The garage door is often the largest moving object in your home. It goes up and down countless times each day. But when it doesn’t function as planned, frustrations arise. You need the door to operate properly so you can leave your home and to ensure that your valuables are safe-guarded while you are away. If your garage door alignment is off, the door won’t open and close smoothly. Here are some quick fixes to ensure your door works properly so you can resume your normal activities safely.
How Does a Garage Door Work?
The door rolls open and shut on a set of two-sided horizontal tracks on each side of the garage opening. When the tracks are completely aligned, your garage door should open and close successfully. The tracks can become unaligned for a variety of reasons, including:
- An impact
- Hardware loosening over time
- Photo eye (the invisible beam on either side of the garage opening) becoming unaligned
When any of these occur, the door may stop working altogether, create a bind (where the garage door is difficult to open and close), rub against the stop molding, or create a large gap at the stop molding. If you notice any of these problems, there is good news. They are repairable, and you may even be able to realign your garage doors yourself with a little tutoring.
DIY Techniques to Fix Garage Door Alignment
Fixing the alignment on the garage opening is probably easier than you think. Follow these simple steps to ensure the job is done right. If your problem appears to be that the:
- Door is Binding
Use a screwdriver to loosen the screws that hold the tracks to the door frame. Align the track with a rubber mallet so it is perfectly vertical. Retighten the screws and complete on the other side. - Door is Rubbing or Has a Gap
Loosen the bolts on both sides of the track. Move the track on both sides of the garage opening to create a quarter-inch gap between the door and molding. Tighten the track bolts nicely.
Following the above steps should leave your garage door in alignment; opening and closing without rubbing or creating a gap. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the experts at Ponderosa Garage Doors. We are happy to provide free inspections and estimates, and can ensure your garage door is in perfect working order. Give us a call at (866) 625-9606.