A garage door works best when it’s balanced. If it’s not, the extra strain and weight on the opener can present a potential hazard. The team at Southside Garage Door in Rosemount, MN, understands how difficult it can be when your garage doesn’t perform as it should. Here, they share a few ways you can tell the door is unbalanced.

How to Tell When Your Garage Door Is Unbalanced

1. Looks Different

One of the reasons it’s so difficult to determine that the garage door is unbalanced is because it can resemble other structural problems. An unbalanced door tends to look uneven, and, when it’s rising or lowering, you might notice it seems to be off balance. This might be due to a damaged spring or cable and should be replaced as soon as possible.

2. Makes Noises

Does your garage make an odd creaking or groaning sound when it’s in motion? Bear in mind that balanced doors are fairly quiet, so you should consider any unusual noise a warning sign. The sound could be caused by an overworked door opener that has to expend excess energy to successfully open and close or unlubricated metal parts that are grinding against each other.

3. Won’t Open

In serious situations, the garage door might not open at all. This happens when it becomes so unbalanced that it can no longer exert the proper energy to effectively open or close. Before it reaches this stage, you might notice that it takes a little longer for the garage to work. While it might not seem like an immediate problem, a contractor should repair the issue as soon as possible before it becomes more serious.

It’s important to contact a garage door repair professional when something seems amiss. Since 1991, the experts at Southside Garage Door have handled heavy garage door repairs and spring replacements to resolve everything from balance issues to installations. Visit their website for a gallery of their work, or call (651) 423-7444 today to schedule service.