Picture this: you have a jam-packed day ahead. You carefully plan out every single minute of the day ahead of time because you just can’t be late for any of your appointments today. You have everything you need packed and ready to go in the trunk of your car, but as you’re just getting ready to drive off into your big day, you are slapped with a chilling discovery: the garage door is stuck and won’t budge open.
Nobody wants to be in a situation like this, and yet many homeowners wait until it’s too late before calling a garage door repair professional, even though the door has been showing signs of wear and tear months before it actually gives out.
In this article, we’ll list down the most common signs that you need a Kansas City garage door repair professional to check out your door for possible upgrading or repair work.
1. Slowing Response
Long before your garage door gets horribly stuck beyond repair, it will first exhibit a slower-than-usual response time. Once you feel like the door is no longer opening or closing as fast as it was when it was brand new, a professional checkup might be in order. With any luck, it may be fixed by a little oil on the rollers or hinges, but if your garage door has gone without any upgrades for the last five years, you might be in for a lot more work.
2. The Door’s Making Weird Noises
A garage door in mint condition will not be completely silent, but it also won’t make a lot of loud, squeaky noises when it opens and closes. A good rule of thumb when deciding whether or not to call a professional is if the door is making noises you can’t stand — this means it’s not how the door has always sounded. Think of it as your garage door’s very own plea for help. If you ignore it, you’ll pay for it in heaps and bounds later on.
3. Uncharacteristic Shakiness
Another thing you have to watch out for is excessive movement or vibration when you roll the garage door up or down. Be observant whether the door has been shaking more than usual. This might be a result of loose screws or even rusting — a professional garage door repairman would know.
4. The Door Has Gone Off-Track
Your garage door has to be properly aligned with the tracks that are installed on the sides of your doorframe. If it’s not aligned, then expect your garage door to give you a lot of troubles and late mornings. It shouldn’t be too hard to realign the tracks, but if you’re not sure how to do it, a professional repair company would be happy to do this for you
5. Worn Out or Sagging Sections
If you want to avoid prematurely calling a professional before you’re sure that your garage door actually needs repairing, there’s a very simple diagnostic test you can run. Manually roll down the garage door and let it hang about halfway to the floor. The door should stay leveled without either side sagging or lowering all the way. If it does, then that’s as clear a sign as any that you need to call in for repairs.
6. Skyrocketing Power Bills
An unpleasant side effect of a having a broken garage door is that it might not be able to block out unwelcome elements like chilly drafts in the winter or hot air in the summer, causing your power consumption to skyrocket due to the air leakage that puts a strain on your AC/heating systems.
A higher-than-usual power bill should prompt you to check your vents, doors, and windows if there are any unsealed gaps that might be causing air to leak. If everything else seems to be in order, then your garage door could be the culprit.
7. You’re Selling The House
If you’re looking to sell your house anytime soon, know that an old, rickety garage door could easily cut down your asking price to below desirable levels. As you make repairs and upgrades around the house in preparation for the big sale, don’t forget to show the garage (and the corresponding garage doors) some love.
It shouldn’t be too difficult to avoid the terrifying scenario we contemplated at the start of this article. Just be a little more mindful about what your garage door could be telling you — before it becomes too late.
