Lately, whenever you open or close your garage door, you may have noticed that one side seems to sag as it is moving. You may have also found that one side is lower than the other when it is stationary, even to the point that it will not stay closed without a large gap on one side.
When a garage door is no longer moving evenly, further damage could be done to the mechanisms or the door itself if you continue using it without having the problem fixed. There are a couple of possible causes for the door sagging on one side that require a professional to fix.
1. Rollers Are Unable to Smoothly Run Through the Tracks
One possible reason why the door is sagging on one side and is not able to move evenly has to do with the rollers. Ideally, the rollers travel through the tracks on both sides of the door, allowing the movement to flow in a smooth fashion.
However, if one of the rollers becomes worn out or breaks, its motion will be impeded, making it unable to keep up with the roller on the other side. The roller could also be getting caught on a bent track. A repair professional will be able to determine which is causing the issue with the roller's movement.
2. Torsion Spring on One Side Is Stretched or Broken
Another possible issue that is affecting your garage door is that there is a problem with one of the torsion springs. This tightly-woven spring is responsible for holding up the door and keeping it steady as it opens and closes.
If the spring becomes stretched or broken, it will no longer be able to hold up the weight of its side of the door. Typically, when a spring is involved, one side of the door will sag even when it is not in motion. Since torsion springs are dangerous to work with if you do not have the proper equipment and experience, always have a professional perform the assessment and repairs.
When your door will not move evenly, there could be an issue with a roller's ability to move smoothly through the tracks, or one of the torsion springs could be stretched or broken. Even if you are able to ascertain which problem is causing the issue, you should leave the repairs to a professional to avoid injury or further damage. Contact a company like Sierra Nevada Overhead Door Company to learn more.