Home garage doors are often under more stress than their owners, and that’s saying something in today’s modern world, especially when you’ve wasted most of your day trying to work out why it’s making that weird noise again when you’re supposed to be working from home.

If you’ve garage door problems, I feel bad for you, son. There are 99 problems, but the floor isn’t one. In which case, we’ll start easy with nine common garage door issues and how to solve them.

1. Chopping Noise When Opening or Closing

A garage opener may need a new belt, or it may need lubrication. The device has a belt that is in charge of turning the gears. These gears are responsible for lifting and lowering the door.

Lubricate the tracks using a silicone spray for aluminum tracks and grease for steel tracks with a gear lubricant, such as 3-in-1 oil. If your garage door opener uses steel cables, you should lubricate the cable sheaves. If your belt has worn out, replace it.

2. Noisy Operation

A noisy garage door is usually caused by the torsion spring(s) because they have become fatigued and lose their tension. To determine if this is the case, disconnect the torsion spring(s) from the shaft(s).

If there is no noise, your problem is most likely a worn-out torsion spring. In this case, lubricate the torsion springs to prevent future stretching of damaged springs.

Loose mounting brackets or broken mounting bolts may cause squeaking. Loose door hinges can also contribute to the issue. Set loose brackets aside and tighten any missing mounting bolts. In most cases, whatever the noise,

The best long-term solution is to replace the springs with DIY Garage Door Parts torsion springs in your garage door to prevent any further damage from occurring. Doing this will ensure that you do not have to worry about replacing these parts later on when further garage door issues arise.

3. Wobbly Door

The garage door is likely to wobble once it is off the tracks. If your door has been off the tracks for a while, you may notice that it does not close in a smooth manner.

Check to see if the garage door aligns and be sure to tighten the track bolts. If the problem persists, you may have a warped door or misalignment between the section at the join.

In this case, you’re best hiring a professional for garage door repairs like this as they have the correct equipment and experience to make sure your garage door lines up in such a way that it won’t cause further damage to the entire system.

4. Won’t Open All The Way

The garage door may need lubrication in the spring and tracking mechanisms. These are the most common tasks people should consider when they have a garage door that needs repair.

If that doesn’t work, check for obstructions near your garage door. Failing that, sometimes moving the opener’s wall control closer to the garage will help change the frequency with which you get false alarms from an intermittent signal.

5. Difficult to Open Manually

If the garage door is hard to open, check to see if the springs for your door and opener system are operating as they should be. That may be because of a malfunction or because the springs have lost their tension. If you’ve had a recent accident, the door could be damaged as well.

In this case, you should consider replacing the springs to avoid future accidents and ensure that your garage door operates smoothly and safely. You may need a new cable, which is replaceable for a relatively low cost.

6. Hard to Close

If your garage door is difficult to close, the result is very similar to the above. Check whether the door is hitting a bent track or an object near it.

Also, check whether your torsion springs have lost their tension. If it’s a sudden occurrence, the chance is it isn’t a part that’s gone, but there might be something trapped between the door and the structural wall of the garage.

7. Remote Signal Cuts Out

Check to see if a wire has frayed or split, or see if your garage door opener’s internal lights turn on by a sensor on the opener instead of the remote control. If you use a wireless garage door remote, try to think of how it is mounted and positioned, or if it needs reprogramming.

If the receiver is mounted where there is interference from other objects, such as an attic access door, it may need to move closer to your garage door.

8. Door Won’t Lock

Make sure that you have given your garage door enough time to close before attempting to lock it. Check whether your garage door is bumping into something in its attempt to close. Also, if using a physical lock and key, make sure the key isn’t damaged or that you don’t have a broken barrel.

9. Door Won’t Unlock

Similar to above, check the key and barrel first. Then, inspect the door for any warping as it might be that the door is misaligned, which forces the lock to feel much stiffer than before. You may need to apply some pressure to the door to allow the barrel to turn once the key goes in.

Hire a Pro to Fix Your Garage Door Problems

Fixing a garage door can be done with these quick-fix solutions. But, that doesn’t mean they’re going to be a long-term solution. Chances are, you’ll find hiring a professional for your garage door problems works out much cheaper in the long run, as you’ll prolong the life of your door to the point you won’t need to buy a new door for a long time.

Keep reading for more top tips on keeping your door secure!