Your automatic garage door is able to make entering and leaving with your vehicle as easy as possible. When a garage door starts to suffer problems, a homeowner may not always be prepared to address these issues.

Faulty Locking Mechanism

To keep the garage secure, it will have a locking mechanism that can prevent it from being forced open. Unfortunately, this locking mechanism may fail. In addition to causing the door to be forced open more easily, it is possible for this type of failure to also prevent the door from opening. To avoid being surprised by a locking failure, you should perform regular tests to ensure the lock is effectively keeping the door closed and that it is released easily when the opener activates. If you notice any unusual noises or performance issues during these evaluations, a garage door repair service should be called to repair the locking mechanism before it exposed the home to a risk of forced entry.

Safety Sensor Alignment Issues

Garage door systems will have a variety of safety sensors that are designed to prevent the door from accidentally closing on individuals, vehicles or other objects that are under the door. Alignment issues with these sensors could lead to the door system failing to close as it may receive the signal that an obstruction is blocking the safety sensor. Aligning these sensors is surprisingly difficult without some specialized tools. In addition to making sure that these sensors are properly aligned, they will also have to be securely anchored in place. Otherwise, they may come out of alignment fairly soon due to the vibrations that the garage door creates as it opens and closes.

Corroded Mechanical Components

Corrosion on the mechanical components of the garage door is another issue that will have the potential to create serious performance issues for the door. In particular, the corrosion can increase the amount of friction that the door produces. Additionally, the corrosion can cause some metal components to increase in size, which may lead to them no longer fitting correctly. If your garage door has started to experience corrosion of its mechanical components, it will have to be replaced to repair the door. If you live in an area that receives a lot of rain or that has high ambient humidity levels, installing a dehumidifier in the garage can substantially reduce the risk of corrosion forming as it can keep the humidity in the garage too low for large amounts of condensation to form. If you need garage door repair, check out contractor websites in your area.