Why garage doors break – most common reasons – TDG

Why garage doors break – most common reasons
For an average person, the garage door breakdown almost always comes as a surprise. Your door will work perfectly until it breaks down entirely in a single moment. However, it is not quite that simple. Usually, the break down comes as a consequence of poor maintenance and lack of inspections.

Of course, you cannot expect to prevent every single issue; however, you can prevent many of them. A very simple inspection done by professionals can save you a lot of money and nerves.
Thankfully, we can help you to keep an eye on usual problems. So, these are the most common issues you should consider.
1. The Broken Spring
While you can definitely expect them to last for a long time, the springs can still break. And it always comes as a surprise. It is actually possible for you to make an estimate regarding the time you should replace the spring. In fact, you can usually check it by simply reading the specifications that manufacturers provide. Get a garage door repair company to fix it ASAP. The rating in the specifications is usually based on the number of cycles it can handle. So, if your rating is ten thousand cycles, you should make sure to replace it before then. To be clear, one cycle equals one opening and closing of the door. So, if you use your garage 4 times a day, you have around 7 years before you need to replace the door spring.
2. Sensor problems
Another thing you will quickly notice if it happens is an issue with the sensor. The usual symptom consists of your garage door reversing almost instantly. This usually means that there is an alignment problem with the sensors. These sensors are a safety feature and a very important one at it. After all, you don’t want your door slamming down on you. However, if they do not align or even if they are dirty, the door will reverse immediately.
3. Cable issues
This is one issue that you can prevent rather easily. Essentially, the garage door cables help operate the door. They are attached to the spring and they are what pulls the door up. However, they tend to fray over time. This can lead to them snapping, which is definitely not a good thing. If you want to avoid this problem, simply inspect them every now and then, and do not wait until the last moment to replace them.
4. Door off track
This is a very common issue that is extremely easy to diagnose. Usually, the door can come off track after sustaining a powerful impact. If this happens, you will probably not be capable of operating the door. So, just make sure to check for damage if you ever drove into the door with your car.
In the end
You might think that delaying the maintenance or the inspection will save you money. However, this is rarely true. So make sure to schedule an inspection at least once a year to avoid any issues.