Across Florida · Vetted local pros
Why is my garage door crooked and rubbing against one side of the track?
A straight answer first, then what you can safely check yourself and when to get a pro. Free estimates from a vetted MB pro near you.
A garage door that sits crooked and rubs one side of the track is usually being lifted unevenly: a cable has slipped or snapped on one side, a spring is weak or broken, or a roller has jumped out of the track. The track itself may also be bent or have pulled loose from the wall.
Stop using the door until it is looked at. Running an uneven door on the opener can bend panels and tracks, and the cables and springs involved are under heavy tension. We match you with a vetted pro near you to inspect it and give a free estimate.
Why it happens
A garage door is balanced by springs and cables, one on each side. If one cable comes off its drum or breaks, that side drops while the other keeps lifting. The door tilts, a roller slips out of the track or presses against it, and you hear rubbing or scraping.
The same thing happens when the springs are uneven. On a two-spring door, one spring can break while the other still holds. Worn or cracked hinges, a loose bottom bracket and tracks knocked out of alignment (a car bumper or a stuck door being forced are the usual causes) can also pull the door to one side.
Florida conditions add to this. Coastal salt air and constant humidity corrode springs, cables, rollers and fasteners, so parts can weaken and fail unevenly. A door that has been rubbing for a while usually has a worn or damaged part that needs replacing, not just adjusting.
What you can check yourself
Look at the gap on both sides
With the door closed, stand inside and compare the gap between door and track on the left and right. Note which side is rubbing and whether the bottom edge is visibly lower on one side.
Look for loose or hanging cable
From a safe distance, see whether a cable is dangling, frayed or off its drum. Do not touch the cables, springs or the brackets at the bottom corners, because they hold high tension.
Look at the rollers and track
Check from the floor whether a roller has popped out of the track, or whether the track looks bent, rusted or pulled away from the wall. Take a few photos for your pro.
Listen for what changed
Think about when it started. A loud bang earlier often points to a broken spring or cable. A slow scrape that got worse suggests wear, corrosion or a loose track.
Stop using the opener
Don't push the wall button or remote while the door is crooked, and don't try to lift or straighten it by hand. Keep people and cars clear until a pro has looked at it.
When to call a pro
Call a pro as soon as you see a crooked door, a hanging cable, a roller out of the track or a visibly bent track. All of these involve parts under tension, and an off-track door can fall or slam shut. Spring and cable work is not a safe DIY job.
Florida does not issue a dedicated statewide garage door contractor license, and routine repair of an existing door is generally done without a state contractor license. Replacing the whole door is different: it is permitted construction in most places, usually done by a licensed contractor, and the pro handles the permit. Confirm the right credential on the Florida DBPR website and with your local building department. A door that is a wind-rated assembly needs Florida Product Approval, or a Miami-Dade NOA in Miami-Dade and Broward counties (the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone).
Your MB pro handles the permit when the job needs one. You can look up a contractor's license at Florida DBPR.
What a pro will do
- Find the cause firstYour MB pro will check cables, springs, drums, rollers, hinges, brackets and tracks to see which part pulled the door crooked, rather than just forcing it back.
- Reset or replace cables and springsIf a cable has slipped or a spring is broken or weak, the pro will replace or rebalance them. Often both springs are replaced together so the door lifts evenly.
- Put the door back on trackThe pro will realign or replace bent tracks, tighten or replace loose brackets and rollers, and replace damaged panels if the door has flexed.
- Test balance and safetyAfter the repair, the pro will check that the door stays put when raised halfway and that the opener and safety sensors work properly.
How it works
Step 1
Tell us what you need
Call or send the short form with your city and the job. Estimates are free.
Step 2
We match you with a vetted pro near you
We pick a vetted pro from our network who works in your part of Florida and book the visit.
Step 3
Your pro gives a free estimate and does the work
Your MB pro looks at the job and gives you a free estimate. You decide whether to go ahead — and we stay your point of contact.
Related questions
- Can I keep using my garage door opener until the visit?
- It is best not to. An uneven door can bind, bend the track or panels, or come off the track entirely. Leave it closed if you can and call for a visit.
- Will I need a whole new door?
- Not necessarily. Many crooked doors need only cables, springs, rollers or a track adjustment. If panels are badly bent or the door is old and corroded, your pro may suggest replacement. Ask them to explain why repair or replacement makes sense.
- Does a repair need a permit?
- Like-for-like repairs of hardware and openers usually don't. Replacing the door almost always does, and the permitting rules are local. Ask your pro and confirm with your building department.
- What affects the cost of fixing a crooked door?
- The main factors are which parts failed, how many need replacing, whether panels or tracks are damaged, the door's size and weight, and what the pro finds once it is opened up. Your MB pro gives a free estimate after seeing the door.
- What should I ask the pro?
- Ask what caused the door to tilt, which parts are being replaced and whether the springs should be replaced as a pair. Also ask whether the repair addresses corrosion, and what to do if replacement is needed. To start, call (954) 707-6550 or use the form for a free estimate.
Request a free garage doors estimate
Tell us what's going on. We'll match you with a vetted pro near you.
- 1Tell us what you need.
- 2We match you with a vetted pro near you.
- 3Your pro gives a free estimate and does the work.
Prefer to talk?
(954) 707-6550