After reading our latest blog post on tips for residential garage door repairs, you’ll learn:

  • Some DIY tips for making simple repairs on your home’s garage door
  • When you need to call professionals for help with your garage door spring repair or other services

While hiring a professional is always a solid bet to get your garage door fixed quickly and, most importantly, safely, there are some rudimentary assessments and repairs you may be able to make on your own. So, if you’re handy, make sure to review our tips below!

Consult the User Manual

People often dismiss the user manual as some book of nerdery when it’s full of essential information for your garage door. Your specific door model may have common issues, and the user manual may give you detailed troubleshooting steps to resolve them. As each user manual is written for the model they’re attached to, your first step in any DIY repair should be to consult it. If you’ve accidentally tossed yours away, you can usually find a PDF copy online through a Google search.

Detach the Power Supply

Unlike the doors that litter hallways and building interiors, your garage door needs electricity to function properly. The power supply is a common source of garage door malfunctions – especially if the garage door isn’t operating at all.

However, the presence of electricity can also make repairs tricky. Before examining, assessing, or reviewing potential areas of concern with your garage door, you should take necessary precautions and detach the power supply. This can prevent a nasty electric shock as you poke and prod.

Diagnose the Problem

With the power supply detached and the user manual in hand, you can now diagnose the problem. All garage doors have electrical and manual components that should work in harmony. The user manual should demonstrate how those components work together, making it easier to see if the issue you’re facing is electrical or mechanical. Mechanical issues are usually solved by replacing a damaged part. If an electrical part is damaged, you may be able to receive a replacement via your warranty.

Replace the Damaged Parts

Once you’ve identified the damaged part of your garage door, it’s usually just a matter of replacing it to resolve the problem. Again, your user manual should list specific part numbers so you can order a replacement online or at your local hardware store. The manual should also give some basic steps on safely and effectively removing the defective part and installing the new one.

Run a Test

After replacing any damaged parts, you can re-attach the power supply and try running your garage door again. If it works, you’ve successfully fixed the problem. If the door still isn’t working, you can try to repeat the steps listed above or call professionals to examine your door. They’ll likely be more experienced at assessing the underlying issue and providing quick, effective solutions. They can also let you know if it’s simply time to get a new garage door.

Overhead Door Company of Portland

At Overhead Door Company of Portland, we have a team of expert garage door technicians that can examine your garage door and resolve the underlying issue. We offer everything from spring to panel to garage door opener repair services so that you can get back to use your garage door just like you always have. We even provide 24/7 emergency services to commercial spaces.

Set up an appointment with one of our technicians today by calling 503-252-5111.

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