What to Do if Your Garage Door Hinge Breaks
A noisy, crooked, or broken garage door is a disruptive safety concern. This guide helps you identify the issue, compare the risks of DIY vs. professional repair and find a safe solution.
Is a Broken Garage Door Hinge the Problem?
A broken hinge puts severe stress on other components such as panels, tracks and the opener. You can visually identify a hinge issue through:
- Hairline cracks: Look for thin, dark fracture lines appearing in the metal, which indicate the hinge is starting to fail under stress.
- Bent or warped metal: A hinge that is visibly bent, bowed or pulling away from the door is a clear sign of structural failure.
- Complete breaks: Check for any hinges that are literally broken into two separate pieces, with the metal sheared apart.
- Stretched screw holes: Inspect the screw holes on the hinge. If they are pulled into an oval shape, the hinge is loose and unstable.
- Severe rust/corrosion: Identify any areas where the metal is actively flaking or has deep, pitted rust, as this compromises its strength.
How to Temporarily Secure Your Garage Door
These steps are for temporary security only. Do not attempt to repair the hinge or operate the door. A garage door is under high tension and can cause serious injury:
- Disconnect all power: Always unplug the garage door opener from the electrical outlet first.
- Lower the door if safe: Manually lower the door to the closed position only if it moves freely. If it requires force, leave it as is.
- Lock the door from the inside: Slide the manual lock bar into the track if your door has one.
Never attempt to remove the broken hinge, adjust the springs or cables, or place your fingers between the door panels.
DIY vs. Professional Replacement
Identifying a possible hinge problem visually is excellent knowledge to have, but replacing it yourself isn’t advised.
The Risks of a DIY Repair
Working with a heavy door under tension is hazardous without the proper knowledge and tools. There are different garage door hinge types, numbered for their specific placement on the door and their intended job. It’s vital that the right hinges are used, or the door will suffer further damage and misalignment. It’s not a one-size-fits-all situation.
The Value of Professional Service
With a professional service provider, you can have peace of mind that you’ll get the right parts and a team that has the knowledge and experience required to ensure safety and do the job correctly. To avoid issues further down the line, trained technicians can also spot and fix other underlying issues during your garage door hinge replacement.
Contact the Experts for Garage Door Repair Near You in Oregon
Valley Overhead Door is here to help. We have over 20 years of industry experience, serving Albany, Corvallis and Salem. We offer safe, skilled technicians who treat your home and time with respect. Contact our experts to schedule your service today or call us at 541-926-3828.