Important Details About Garage Door Track Misalignment

Garage door tracks play a very important role in the function of the door. Since the path that the door must move up and down to operate, if there is an issue with the track, such as a misalignment concern, the door will not function correctly. As a result, at the first sign of this problem, it is important to have the problem repaired. Learn more about how misalignment occurs and what you can do to resolve the problem.

Forceful Damage

For the most part, garage door tracks are very durable. For this reason, damage to the track is often the result of an external element, such as force. For instance, if you have a secured storage area on the ceiling of the garage, if one of the shelves was to fail and a large box was to fall on the track, it would cause damage to the track. 

In fact, with this type of damage, you would probably notice right away that the door would no longer move along the track correctly, and it could even get stuck. Any time something falls on the track, you want to have it checked out.

Wear and Tear

Remember, garage door tracks are built to last. Consequently, they generally remain in good condition for a long period. However, tracks are still subject to regular wear and tear. For instance, in certain high-humidity climates, such as coastal areas, it is not unheard of for the tracks to develop rust. 

Once this happens, the track can start to slowly deteriorate, which can cause an alignment issue. If your garage door system is very old, simple wear and tear could be to blame. 

Professional Realignment

It is important to understand that the cause of the misalignment issue will determine what type of realignment method is used. For example, if a heavy box fell on the track and dented one section of the track, a repair professional may be able to repair the area or replace the small part of the track. 

On the other hand, if the track is severely misaligned due to extreme wear and tear, a complete replacement of the track may be the best long-term option. To ensure that the approbate steps are taken, it is important to contact a professional to have the track inspected and to have the damage properly diagnosed. 

Again, if your garage door tracks are misaligned, you should make it a point to speak with a garage door repair professional at your earliest convenience.