Can You Replace A Garage Door Without Changing the Rails?

When we go to a home to Install New Garage Doors, we will fit them with the rails that were designed for that door. While you can replace a garage door without necessarily changing the rails, it isn’t the best idea. Garage doors come with their own set of tracks, and if you don’t install them, you will be setting yourself up for a whole set of issues that will reduce the reliability of your garage door.

Even though some companies manufacture rails that can be adjusted, they don’t work as intended. That’s why every time you replace the garage door with a new one, it means replacing a whole set of parts with it. The entire system will need to be overhauled to suit the new garage door, ensuring that it works properly. If something goes wrong with the rails, it will affect the garage door’s performance.

In this article, we will examine how you can tell when to replace the rails on the garage door.

Can You Replace A Garage Door Without Changing the Rails

The Rails Are Not Properly Spaced

If you have an Old Garage Door that was installed incorrectly by the previous installers, it is going to affect how the garage door opens and closes. The door will probably hit someone or something when it is closing, or it will jam as you’re trying to open it. The problem can be both unsafe and irritating for the family.

One solution is to reposition the rails, but we recommend hiring garage door experts like us to install new rails with the door. If the garage door is beaten up, your best bet is to replace the entire system and the door. That will save you a great deal of time and effort in the long term.

The Rails Are Not Properly Spaced

Your Garage Door Falls for No Reason

When the rails break, the garage door will fall. Once the rails start wearing down, they can bend, break and open up. We’ve seen instances where they will come off the walls. The best time to catch this problem is when you see that the garage door has started to slip.

The other way to Determine The Condition Of The Rails is to hire a professional like us. We will inspect the rails and provide general maintenance to ensure that they continue to perform reliably. Keep in mind that a sliding door is always a safety hazard and shouldn’t be ignored.

Your Garage Door Falls for No Reason

A Noisy Garage Door

One of the many mysteries of a garage door is noises like scratching, screeching or scraping. Trying to find where the noise is coming from can be a challenge. The source is often the rails that are worn out or have small breaks in them. Once the rails wear down, the garage door will scrape against them, and that leads to loud noises.

If the garage door’s wheels happen to be misaligned, they will make a noise as they rub up against it. Regardless of what may be causing the noise, if your rails are in bad shape, you should call us to address the issue by replacing them.