It’s not uncommon for families to use their garage door as the main way of entering and exiting their home. This frequent operation, however, causes extensive wear and tear, and eventually, you may run into problems, such as a garage door that keeps falling off its track.

If this problem is happening to you, and you’re wondering what’s going on, know that the expert technicians at Overhead Door Company of South Bend-Mishawaka are here for you. Below, we discuss the most common reasons why garage doors keep coming off their tracks and how to resolve the issue.

Why Do Garage Doors Come Off Their Tracks?

A garage door is a complex system of interconnected parts. So, when one component fails or is compromised, it can create a chain reaction that results in the door’s rollers popping out of their tracks. Some of the most common reasons this happens include:

A Collision

Backing into the garage door, even at a slow speed, can be enough to knock the bottom rollers out of alignment or dent the tracks. Similarly, accidentally closing the door on an object like a ladder, bicycle, or trash can can exert uneven pressure and force the door off its path.

Worn-Out or Broken Rollers

Garage door rollers are in constant motion, and over time, they will wear out, especially if they are made of nylon. With these rollers, you have to consider that they may crack, chip, or even have their bearings seize up. When a roller becomes damaged or wears out, it will not glide smoothly within the track and can easily get snagged and jump off the track.

Damaged or Misaligned Tracks

The metal tracks that guide the rollers must be perfectly aligned and free from damage. Over years of use, however, the vibration of the door’s movement can cause the bolts holding the tracks to loosen and shift. The tracks themselves can also become bent or dented from an impact. The resulting imperfections in the track’s surface can obstruct a roller and force it out.

Broken Lift Cables

The lift cables, working in tandem with the springs, are responsible for bearing the full weight of the door as it moves. These high-tension steel cables can fray and eventually snap. When one cable breaks, that side of the door loses all support, causing it to drop suddenly and violently, which almost always pulls the rollers on that side completely off the track.

Issues With Spring Tension

The torsion or extension springs counterbalance the garage door’s weight. If a spring breaks or loses the correct amount of tension, the door will become unbalanced. The opener will then struggle to lift it, placing immense stress on the cables and rollers, which can lead to derailment.

What to Do When Your Garage Door Is Off Track

If your garage door has come off its track, it’s important to stay calm and avoid using it until the problem is fixed. Operating an off-track garage door can make matters worse and potentially lead to injury or further damage.

If you’re looking to fix a garage door that is off its tracks, please proceed with the following steps with caution:

1. Stop Operating the Door Immediately: Do not try to open or close the garage door, either with the remote or by hand. Forcing a jammed, off-track door to move can cause catastrophic damage to the tracks, door panels, and opener.
2. Disconnect the Power: Unplug your garage door opener from the electrical outlet. This eliminates the risk of someone accidentally trying to operate the door while it’s in a compromised and dangerous state.
3. Perform a Visual Inspection (From a Safe Distance): Look at the door, tracks, rollers, and cables. Is a cable snapped and whipping around? Is the track visibly bent? Or is a torsion spring broken? If so, do not touch anything, especially the cables or springs, as they are under extreme tension and can cause severe injury.
4. If Safe to Do So, Check for Obvious Obstructions: If the cables, springs, and tracks appear intact, look for obstructions interfering with the rollers. If you notice an object like a stick or piece of debris stuck in the track, you can remove it gently.
5. Call a Professional Garage Door Technician: Contact a qualified technician to inspect, realign, and repair your garage door system safely. In the meantime, keep children, pets, and vehicles away from the garage door until it is repaired. An unstable door could fall without warning.

Why Repairs Should Be Left to the Professionals

While it may be tempting to watch a few online videos and try to fix an off-track door yourself, garage door systems are more complex than they appear. Plus, they typically weigh anywhere from 150 to 300 pounds and are under significant tension from their springs. For these reasons, handling repairs without proper tools and training can be extremely dangerous and even lead to more extensive issues in the future.

Instead of risking your garage door’s future performance, turn to a qualified garage door repair technician. They’ll perform a complete inspection to check for underlying issues, such as worn bearings, loose brackets, or unbalanced springs, that may have contributed to the door coming off track. They will then use specialized tools and equipment and high-quality replacement parts to restore your system’s smooth performance. Overall, hiring a professional to fix your off-track garage door provides ultimate peace of mind with solutions that last.

Get Your Off-Track Garage Door Fixed Today

If your garage door keeps coming off its tracks or if you’re unsure how to proceed, turn to the expert technicians at the Overhead Door Company of South Bend-Mishawaka for the best solution. We have years of experience repairing all types of garage door issues and can easily get to the bottom of what’s going on with your system and perform a precise, durable repair. And since garage doors that come off their tracks are often urgent matters, you can rely on us for same-day services when possible!

For professional, efficient, and safe service, contact our technicians today! We look forward to delivering the garage door roller repairs you need to keep things rolling.