Have you noticed lately that your garage door is a bit uneven? Today, we'll share how you can level it and take it back to the early days when it looked perfect.
You like this look? This garage door is a Standard+ Classic XL, 9' x 7', American Walnut, Clear windows.
When you look at your home face on, the garage is a large amount of the visual. However, the entire home can look a bit less appealing if the garage door isn't evenly leveled. If this occurs, you'll see a gap between the floor and the door.
Have you noticed that when you close the garage door, there's still a small gap? That's not a good thing. Even an opening of less than an inch can let in leaves, dirt, water, and other items. Insects and rodents can also get in through the gap and riffle through your belongings.
Reasons a Garage Door Might Not Be Level
You like this look? This garage door is a Standard+ Vog, 9' x 7', Black, window layout: Left-side Harmony.
The first question you might have when you notice an uneven door is, "why does the door seem to have a crooked closing?" If this is the case, you need to level it, but it's also essential to know what is causing the problem. Once you know what the issue is, you can more easily troubleshoot things.
What typically causes a garage door to be unlevel?
The simple answer is that an unlevel garage door is based on the torsion springs. Lots of garage doors have a set of springs overhead; these are called torsion springs. Other entries might have springs on the side instead. Each sort of spring is made using metal and is designed to properly open and close the door.
Whether you're opening the door or closing it, the springs will unwind or wind up to pull the garage door across its tracks. If you have a spring that is damaged, the door might open, but it will do so much more slowly than it normally would.
So why does the track need to be level? When you leave the door in an unlevel position, it can cause additional problems that are harder and more expensive to rectify.
When you compare an extension spring to a torsion spring, the former can only hold a specific amount of weight. Once you go over that amount, the door may become unlevel. If you don't handle the problem, the door may eventually refuse to open or close.
Waiting for things to get worse isn't the best option. When the problem is more severe, fewer solutions exist to fix it. Sometimes, you may need to install an entirely new garage door, which can be expensive and require a lot more time.
Easy Steps to Check the Balance of a Garage Door
You like this look? This garage door is a Princeton P-21, 18’ x 7', Chocolate Walnut door with Ice White overlays, 4 vertical lite Panoramic windows.
Now that you know the extension springs can cause the door to stop being level, you're likely wondering how to fix it. However, if you are ready to make the door level again, the process is less challenging than you might think.
Don't have the time and tools to handle the process on your own? That's okay! You can hire a garage door expert to level your door for you.
After gathering basic tools, the next step is to check the balance on your garage door. Making the right adjustment will be nearly impossible if you aren't sure in which direction the door is currently out of balance.
Disconnect your garage door from the garage door opener to start. This will indicate the way the door hangs when nothing else is attached to it.
At this point, bring the door up and down many times and watch to see if anything prevents it from moving in the track. If there is a problem at this point, handle that before moving on.
Assuming the door is running smoothly, pull it up but only halfway. Let it stop and see what happens. It could come down, continue up, or stay where you place it.
A door that quickly moves up is likely to be unbalanced. If the door has springs with bad tension, the door may plummet toward the ground. Whether the door is over or underbalanced, it can be resolved. It involves moving the springs in a specific direction.
What to Do with a Misaligned Garage Door
To work well through the years, garage doors must be maintained properly. Image: Pixabay
Once you've done the testing, repairing is your next step.
● Cut the power
Safety is important when working with a garage door, so you want to turn off the power at the fuse box. If you fail to do so, this can cause issues like a power outage or even an electrical shock.
● Inspect the cables
Inspect the cables on the garage door to check their condition. If they seem overly worn, they should be replaced. The same applies if the cables have a large amount of rust present.
● Bring in an expert
If the door needs additional adjustments to level, an expert in your neighborhood can help. They'll know what to do and how to handle the process safely.
Creating a Well-Sealed Garage Door
Don’t wait until it's too late to take care of your garage door! Image: Pixabay
While it's not true that weatherstripping causes or affects uneven doors, it's still something to pay attention to. Entries with a tight seal can better keep out air, dirt, water, and animals.
So if you have a garage door that is level, but light is still coming in from the edges of the door, it could be time to replace the weatherstripping.
If the weatherstripping is damaged or nonexistent, you should install more. It is sold in a roll and can be easily cut to size using a utility knife. The actual weatherstripping can be installed using galvanized screws or nails.
You want the best possible seal, so make sure on the door side that the weatherstripping pushes into the door.
If you want to avoid issues like unlevel doors and damaged weatherstripping, maintenance is the answer. If you clean and maintain the rollers, springs, hinges, tracks, and other components, it will go a long way.
Steps to Take When Leveling the Garage Door Is Impossible
You like this look? This garage door is a Cambridge CM, 8’ x 7’, Ice White door and overlays, 4 lites Panoramic windows.
If things have gotten extremely bad, your unlevel door may need to be replaced with a brand-new door. The good news is that you have lots of options in this situation.
Today's garage doors come in countless styles, many of which have modern amenities to fit a busy lifestyle. You can choose any door you like to suit your own style and aesthetic.
Needing a new garage door can be a good thing, rather than something to be upset about. You can work with an expert to choose the right door and make sure it's quickly installed. This can even create a more attractive garage you decide to spend extra time in.
Are You Ready for a Modern Garage Door?
Contact one of the best garage door dealers in your neighborhood. The top professionals can help you pick out a garage door that fits your budget and other needs.
J & S Garage Doors lets you save time on the process by providing a fast quotation by email.
Choose a door that fits your home style! You can visit the 3 styles document to make sure you pick the right garage door for your home.
Contact us by calling 905-882-6464. We're always delighted to help answer your questions and get you started with installing a new door.
Prefer to use apps?
Check out our Design Centre, which acts just like an app. Scroll through various garage doors or upload a photo of your home and see how the options look on your own dwelling.
Need help choosing the perfect garage door?
Many gorgeous residential garage doors are waiting for you here, so spend a little time looking through the options and getting an idea of what others are doing. You could find a ton of inspiration.
Add new comment