If your garage door opener stopped working or if the door appears uneven, it may be because your garage door is out of balance. If one side of the garage door is lower than the other, your door may open or close more quickly than expected. People will also notice the gaps below the door that may pose safety threats to others in the vicinity. Fortunately, a garage door professional can use the following steps to level your garage door and get it balanced again. Read on to learn more.

Take Safety Measures

Before the professional starts any work on the door, they will take all possible safety precautions. The professional will first turn off the power before they touch the door’s wiring. This can be done at the power source or at the operator. The installer also uses a firm and stable ladder.

Test the Door

The next step is to know what is interfering with your garage door’s balance. For this, the professional will close the garage door, detach the garage door opener from the garage door opener and push the door up and down. An unbalanced garage door will not balance halfway open without assistance. The door may also move faster in some places and slower in others. The garage door should move freely enough to be operated with one hand and not speed up towards the top or slam when closing. A perfectly balanced garage door will balance in the halfway open position on its own when disconnected from the garage door opener.

Check the Door Cables

Garage door issues often are due to problems with the door cables. Frequent use of your garage door causes the cables to wear and tear, leading to sagging and slipping of the cables from the cable drum. That’s why the garage door professional will determine the condition of the cables on your door.

If the cables show signs of damage or rust, the professional will replace them.

Adjust Cable Drums

If the cable looks loose or the garage door looks uneven, you will need to call a garage door professional. The tension that the springs put on the cables may need to be adjusted since one side can sag lower than the other- causing the door to look uneven or even come off the tracks entirely. Garage door professionals have special tools that cost thousands of dollars specifically designed to wind the garage door springs that put the torque on the shaft and cables. Garage door springs and cables are under an extreme amount of tension that must be handled carefully to avoid injury.

The garage door is the largest moving object on most homes, and without the cables and springs, the garage door will not open and it will slam shut potentially causing damage, injury, and even death.

Adjust the Spring Tension

Sometimes, the problem might be due to a malfunctioning torsion spring.

Weather-Strip the Doors

The weather-seal mounted to the bottom of your garage door will deteriorate over time. The concrete acts as sandpaper every time your garage door closes, especially if it slams closed or gets a lot of usage. The outer edges by the corners of the garage usually disintegrate first. While this doesn’t typically affect the function of the garage door, it may give the garage door an uneven appearance if one side is missing. If you have gaps at the corners of your garage door the professional can weather-strip your garage doors to keep out debris, insects, and elements. New weather-seal provides a softer close compared to the old weather-seal rubber that hardens over time. Weather-stripping also seals light from getting in and can help with energy saving as well. There are many weather-stripping types, but the most common is a roll that the specialists will cut into the right size and install using nails or screws. A universal weather-seal is also available on our trucks.

Consult the Experts

Issues with your garage doors should be left to the professionals. At Plano Overhead Garage Door, we have the necessary tools and expertise to repair an uneven garage door. Or if you need to replace your garage door, our experts can help you find a convenient solution. Contact us today.

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