Garage Door Crooked or Uneven
Why is my garage door crooked or hanging unevenly?
What is actually causing it
Most likely first, based on what our crews find on the call.
01One lift cable slipped off its drum
The commonest cause. That side drops, the door goes diagonal, and it will jam or derail on the next cycle. Stop using the door immediately. Cables sit under full spring tension and rewinding a drum by hand is one of the most dangerous things a homeowner can attempt on a garage door.
Do not attempt this yourself. It is under spring or cable load and it injures people every year — this one is a licensed-technician job.
02Frayed or broken cable
Cables fail strand by strand, usually starting at the bottom bracket where water and salt collect. A visibly fuzzy cable is a warning you have days, not months.
Do not attempt this yourself. It is under spring or cable load and it injures people every year — this one is a licensed-technician job.
03Cable drums out of sync
If one drum's set screws have slipped on the shaft, the two sides wind at different rates and the door tilts a little more every cycle. Resetting drums requires unloading the springs first.
Do not attempt this yourself. It is under spring or cable load and it injures people every year — this one is a licensed-technician job.
04Bent bottom bracket
The bottom brackets anchor the cables and carry the full lifting load. They are the single most dangerous part on the door to work on. Never remove or loosen one.
Do not attempt this yourself. It is under spring or cable load and it injures people every year — this one is a licensed-technician job.
05Track out of plumb on one side
Lag bolts pulling out of a soft or water-damaged jamb let one vertical track lean, and the door follows it. Common on older attached garages where the jamb has taken sprinkler water for decades.
Do not attempt this yourself. It is under spring or cable load and it injures people every year — this one is a licensed-technician job.
06Racked or damaged section
A panel bent by an impact will never sit square again, and it drags the whole door out of line. Individual sections can often be replaced if the model is still made.
Do not attempt this yourself. It is under spring or cable load and it injures people every year — this one is a licensed-technician job.
Why this happens more in California
Along the coast — Santa Monica through the South Bay, Orange County's beach cities, Santa Cruz, the Monterey Peninsula, the Humboldt coast — marine salt aerosol attacks galvanized lift cable from the inside of the strand, and the first visible sign is usually a door that starts hanging a quarter inch low on one side. Inland at the same age the same cable is often still fine. If you live within a mile or two of the water, a cable inspection belongs in every annual service, not just in the one after something breaks.
Need this fixed today?
Need this fixed today? Find your city.
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Frequently asked questions
Why is my garage door crooked or hanging unevenly?
Is this safe for me to fix myself?
How much will the repair cost?
Are you licensed?
Describe the noise. We will tell you what broke.
Most calls are diagnosed in under two minutes, with a price range before anyone drives out.
CA-GARAGEDOOR California — California contractor licence CSLB #1098234. Licensed, bonded and insured. 1-year parts & labor.