Garages are great, convenient spaces for homeowners, but sometimes their doors can go on the fritz. If your garage door sticks shut and you want to try a few things yourself first before calling an expert for help, read on, because loosening a stuck garage door in Scottsdale, AZ yourself is possible to accomplish. Here are six steps to help you figure out why your door is stuck and how to fix the issue:
- See if the garage door is locked: If your garage door appears to be stuck in place, the first thing to check is whether the door is locked. You or anyone in your household could have locked the garage door, whether on purpose or by accident. Some garage door systems have a “full lock” option which allows anybody to lock the door from the outside simply by turning the handle. Try to unlock it and see if that fixes the problem.
- Check for ice: Living in an area that freezes in the winter can put your garage door in an icy situation. When ice freezes your door shut, simply pour some hot water over along the bottom of the door to break the connection between the ice and the door.
- Replace the remote batteries: There’s a chance that nothing is mechanically wrong with your garage door system. In many cases, a door not opening is due to dead batteries in the remote. Garage door opener remote batteries come in a variety of types, and most are easy to find online or at your local hardware or battery store.
- Inspect the garage door tracks for blockages: A jammed garage door can be caused by something as simple as an obstruction lodged in the tracks. Carefully use a step stool to look into each track for debris. Also make sure that nothing fell against the section of track going up the sides of your garage, like a broom, shovel or rake. Remove the obstruction and then try opening the door again.
- Determine if the door is off a track: It’s not unheard of for a garage door to come off the track. This will lead to a stuck door. To check for this particular problem, look to see if a door roller is off one of the tracks. If it is, and the garage door panels are not damaged, then your existing door should be okay to continue using. However, you will likely need to contact a professional to put the roller back on the track.
- Try opening the door manually: A stuck garage door may be caused by an electrical issue. To test this, pull the red-corded rope (this cuts the power to the door opener) and attempt to raise the door by hand. If manually opening the door unsticks it, the issue is likely electrical and not with the door itself.
Loosening a stuck garage door in Scottsdale, AZ can be a complex process, or as simple as changing the batteries in the remote. Let the professionals at Affordable Garage Doors help. Call us today to schedule service.
