If you notice that your garage door does not seem to be opening and closing properly, and seems like it is a little off track, you may be able to fix it on your own. Here are the first four things you should check and do if your garage door seems like it is off-track.
Clean the Tracks
It is easy to forget about cleaning the tracks of your garage door; however, they should be wiped down at least a couple of times a year. Take a bucket of warm, soapy water and a rag or sponge, and wipe away any dirt or lubricant on the tracks. You can use regular dish soap, hand soap or car washing soap to clean the tracks of your garage door.
After you clean them, be sure to dry off the tracks with a rag. You don't want to leave excess moisture behind. Keep an eye out for any damage.
Fix Any Damage
Next, you need to fix any areas of your garage door tracks that have been damaged. If you see any bumps or dents on your garage door track, you need to try to smooth them out.
You can smooth them out by placing a small, flat wood block on the tracks over the bumps. If the bump extends upwards, hit down on the block in order to get rid of the bump.
If the bump extends downwards, keep the wooden block in place on top of the track and hit the underside of the track with your hammer to get rid of the dent. The wooden block will help keep the metal flat and even as you hammer it out.
Lubricate The Tracks
After you have cleaned the tracks, you are going to want to apply lubricant to the tracks. The cleaning process may have removed necessary lubricants. You should use a spray lubricant.
Spray the track and rollers as well as any other additional moving parts on your garage door.
Tighten Up All Bolts nd Screws
Finally, find all of the bolts and screws along the track and along the opening and closing mechanisms on your door. Use your screwdriver and wrench to tighten up any screws or bolts that have become loose over time.
After completing the four steps listed above, your garage door should be back on track. If it still is off-track, contact a garage door repair professional to come in and diagnose the issue.
