a good signal.
- Your battery life has run out.
What to do next
If your garage door is still stuck, then it’s time to call for a garage door repair company to help you.
You might have overlooked some issues which a professional can easily detect.
Call our experts at Vancouver Overhead Doors now at (778) 654 6470 and get your garage door fixed.
