A Crooked Garage Door Is More Than Just an Eyesore
Few garage door problems are as alarming as pressing the button and watching one side of the door rise while the other side stays behind.
The result is a garage door that appears crooked, twisted, or stuck at an angle. Many homeowners assume the garage door has simply come off track, but in reality, a crooked garage door is usually a symptom of a larger problem within the lifting system.
Recently, our team at ProLift Garage Doors of Brentwood responded to a home where the garage door was hanging dramatically lower on one side. The homeowner initially thought the opener had failed. However, our inspection revealed that one side of the lifting system was no longer operating correctly, causing the door to lift unevenly and become dangerously unstable.
Why Does a Garage Door Become Crooked?
A garage door relies on both sides of the system working together.
When one side stops lifting properly, the door becomes uneven and can bind in the tracks.
Several issues can cause this condition.
Broken Lift Cable
One of the most common causes is a broken lift cable.
The cables attached to the bottom corners of the garage door help transfer lifting force from the springs to the door.
When a cable snaps, one side of the door loses support while the other side continues to lift.
Cable Off the Drum
Sometimes the cable doesn't break.
Instead, it slips off the cable drum located near the springs.
This creates the same result: one side rises while the other side remains lower.
Broken Torsion Spring
A broken spring can also allow the cables to lose tension and fall off the drums.
Many homeowners discover the cable issue first without realizing the spring failure actually caused the problem.
Bent Track or Damaged Rollers
Impact damage, worn rollers, or bent tracks can cause the door to bind and lift unevenly.
Why You Should Stop Using the Door Immediately
This is one of the most important things homeowners need to understand.
A crooked garage door should never be forced open or closed.
Continuing to operate the door can cause:
Complete track failure
Bent vertical tracks
Broken rollers
Damaged hinges
Additional cable damage
Door panel damage
Opener failure
In severe cases, the entire door can come out of the tracks.
Is It Safe to Pull the Emergency Release?
Not always.
When a door is crooked, the weight is no longer evenly distributed.
Pulling the emergency release can cause the door to shift unexpectedly or fall.
This is especially dangerous when a spring or cable has failed.
If the cause of the problem is unknown, it is usually safer to leave the door alone until it can be inspected.
Can a Crooked Garage Door Be Repaired?
In most cases, yes.
The repair depends on the root cause.
Common repairs include:
Lift cable replacement
Cable reset and drum adjustment
Spring replacement
Roller replacement
Track alignment
Door balancing
The key is identifying why the door became crooked in the first place.
How to Prevent Garage Door Cable Problems
Routine maintenance can catch many issues before they become emergencies.
During a professional tune-up, technicians inspect:
Lift cables
Cable drums
Springs
Rollers
Hinges
Bearings
Track alignment
Replacing worn components early often prevents a much larger repair later.
Don't Ignore an Uneven Garage Door
A garage door that is lifting unevenly is warning you that something in the lifting system has failed or is beginning to fail.
Addressing the problem quickly can help prevent additional damage and keep your garage door operating safely.
At ProLift Garage Doors of Brentwood, we repair broken cables, off-track garage doors, damaged rollers, broken springs, and garage door opener issues throughout Brentwood, Franklin, Nolensville, Nashville, Smyrna, Murfreesboro, and surrounding Middle Tennessee communities.