You probably don't spend a ton of time thinking about your garage door as it moves up and down, but it can quickly become a major problem if it stops working properly. You'll either not be able to get your car into your home or be unable to get your car back out onto the road. If your garage door is clearly having issues, here are some tips that might help.

Clean the Tracks

Garage doors can be very sensitive to obstructions. This is because they are designed to stop moving, often as a safety feature, the moment even the slightest hint of resistance becomes noticeable. If your garage door's tracks have seen better days, this could be halting your door before it has a chance to reach a fully closed or open position. 

You can avoid this problem by regularly cleaning the tracks. Remove grass clippings in the summer and leaves in the fall. Grease up the tracks with your lubricant of choice to give the door a smoother ride all the way through.

Re-Align If Needed

In other situations, the tracks might be clean but have become a bit uneven through the accumulation of normal wear and tear over time. If your tracks have been jostled out of place, the door will not close or open properly as soon as it gets to the part of the track with the issue.

If you believe this is the problem, you may have to loosen some screws or brackets and then gently nudge the tracks back into a more even configuration, ensuring both sides are level with each other. Keep in mind that if you don't know what you're doing, you could risk making the problem worse. Hiring a professional broken garage door repair service might be warranted at this point.

Check Cables, Springs, and Pulleys

If the track is obviously not the issue, it's time to start looking elsewhere. Your door likely uses a variety of cables, springs, and pulleys to get the job done. Periodically tighten up these areas as needed. If you notice something has become worn or broken, replace it as soon as you can. Trying to force a garage door to open or close with a broken or frayed mechanical part is just going to cause even more damage or could even lead to a safety issue.

For best results, contact a garage door repair service today.