One day, you finally notice it. The garage door doesn't open or close evenly. To put it simply, it's slanted or uneven. That means that one side of the garage door will be raised slightly from the ground while the other side may be planted firmly to the ground when the garage door is closed. Attached garages are already one of the biggest sources of heat loss in your home. Needless to say, an uneven garage door will result in even greater heat loss. There are 3 ways you can potentially repair an uneven garage door. If you're not confident in performing the repairs yourself, consult with a garage door repair contractor.

Tightening and Feeding the Cables Back Into the Drums

Inspect the condition of the cables and the drums. One of the most common reasons that the garage door is uneven is when a cable has fallen off of the drum. You'll need to get the cable back on the drum by using a cable puller and a come-along puller. The cable puller is a tool that is snapped onto the cable. The come-along puller is then connected onto the cable puller. Together, these tools loosen the cable by tightening the tension. The loosened cable can then be reinstalled back onto the drum before the cable puller and the come-along puller are removed.

Replacing the Extension Spring Pulley

If the extension spring pulley becomes worn out on one side, your garage door may become uneven. Look for ball bearings that are worn down, as they will cause the pulleys to scrape against the side of the tracks. Worn ball bearings may also cause the rivets to fail or the pulleys to split. The extension spring pulley is connected to the extension springs, which do harbor quite a lot of potential energy. Since extension springs can be extremely dangerous, it's important to work carefully and cautiously.

When replacing the extension spring pulley, do so with the garage door open to reduce the chances of sustaining injuries related with the extension spring snapping unexpectedly. To replace the extension spring pulley, you'll have to remove the cable clip from the S-hook, remove the cable and loosen the nuts and bolts that were holding the pulley in place.

Replacing Worn Down Cables

Most garage doors weigh anywhere between 150 to 200 pounds. Lifting this weight up and down every day will have a tremendous impact on the cables. Over time, the cables may become worn down or frayed. This will decrease their overall tensile strength, and prevent them from being able to easily lift the garage door. The cables are connected to the torsion springs. There is a single torsion spring installed at each side of the garage door. Inspect both sets of cables for signs of wear. If the cables look frayed or worn down, replace them.

Because there is a risk that the torsion springs may snap when you replace the cables, you should insert a winding bar into the winding cone of the springs before you loosen the screws. Make sure to choose cables that can withstand the weight of your door. It's worth investing in higher quality cables, as they typically last a lot longer.

Don't wait to repair your garage door if it is uneven. Otherwise, you'll be paying a fortune on your next energy bill. An uneven garage door is a sign that some parts of the garage door are succumbing to general wear. Make sure to get your garage door inspected immediately by a professional to determine whether there are any issues that need to be addressed immediately.

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