When to Stop Ignoring Problems With a Garage Door and Call for Repairs

Your home's garage door can act up or not work perfectly without necessarily needing immediate repairs; older doors may creak or groan as they work against some rust on the chains or tracks, or a door may shut with a bang simply because it doesn't have quality stops to create a smooth movement as the door operates. However, there are some garage door repairs that shouldn't be ignored; if you do put them off, this can mean even more expensive repair bills down the road, and an unsafe door that could cause injury when opened or closed. Note a few of those problems here so you can be sure you have your home's garage door repaired as needed.

1. Slamming shut

As said, older doors may not have quality stops that allow them to slowly move into a closed position, but if you notice that the garage door is suddenly slamming shut, this can be cause for concern. The chain or spring that holds the door can be worn out so that it cannot hold the weight of the door. There are also stoppers in a door that measure the distance it's supposed to move to close, and these can be broken so that the door just keeps closing until it hits the ground. Whatever the case, this can be very dangerous, as there may be little to keep the door from quickly closing while you're still under it, or that will keep the door secure in the opened position.

2. Severe shaking

Thin doors might shake a little bit in the wind, but if the garage door shakes as it opens or closes, this can signal a severe problem. The track to the door may be uneven and the door is struggling to stay on those tracks. If you ignore this problem, the tracks can literally come away from the wall and the door can become crooked so it doesn't work at all. The door can also break the chain or spring holding it, since the tracks help to disperse the door's weight while it moves.

3. Loud whistling when the door is closed

If you hear loud whistling from around the door when it's closed, this also typically means the track has come loose and wind is whistling as it enters the garage from this area. You don't want to ignore this for the same reasons mentioned above; a loose track can come away from the wall completely, and also cause added wear and tear on the spring or chain so that it more easily breaks without warning.