• How to Fix a Garage Door That’s Off Track

    garage door repair

    Professional automatic garage door opener repair service technician man working on a ladder at a home residential location making adjustments and fixing it while installing it.

    An off-track garage door is a major inconvenience and can cause enormous frustration. In addition, it can cause property damage and serious injuries. Fortunately, fixing off-track rollers is a simple DIY project. Here is our 5 step guide to fixing your off-track garage roller.

    Steps to Get Your Garage Door Back on Track

    Step 1: Disconnect the opener

    To start the process, find the string hanging from the console that controls the door opener. Pull-on this string to disengage the opener. This will allow you to manually open and close the garage door.

    Step 2: Open and secure the garage door

    Check that the door is completely released from the opener, then lift it until the track is lined up with one of the rollers. This step requires caution so use a pair of vice grips or locking pliers to hold the garage door in place or ask someone to help you. 

    Step 3: Bring wheels back to track

    Use a pair of pliers and open the track precisely at the spot where the roller has jumped out of the track. Put the rollers back inside the track and close the opening in the track. Finally, use a rubber or wooden mallet to bring the track back into the correct shape.

    Step 4: Manually check for proper alignment

    Now that all the rollers are fixed, the next step is to manually check if the rollers are operating smoothly and if the door is opening correctly. You can do this by manually opening and closing the door a few times. While you’re at it, you can test its balance as well. 

    If the track is still misaligned, repeat the steps above until the entire track is correctly aligned.

    Step 5: Check the automatic operation

    Now that you’ve made sure that the door is back on track, hanging straight and operating well manually, it is time to check the automatic operation. Use the remote control to activate the opener and allow the door to automatically open and close a few types. If this final test is successful, then consider your garage door as good as new. If you are still having trouble getting your garage door back on track, there may be more issues with your garage door system than you originally anticipated. Contact Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors, Inc. to schedule an expert garage door repair service.

    Fixing your off-track garage door is a breeze if you have the right skills and tools. Follow the above-mentioned steps to quickly fix your garage door and make sure to hire a garage door repair company to perform regular maintenance of the garage door opener system. By doing so, your doors will stay reliable and functional for years to come.

  • Safety Tips for Your Garage Door

    garage door repair

    Garages are great for a plethora of reasons. Not only do they protect our vehicles, but they are also suitable as a storage space, a room for home projects, and space for kids to play. But they can also pose safety and security challenges. Even with the automatic reverse function installed on most garage doors, injury can still occur.

     Every year, garage doors cause injuries and that is because garage doors are still the largest, heaviest moving object in most homes. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), hospital emergency departments treat more than 15,000 injuries from garage doors nationwide. The only way to decrease these numbers is to get your garage door inspected by a garage door repair service in Pittsburg, periodically. 

    Additionally, following the tips below will help decrease the possibility of injury and keep your family safe.

     1. Routinely test the safety sensors

    All garage doors made after 1991 have built-in safety sensors. This feature reverses the direction of the closing door immediately as it touches something so the door cannot cause injury to a person or animal walking under it. Make sure to frequently inspect to ensure this feature is working properly. It is important to know if the safety sensors or working or not so you can take proper action. If you notice the sensors are no longer working, get help from a professional garage door repair service in Pittsburgh immediately. Until the door is fixed, make sure to keep your family away from the door. 

    2. Teach your kids garage safety

    It is pertinent to teach your children how to use the garage door properly and safely. Let them know that the garage door is not a toy so they should use it only when necessary.   

    3. Watch your fingers

    Whenever you are touching or inspecting your garage door, refrain from excessive touching and fiddling with the mechanisms of the door as your fingers can get pinched. It is best to leave any type of repair work to a professional.

    Garage door safety should never be underestimated. Garage doors cause many accidents annually, therefore always treat your garage door with caution. If you notice that your garage door needs fixing, call a professional repair service immediately.