Why is My Garage Door Bent?

Perhaps you were just cleaning up outside your Greeley home when you looked up and said to yourself "Why is my garage door bent?" Maybe you even opened it once or twice to see if it would reset itself and nothing changed. It was still bent, or hanging unevenly to one side. Curious, yes? It sure is. And it begs the question: what would make a garage door hang unevenly? And does it require garage door repair? That's what we're here to answer in this post.

Various Reasons Why Your Garage Door May Be Bent

A garage door that isn't hanging the way it should can undermine the curb appeal of your house. But more than that, it's a safety hazard, and it will likely negatively impact your energy usage. So what would make a door hang bent or crooked? Here are some of the most common reasons.

Broken Springs

Contrary to popular belief it is not the garage door opener that opens the door. It's the springs. Most garage doors these days have either 2 torsion or 2 extension springs (one for each side of the door) that do the heavy lifting. And those springs are not indestructible. In time they break. If one of the springs on your garage door has broken the door will absolutely hang unevenly.

Here are a few things that indicate you might have a broken spring:

• The door rises and falls unevenly
• The door shakes while it's in motion
• The door slowly starts to close on its own when it should stay open

Garage door springs store enormous amounts of energy and can be extremely dangerous. Replacing them should only be done by a qualified garage door company technician.

Damaged Tracks

The tracks are an essential component of a garage door mechanism, ensuring the door rises and falls in an orderly manner. If there is a problem with the tracks the door will not move in a smooth fashion and may very well appear bent when it's closed.

Here are some of the reasons the tracks might be causing problems:

• An accident such as the car hitting the tracks
• An accumulation of dirt and debris inside the tracks
• Old tracks that have not been properly maintained
• Missing hardware

If the problem is something simple like dirt in the tracks an experienced DIYer can likely take care of it. Though they should make sure to turn off the opener first. If the problem is not simply dirt you should call for garage door repair.

Problems with the Panels

Here are some ways garage door panels may get damaged:

• Someone backs into or drives forward into the door
• Extreme weather conditions cause the wood to get saturated and warp
• A falling tree limb impacts the door cracking a panel or panels

It may be possible to replace damaged panels on your door. Depending on the reason behind the damage they may even be covered by the door's warranty.

A Broken Cable

Springs provide the energy to lift the door but that energy has to be transferred to the door somehow. That's where the cables come in. If one of the cables is broken or there is something else wrong with it your garage door may appear bent or uneven.

Here are a few common signs there is something wrong with the cables:

• The door hangs noticeably lower on one side
• The door stutters as it opens and closes
• The door opens slower than normal

If one of the cables is damaged replacing it should solve the problem.

A Malfunctioning Garage Door Opener

It's not common but it's possible that the fault may lie with your garage door opener. If the opener's sensors, motor or drive system has been compromised in some way it may result in force being applied unevenly to the door and the door appearing bent.

Here are some signs the problem may lie with the garage door opener:

• The opener makes unusual noises when in operation
• The door shakes when opening or closing
• The door does not respond as quickly as it should

Most garage door openers are extremely durable. But like everything else, they're susceptible to wear and tear over time.

Broken Garage Door Hinges

Garage door hinges connect the various panels of your door and allow it to bend and follow the track as it opens and closes. If one or more of these hinges are broken or worn out, your garage door may appear bent, creak loudly, or bind up during operation.

Here are some signs you may have a broken or damaged hinge:

• You hear loud creaking or popping sounds when the door moves
• The door seems to catch or jerk as it opens or closes
• There are visible cracks or bends in the metal hinges between door panels

Replacing damaged hinges is a fairly straightforward job for a trained technician and can quickly restore smooth operation and alignment to your garage door.

Broken Garage Door Rollers

Rollers help guide your garage door along its tracks and keep it aligned as it opens and closes. When one or more rollers become worn out, bent, or broken, it can cause the door to tilt, wobble, or make grinding noises during movement.

Here are common signs of roller issues:

• The garage door jerks or vibrates excessively when in motion
• You hear scraping or grinding sounds from the track area
• The door looks uneven or sags slightly to one side

Replacing worn rollers with high-quality nylon or steel versions can significantly improve your garage door’s performance and reduce noise. It’s best to leave this task to a professional to ensure proper alignment and safety.

A Poor-Quality Installation

If the installation is the problem you need to have the company that did it come back and fix it.

Foundation Problems

There are cases when the garage door may not be the problem. For instance, if the foundation of your home has recently settled unevenly (which can sometimes happen after very heavy rain or flooding) it may appear that the door is uneven, when actually it's the garage that is no longer sitting square to the ground.

Here are some signs that your foundation may be responsible for your bent garage door:

• You notice cracks in the floor of the garage
• You hold a level up to the door frame and it indicates the frame is not sitting squarely
• The door becomes increasingly more difficult to open and close

If the foundation is to blame you need more than someone familiar with overhead doors. You need a foundation specialist.

For Expert Garage Door Sales in Greeley Contact C & M

Modern garage doors are durable and reliable but they can be negatively affected by impacts, foundation shifts, broken springs and more. If you notice your garage door is not hanging the way it should print out this list, or bring it up on your smartphone and use it to inspect the door.

If you need help diagnosing the problem the team at C & M Garage Doors are just a phone call away at (970) 663-7335.