What does a misaligned door look like?

A misaligned garage door has several visual and operational signs that indicate it is not traveling straight in its tracks, which can cause noise, binding, and damage. Visually, a misaligned door looks crooked or uneven when closed, with one side sitting lower than the other, creating a gap at the bottom on one side where light shows through, or the door appears tilted when viewed from inside the garage. The door may not seal evenly against the floor, leaving space for drafts and pests. The vertical tracks on each side may show uneven gaps between the track and the door edge, with one side having larger gap than the other, or tracks themselves look bent, leaning, or not plumb. Rollers may be visibly out of the track or riding on the edge of the track rather than centered inside. When operating, a misaligned door moves jerkily, hesitates, makes grinding or scraping noises, and may shake or wobble as it goes up and down. It may stop halfway and reverse, or the opener may strain and hum. Cables may appear loose on one side or wound unevenly on drums. Gaps between door panels may be uneven. If you place a level on the door when closed, it will show tilt. Early detection of misalignment prevents further damage to tracks, rollers, and opener, so inspect regularly and keep gutters clean to prevent water that rusts tracks causing misalignment.