Your garage door is an important part of your day-to-day routine, so it’s important to keep it in tip-top shape. If you think your garage door track may be bent, it’s important to address the situation right away. Bent garage door tracks can lead to serious harm to you or your property.
How Can a Garage Door Track Become Bent?
There are a multitude of ways this can happen. Here are just a few. If any of these events have occurred or you notice signs of a bent track, perform an inspection immediately.
Collision
It happens to the best of us. Maybe it was dark outside, maybe you thought the door was already up, or maybe you were just tired. Regardless, you managed to hit your garage door with your car, and the collision caused your tracks to become misaligned.
Broken Cable or Drum
The cables and cable drums are the mechanisms that pull and support your garage door. If one of them breaks, it will suddenly release a massive amount of unsupported weight onto your tracks, which may cause them to bend or become misaligned.
Obstruction
Obstructions of any kind can throw off the mechanics of your garage door. If anything falls onto the tracks and prevents the rollers or cables from moving, the tension may cause misalignment.
Age
Over time, your garage door tracks may become rusty or corroded. Any damage to the structure of the tracks can—and likely will—cause them to bend or become misaligned.
How Can You Tell If Your Garage Door Track Is Bent or Out of Alignment?
Ideally, you’ll be able to detect a bent or misaligned garage door track before it causes any damage to the rest of your garage door system. If any of the above circumstances arise, be sure to conduct a visual inspection of the tracks. If you notice any bent or broken areas, you’ll need to call a repair company.
Should I Stop Using My Garage Door If the Track Is Bent?
If you detect that your garage door tracks are bent or misaligned, you should halt any use of your garage door. Further use may cause the door to fall off the tracks and cause more damage to your garage door system.
When Should I Call a Professional?
It’s best to call a garage door repair professional as soon as you recognize that a garage door track is bent. If the problem is addressed early enough, the repair technician may be able to realign your tracks rather than replace them. Regardless, a professional will be able to repair your tracks and keep you and your garage door system safe.
If you need a garage door repair company in the Des Moines area, contact WD Door. With more than 25 years of experience, our team is sure to care for you and your garage door in the best way possible. Get your free quote today!
