Five Common Signs of Wear and Tear in your Garage Door

Sometimes it starts with an unfamiliar creaking sound. A few months down the line and there is a 'knack' to opening your garage door. You're certain that dent wasn't there before you lent your teenage son the car keys, but he swears blind it was. One frosty morning, you were in a hurry, and you might have used a little more force than was strictly necessary – now the door looks a little… bent. Here are a few notes on 5 common signs of garage door wear and tear and what you should (and shouldn’t) do about it. 

• Strange noises. Squeaks and creaks often indicate a problem with the bearings. Break out the WD40 and give the whole system a liberal spraying. If the noise persists, call in the experts.

• Dents. Don’t just take a lump hammer to it – you’ll likely only make things worse. If you do attempt to bang it out, make sure there is a flat piece of wood clamped to the other side and use a rubber mallet. 

• Slow moving door. It’s frustrating when your automated garage door is opening more slowly than usual. It could be indicative of a number of problems depending on the type of controller. It is probably best to get an engineer to take a thorough look at the whole mechanism. 

• Door won’t close or open fully. Check there is nothing blocking the natural passage of the door. You’d be surprised what can form an obstruction: leaves, bird’s nests, dead squirrels…  

• Stiff lock. If your garage door has a manual lock and the key won’t turn, try lubrication. If you used all your WD40 eliminating strange noises, you can always use pencil graphite. Rub the key all over with a pencil lead and insert into the lock. The graphite should work its way into the system and provide a dry lubricant that will make everything turn more easily.

Our team of experts are fully trained in the maintenance and repair of garage doors. We have years of experience and have seen most types of door control mechanisms. This enables us to provide a quick and effective repair of your garage door. 

To arrange a visit from a member of our repair team, simply call 01603 787069. You can email any questions to sales@autodoorsandgates.co.uk.

What signs of wear and tear is your garage door starting to show? Let us know on Twitter.