Your garage door is the largest and heaviest moving component of your home, meaning it can be a major safety hazard when it's not working properly. Performing preventative maintenance on your door is a great way to keep it working properly and safely. However, problems can arise in between scheduled maintenance checks and it's imperative to have them addressed immediately. Here are some common indications your garage door might need repair service.

1. The door doesn't open and close properly.

If your door gets stuck or jammed when you're trying to open or close it, you should get it checked immediately. A stuck or jammed door is a sign that something is stopping your door in its path or trajectory. 

The sensors in the door serve as a safety feature by preventing the door from moving whenever they detect an obstruction in the path of the door. Anything from a broken spring, warped panel, or bent track could cause your door to stop working as it is meant to.

2. The door leaks in rain.

Your garage door has a seal installed at the bottom section to prevent rain from leaking into your garage. If you find a puddle of water on your garage door after it rains, this is an indication you may need to replace your garage door's bottom seal. Weatherproofing seals for garage doors are easy to install. However, you may have to fix any water damage to your door before installing a new seal.

3. The door operates noisily.

Sure, you should expect your garage door to make a little noise during operation. But if you've noticed that it is just louder than usual, it's likely that something's wrong. There are lots of loud or weird noises that a faulty garage door can make. Each type of noise points to certain problems that only an experienced garage door repair technician can diagnose quickly and correctly. For example, a grinding noise could be an indication of poor lubrication, a loose roller, or stripping trolley.

A secured garage door will help minimize the risk of a home invasion. However, it's not a child's toy. Due to the sheer size and weight of your garage door and the safety risks involved in repairing it, don't attempt to fix your garage door on your own. It's best to let a garage door technician handle all your garage door repair issues.