Your car is parked inside the garage with you inside, ready to drive out. You press the button to open the garage door, and nothing happens. Well, that's just great. Beyond making sure that nothing is physically blocking the door's sensor, you will probably need to have the door mechanism inspected by a company that provides garage door repair services. But what can you do to make sure your garage stays safe while you're waiting for it to be repaired? Even if the garage door mechanism is broken, it can be possible to seal the door to prevent entry.
How to Manually Seal a Broken Garage Door
Manually sealing the door is only going to be a temporary measure, and garage door repair will still be needed since you will need to physically unseal the door each time you need to get your car in or out. But how can you secure the door, even if only temporarily?
- Disconnect the automatic opener. Many units have a visible power source that's plugged directly into an electrical socket, and it's usually as simple as pulling the plug out. This prevents any accidental openings, just in case the unit somehow comes back online.
- The vertical door track (on either side of the door) will have a number of small holes along its length. You can place a padlock through the hole closest to the floor. This will prevent the door from being raised beyond the height of the padlock.
- Do not place a padlock in the horizontal door track (which is overhead), as this will not be effective in preventing the door from being opened. Likewise, do not attempt to wedge anything against the flag bracket at the top of the door, as this can damage the pulley, which is essential for actually opening the door.
- Only ever use a padlock. Do not try to place a sturdy horizontal object (such as a screwdriver) through the holes in the vertical door track. It can easily fall out (and even jiggling the door can cause this to happen).
When the Door Cannot Be Sealed
If the garage door cannot be sealed for whatever reason, you need to secure the contents of the garage. If there are any small, easily transportable valuables inside your garage, consider temporarily relocating these inside your home, and then locking the internal door to your garage. Make sure your car is locked and secure any bikes or your lawnmower with a bike lock. Yes, it can be somewhat inconvenient to do all this when your garage door is broken, but it's certainly preferable to having someone slide your garage door open before helping themselves to its contents.
Remember that these tips are only a temporary measure, and to properly secure your garage door, professional repairs will be needed.
We hope that this blog will help to clear up some of the mysteries regarding the garage door. You have possibly stopped to read this blog because you have questions you want answers to, such as 'why does my garage door make a funny sound when it opens?' or 'Why isn't the remote control system working on my garage door?'. We hope that the articles researched and written by keen amateur garage door fans will help you to maintain this important piece of equipment. Although we may not be experts, you can rest assured that each article published here has been carefully researched.