Whether you are a homeowner or business owner, you should learn all about your garage door tracks. These tracks help your door operate smoothly and hold your garage door in the proper position when open and shut. Understand how various garage door tracks vary in composition and function, but also learn how to keep your tracks in good condition and identify the signs of a potential track problem.
Learn the answers to many frequently asked questions about garage door tracks.
Can You Replace a Garage Door Without Replacing the Door Tracks?
While many garage door tracks appear similar to the untrained eye, almost every garage door make and model is made to fit into a unique set of tracks that’s specifically for that door. For this reason, a new door is simply unlikely to work well with existing, older tracks already in place.
In addition, garage door tracks experience wear and tear over the years. If you were to skip track replacement when replacing your garage door, old tracks would likely develop problems that warrant the need for track replacement before the new door reaches the end of its lifespan. Track replacement is much quicker and easier when you do it during the door replacement.
How Do Garage Door Tracks Differ?
Garage door tracks are available in various widths, thicknesses, styles, and metals.
Track Width
Both the vertical and horizontal sections of a garage door track can range from one to three inches in width. Larger, heavier doors often need wider tracks, while smaller, more lightweight doors can work well with more narrow ones.
Metal Thickness
The thickness of the metal has a range as well. However, thick metal is not always better — thinner track metal can often support a lightweight garage door well. Thicker metal is typically only necessary when making tracks that work with heavy commercial garage doors.
Metal Type
While most garage door tracks are galvanized steel — steel with a protective zinc coating that helps prevent rust and corrosion — some are stainless steel. Stainless steel comes from mixing corrosion-resistant alloys, such as nickel and chromium, into the steel before it is cooled and formed. This special production method makes stainless steel even more strong and corrosion-resistant than galvanized steel.
Track Style
Many garage door track styles are available today. Just a few overhead garage door track styles include standard radius lift, vertical lift, low headroom, high lift, and roof pitch lift tracks.
The standard radius lift track is the most common type of garage door track in use today and is a good option for most standard garage doors. Vertical and high lift garage door tracks hold doors more closely to the garage ceiling when the door is open than a standard lift does, which is a benefit for people who would like to maximize their garage space. They also provide additional space for a spring lift assembly, when desired.
A low headroom lift track is designed for small garages that lack the height necessary to accommodate standard garage door tracks, and a roof pitch lift track is ideal for garages with sloped ceilings.
How Do I Keep My Door Tracks in Good Condition?
Help prolong the life of your garage door tracks by performing routine maintenance on all track components at least once a year.
First, have a professional inspect all track components for damage, especially if you notice damage that warrants the need for track part repair or replacement.
Then, they will tighten all nuts and bolts holding your garage door track mounting brackets in place and replace any nuts and bolts that have begun to rust or become worn.
Finally, they will check the alignment of both horizontal and vertical tracks with a level tool. Horizontal tracks should both slope just slightly towards the back wall of the garage, while vertical tracks should lie completely perpendicular to the floor.
If your tracks are misaligned, then the garage door expert can realign the tracks; misaligned tracks can cause noisy garage door operation, poor door opener performance, and increased wear and tear on both the door and opener.
What Are Signs That Tracks Needs Repair or Replacement?
While most garage door tracks hold up well for many years with proper maintenance, tracks can develop problems that warrant the need for repair or early replacement. If a track section develops extensive rust that interferes with the smooth travel of door rollers, then replacement of this section is necessary. Track brackets that show signs of damage or corrosion also need replacing.
Finally, if your door shakes when it opens or closes or your garage door closes unevenly, these problems are both common signs of various garage door track problems that a professional can diagnose.
Contact the garage door experts at Edgemont Garage Doors for all of your garage door track repair and replacement needs today.
