How To Fix an Uneven Up and Over Garage Door

There is nothing worse when looking at your home than a wonky garage door. Up and over garage doors should raise and lower evenly, so why do they become misaligned and what can be done to set it right? Whether you’ve just moved in and have a wonky door or you’ve had your door for a long time and have noticed it sitting unevenly all of sudden, it makes things look untidy if nothing else.

This month at Garage Door People, we’re going to take you through the reasons why your garage door might be tilted, why it needs repairing and how this can be done.

Why does my garage door look crooked?

To understand any problem with your garage door, it’s first essential to get to grips with what has gone wrong. That way, you can be sure you’re applying the right fix when it comes to that part of the process. The most likely reasons for a crooked up and over door include:

Loss of tension in springs – If your up and over garage door is quite old, you might find that the tension gradually starts to go in the springs. This could cause one side to droop more than the other.
Lack of lubrication – The rollers on your garage door help to provide that smooth raising and lowering action, so if one side lacks lubrication, it could cause it to become stiff. If you then force it enough, that side will stick and be put out of line with the other.
Damaged tracks – If the tracks on your garage have been accidentally damaged, they’ll have shifted position. Even a slightly misaligned track can cause your door to tilt to one side slightly.
Frayed cables – Where a cable has started to fray but not actually snapped, you’ll likely start to see a difference in how your door sits when it’s opened. It will probably also become more difficult to open over time.
Operating the door incorrectly – For example, opening and closing the door from the side, or an item being in the way when opening and closing the door, can cause temporary loss of tension on the cables causing them to fall off the drums at the top of the door.
Rotten timbers – This can cause the door to drop on one side, in this event the door will be difficult to open and close fully as the door will catch the frame on opposing top and bottom corners, the extra force required to open the door can cause the cables to fall off the drums, too.

Why is it important to fix an uneven garage door straight away?

For some people, an uneven garage door will annoy them visually, but others may think it’s not that big of a deal. It’s something that can wait to be fixed, right?

Wrong. And here are several reasons why it’s important to have it fixed immediately:

It’s not safe – A wonky door due to a loss of tension in the springs could fall suddenly, putting you and your family in danger.
It could cause more damage – Lifting and lowering a wonky door might cause further, more irreparable damage to tracks and rollers, costing you long term.
It encourages thieves – A gap in a door that sits wonky in the frame is always more tempting to a thief than one presenting a flush, robust barrier.
It only gets worse – If you leave it, it won’t magically rectify itself, in fact the uneven look will become more pronounced.
It could allow rainwater inside – When gaps start to appear, rain will inevitably work its way inside. What good is a garage to protect your items from the elements if the door is broken?

How to fix an uneven up and over garage door

Fixing your wonky up and over garage door all depends on what exactly has gone wrong in the first place. Some things are easy to solve yourself, while others might require the attention of a garage door specialist.

For a door that is sticking due to a lack of lubrication, it should be easy enough to relubricate the components for a smoother, more balanced opening and closing action. Similarly, if your tracks have been dented or shifted slightly, you may be able to nudge or gently tap these back into place if they haven’t been too badly damaged.

If, however, you’ve ruled those issues out and it’s a problem with your springs, we advise that you get a professional in to take care of this. We say this because unless you’ve got experience in fixing garage doors, torsion springs can cause significant damage and injury when tampered with. Similarly, if the frame of your door has shifted by a large margin, you will likely need professional assistance to have it assessed and put right as part of up and over garage door repairs.

Garage door repair service

Having up and over garage door problems? At Garage Door People, we have the experience and tools to help with any garage door type. Whether it’s a struggle to open and close or you can see that the door sits unevenly, our professional team will diagnose the issue and recommend the best course of action as part of our garage door repair service.

Need garage door repairs in Spalding, Horncastle, Boston, Skegness, Lincoln or Grimsby? Then contact our friendly team today and we’ll help you with your up and over garage door.