Signs Your Garage Door Needs Professional Maintenance

11 Signs You Might Need a Garage Door Repair (And What to Do About It)

Your garage door is a complex system of springs, motors, sensors, and panels; when one part fails, the entire system can malfunction. If you’ve noticed any strange behavior lately, here are some clear signs it’s time to call in a garage door professional.

1. Your Garage Door Sounds Like It’s Torturing a Cat

If your garage door screeches, grinds, or makes unsettling noises when opening or closing, it’s not just annoying; it’s a serious issue. These sounds often indicate that parts like the rollers, hinges, or springs are dry, worn out, or damaged.

Why it’s happening:

• Lack of lubrication on moving parts
• Worn-out rollers or bearings
• Misaligned tracks
• Loose hardware

You should call a Stewart Overhead Door if:

• The noise doesn’t go away, you lubricate moving parts
• The door feels jerky, unbalanced, or hard to open and close
• You notice visible damage to rollers, springs, or tracks
• You’re unsure which part is causing the noise

2. Your Keypad or Remote Isn’t Working Anymore

You’re pressing buttons, but the door isn’t responding. Frustrating, right? This could be an easy fix or a sign of a bigger issue.

Why it’s happening:

• Dead batteries in the remote
• Signal interference or outdated frequency
• The keypad may need reprogramming
• Faulty logic board in the opener

You should contact a technician if:

• New batteries and reprogramming don’t solve the problem
• The remote or keypad works only sometimes (intermittent issues)
• You suspect signal interference, a faulty logic board, or a damaged antenna inside the opener

3. The Garage Door Doesn’t Open, but the Opener Makes Noise

The motor hums, whirs, or grinds, but the door stays stubbornly shut. This usually indicates a disconnect between the opener and the door.

Why it’s happening:

• The drive belt or chain may have broken
• The door may be off the track or blocked
• The emergency release might have been pulled
• Internal gears in the opener are stripped

However, if the opener is still making noise and the door isn’t budging, it’s time to call a professional.

You should reach out for help if:

• The drive belt or chain appears broken or slack
• The door is off the track or visibly stuck
• The opener runs, but the internal gears may be stripped (common if it sounds like it’s working, but nothing moves)

4. The Garage Door Won’t Close

You hit the close button, but the door refuses to budge — or worse, reverses halfway down.

Why it’s happening:

• Safety sensors are blocked or misaligned
• Sensor wiring is damaged
• The close-limit switch needs adjustment
• Something is physically obstructing the door

However, if the problem continues even after those checks, it’s time to call a professional.

You should reach out for help if:

• The sensor lights are off or blinking, even after cleaning and aligning
• The wiring to the sensors looks damaged or frayed
• The door reverses for no visible reason, or only closes when you hold the button down
• The close-limit switch may need expert adjustment

5. The Door Starts to Close, Then Pops Back Open

This ghostly behavior is often caused by your garage door sensing an obstruction, even when one isn’t present.

Why it’s happening:

• Sensor eyes are dirty, faulty, or misaligned
• Obstructions or uneven ground may be tricking the safety system
• The travel or force settings are off

You should call a professional if:

• The door keeps reversing after cleaning and aligning the sensors
• The sensor lights are still blinking or off
• You suspect the travel or force settings are off and need recalibrating
• The issue comes and goes unpredictably

6. The Door Lifts Just a Bit, Then Stops 

This could be a sign of a broken spring or motor strain. If the door only lifts a few inches and then halts, don’t try to force it.

Why it’s happening:

• One or both torsion/extension springs may have snapped
• The door is too heavy for the opener to lift on its own
• The opener’s force limit is being exceeded

Call a professional if:

• The door feels extremely heavy
• You suspect a spring has snapped
• The motor hums but won’t lift. Springs are under high tension and extremely dangerous to handle yourself. This repair must be done by a trained technician.

7. The Garage Door Is Sagging or Uneven

If one side of your garage door hangs lower than the other, or the door doesn’t sit flush with the ground when closed, it’s likely out of balance.

Why it’s happening:

• Worn-out or broken springs or cables
• Warped panels (especially wooden doors)
• Track misalignment

Call a professional if:

• The door looks lopsided
• It scrapes or struggles during movement
• The issue has gradually worsened over time
  

8. The Door Moves Slower Than Usual

If your garage door used to glide open and now it’s crawling, something’s not right. Over time, components wear out, reducing their efficiency.

Why it’s happening:

• Motor is aging or failing
• Poor lubrication
• Spring tension is off
• Cold weather is affecting the opener or track
  

Try this first: Apply a garage door spray lubricant to rollers, hinges, and tracks.

Call a professional if:

• Garage door lubricant doesn’t help
• The door struggles in cold weather or has inconsistent speed
• You suspect the motor or springs are wearing out
   

9. The Door Is Off Its Tracks 

If you notice the rollers have popped out of the track or the door looks crooked, stop using it immediately. Continuing to operate the door could exacerbate or even worsen the problem.

Why it’s happening:

• Impact damage (e.g., hitting the door with a vehicle)
• Loose hardware
• Warped or rusted tracks

Call a professional if:

• The door jumps the track
• You notice bent, rusted, or warped tracks
• A roller has dislodged or broken
   

10. Vibrating or Shaking While in Motion

If your garage door shudders or vibrates while opening or closing, it may be out of alignment or loose.

Why it’s happening:

• Loose bolts or brackets
• Worn rollers or hinges
• Warped tracks

Try this first: Tighten visible bolts and brackets

Call a professional if:

• The vibrations persist
• Rollers, hinges, or tracks appear worn or damaged
• The door feels unsteady or makes loud knocking sounds

11. You Hear a Loud Bang From the Garage, But See Nothing Broken 

That unexpected noise could be a torsion spring snapping. These springs hold a lot of tension, and when they break, it can sound like a gunshot.

Why it’s happening:

• Old or corroded springs are finally giving out

Call a professional immediately if:

• You see a broken or gapped spring above the door
• The door won’t lift or is too heavy to move
   

Why Do You Need the Help Of a Professional?

Here’s a breakdown of exactly why professional help can go a long way for safety, savings, and peace of mind:

1. Safety First: This Isn’t a DIY Job

Garage doors are heavy. Like, 200+ pounds heavy. And the parts that make them move — springs, cables, tension systems are under severe pressure. A broken spring can whip around like a snapped rubber band on steroids. One wrong move and you’re looking at serious injury or worse.

Professionals from Steward Overhead Doors are trained to handle high-tension components safely, with the right tools and knowledge. That peace of mind alone is worth the call.

2. Protect Your Investment

Garage doors aren’t cheap. Between the door itself and the opener system, you’re looking at thousands of dollars. Neglecting preventative maintenance is like never changing the oil in your car; it’ll still work for a while until it doesn’t, and then you’ll have to replace the whole thing.

Routine professional care helps you extend the lifespan and curb appeal of:

• The opener motor
• The garage door torsion springs and cables
• The garage door tracks and roller brackets
• The weather seals and panels
  

3. Avoid Sudden Inconveniences (and Embarrassments)

Unscheduled garage door malfunctions can cause significant disruptions to daily routines and access needs. Failures such as unresponsive remotes, incomplete door movement, or sudden reverse direction are common indicators of neglected preventive maintenance.

Professional servicing helps prevent these types of operational issues. It ensures that all mechanical and electronic components are thoroughly inspected and tested. Regular maintenance reduces the likelihood of sudden breakdowns, improves reliability, and ensures consistent door performance when it’s needed most.

4. Improve Energy Efficiency

A malfunctioning or poorly sealed garage door installation can compromise the energy efficiency of an attached home. Issues such as damaged weather stripping, the use of white lithium grease, misaligned panels, or gaps beneath the door allow for air leakage, temperature fluctuations, and increased moisture intrusion. 

This can place additional strain on the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system, resulting in higher energy consumption.

Professional maintenance tasks include inspection and adjustment of garage door parts:

• Weather stripping and seals
• Door alignment and track positioning
• Automatic closing mechanisms
• Panel insulation and overall door condition

5. Get Expert Advice and Peace of Mind

Garage door systems comprise multiple interconnected components, making it challenging to identify issues without specialized technical expertise. Professional technicians are trained to accurately diagnose malfunctions related to garage door springs, openers, remote controls, photo eye sensors, and other garage door components.

A comprehensive inspection ensures that problems are identified correctly and addressed with appropriate, cost-effective solutions. This approach minimizes downtime, prevents unnecessary repairs, and provides clear guidance on garage door maintenance or replacement options.

Choose Stewart Overhead Door For Garage Door Repair

Garage doors are complex mechanical systems that play a vital role in the safety, security, and functionality of your home or business. However, you must recognize the early signs of wear and tear, malfunction, or failure. 

When these warning signs appear, professional maintenance is recommended.

When you need expert help, Stewart Overhead Door delivers dependable service backed by decades of experience. We’ve been proudly serving Southwestern Ontario since 1964, offering repairs, maintenance tips, upgrades, and planned maintenance programs built to last.

Here’s how we help:

• Expert Repairs. Our certified service technicians inspect, adjust, and service all major makes and models with precision and expertise.
• Energy-Efficient Upgrades. We help you save on energy bills with professional weatherproofing, seal replacements, and insulated door solutions that improve both comfort and efficiency.
• Fast, Local Maintenance Service. With a deep-rooted presence across dozens of communities in Ontario, we’re always close by, ready to respond quickly, communicate clearly, and deliver lasting results.

Our Planned Maintenance Program helps reduce equipment failures, extend your door’s lifespan, and generate an average savings of 18%. We tailor our service to your schedule, provide detailed reports (complete with photos), and offer Zero Contact Service to keep you and your team safe.

Stewart Overhead Door is your trusted partner in reliable door systems. Request garage door service.

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