4 Reasons Your Overhead Garage Door Has Come Off Its Track

A fully-functional garage door is something many people take for granted. However, if the door experiences a mechanical fault, it may render your garage space unusable. One problem that commonly occurs is the garage door coming off its tracks. When this happens, the door can come crashing down. This problem can be both dangerous and inconvenient. Thus, it's paramount to ascertain the cause and fix it immediately. Below are four reasons your overhead garage door has come off its tracks.

Impact From a Heavy Object

Have you recently hit your garage door with a car of heavy machinery? When in a hurry to leave your house, you may accidentally hit the lower panels of the door. This can also happen when backing into the driveway with the door closed. The heavy impact from a car or heavy machinery causes some rollers to come off the tracks. Thus, the door may fail to open or close properly. You can fix this problem by repairing the affected panels and rollers.

Old or Worn Door Springs

Garage doors have springs that facilitate the up and down motion when you operate the door. These springs are made of metal, and they can rust over time. Failure to lubricate the door increases friction, which leads to premature wear on the springs. If you try to operate the door with broken springs, one side will carry a heavier load. The weight of the door causes the rollers to come off the track. If the springs on both sides break, the door may crash. Avoid operating the door when a spring is broken as it may present safety hazards.

Worn Rollers

Rollers are the wheels that run along the tracks on the side of the door. They allow the door to move up and down quietly. Worn rollers not only produce a lot of noise while in operation, but they can also fall off the track. Each roller has a radius that allows it to stay on the track. A roller with a worn thread may pop out of the track. Multiple worn rollers will cause the door to fall off the track and put pressure on the opener. Replace worn rollers with quality, heavy-duty ones. 

Loose Door Hardware

A garage door has various nuts, bolts, cables, hinges, and other hardware pieces that help with the operation. If these parts become loose or worn, they can stress components such as the springs and affect the door's overall performance. Over time, the affected parts may knock the door off its tracks. This problem is easily preventable with regular door maintenance. However, if the damage is already done, you need immediate repairs.

Contact a garage door contractor for door repairs.

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