How To Fix A Garage Door Opener
What do you do when your garage door wont open? You call a professional technician to inspect and repair your roof. An expert technician knows each part of these complex machines and can make recommendations on how to fix them. If you try to make any of these repairs yourself, you could seriously endanger yourself or your property.
Before calling a professional, try these easy fixes:
- Unplug the opener and plug it back in to reset the sensors.
- Make sure the garage door isnt on the lock setting on your wall switch.
- Move all objects away from the pathway of the photo-eye.
- Clean the photo eye sensors with a damp cloth at least once a season.
You can manually open your garage door by disengaging the automatic setting and lifting the door with both hands until you figure out why your electric garage door isnt opening. Also, be cautious and do not insert your fingers in between the sections of the panels.
How To Fix A Garage Door That Wont Open
It can be pretty frustrating if your garage door wont open and youre trying to get your car in off the street, or out onto the open road. After all, your garage door basically has one job to open and close .
But dont worry, well walk you through all the necessary steps and show you how to fix a garage door that just doesnt want to open. To make things a little easier, we list the possible fixes from least to most difficult, so you dont go through any unnecessary trouble. Read on to learn how to troubleshoot a garage door thats not opening properly.
Reasons Why Your Garage Door Wont Open Or Close
Home | Blog | 15 Reasons Why Your Garage Door Wont Open or Close
As the most frequently used entrance and exit in the average residential home, the garage door is subject to daily wear and tear. Consequently, a garage door is bound to have functional issues every now and then. Problems are most common in the winter when power outages occur. Homeowners in North Carolina and surrounding areas are all-too-familiar with such problems.
When a garage door wont function properly, the source of the problem could be in any number of given areas. Whether you have a garage door that wont open all the way or a garage door that wont open manually, it is best to know the most common causes of each problem and whether it is necessary to call a professional. Below are the 15 most common reasons why overhead doors wont open or close:
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Check Garage Door Opener Mechanism
If the garage door opener is receiving power but still not operating properly, it could have a mechanical failure.
- If the door wont open but the engine sounds like it’s running, the main gear drive may have broken and need replacement.
- If the trolley carriage moves but the garage door doesn’t, one of the components of the carriage is broken and needs replacement.
- If nothing happens at all, the circuit board of the garage door opener motor likely needs replacement.
- If you have a chain drive garage door opener, make sure that the chain has the correct tension: too little tension can cause the chain to slip the sprocket and fail to pull the trolley.
Is The Door Locked
Many garage door openers have a locking mechanism that is usually located on the wall-mounted keypad. This is meant as a security feature, but if this mechanism is accidentally switched on, it may seem as if your garage door opener is broken. Flip the switch, and youll be back in action! The locking mode can also be activated by holding the button down on your keypad for several seconds. If your locking mode works this way, you can usually reactivate it by holding the button down again for a few seconds. To confirm how this feature works for your garage door opener, check your owners manual.
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Do I Need A New Garage Door
If its maintained properly, the average garage door can last as long as 30 years. This means keeping the door and the tracks cleaned and free from dirt and debris. It also means addressing any dents, cracks or other issues in a timely fashion. If your door is nearing the 30-year mark, then its a good idea to have a professional garage door company perform maintenance on the door. They can alert you to any issues they find and also give you a heads up if they suspect your door will need to be replaced soon.
In some cases, your door may still be in good working order but be contributing to higher-than-necessary energy costs. This may be the case if your door isnt insulated. In some cases, you may save money in the long run by replacing your older door with a newer, insulated model. When combined with other energy-saving measures, an insulated garage door can lower your energy costs and keep your homes interior at a more comfortable temperature throughout the year.
In some cases, garage doors just dont make it that long. The material theyre constructed from, frequency of use and the weather in your area are all big factors in determining the lifespan of your door. In general, it might be time for a new garage door if:
Common Causes For Why Your Garage Door Wont Open With The Remote Control
Sometimes, garage door remote or opener mishaps are minor, and a professional can quickly fix them by adjusting your garage door or opener. Meanwhile, others are more severe and indicate a pressing repair need. When your garage door doesnt open with the remote, try troubleshooting these five common garage door remote issues to identify the problem and return your garage door to its smooth, dependable operations.
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S To Reset Your Garage Door Opener Keypad
After youve completed all five steps, youve successfully reprogrammed the pin for your garage door opener keypad. If youre wondering what pin number you should choose for your garage door keypad, its best to choose something simple but secretive. Avoid sensitive information, like birthdays, addresses or phone numbers. A good garage code is easy for you and your family to remember but difficult for strangers to guess.
What If I Can’t Get Into My Garage
Maybe the battery died, or a spring broke, but you can’t get into the garage to even see what the problem is. If the garage door is the only way in or out, or if you can’t find the key to the door, you’ll have to either find a way to break in or call a locksmith. As a preventative measure, it’s smart to keep a spare key or install an emergency key release that would allow you to release the emergency disconnect to the operator so you can manually raise the door.
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How Do You Clear The Memory On Your Garage Door Opener
Homeowners may want to clear the memory from their garage door opener for many reasons, like if theyre moving into a new home or switching over rental tenants. Most newer garage door openers have a limited amount of storage. Since these systems retain all of the codes for keyless entry, its important to know how to clear the memory.
If you must reset or clear the memory from your garage door opener, follow these steps:
Why Is My Garage Door Opener Not Working
An automatic garage door opener allows you to conveniently open your garage door with only the press of a button. But what do you do when your garage door wont open? It could be a simple fix, like replacing the batteries on your remote or making sure the garage isnt locked. However, for more severe issues, you should contact an expert technician, so you dont get hurt. Use this guide to discover why your garage door wont open or close.
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Garage Door Won’t Close Completely
If your garage door isn’t closing all the way, but also doesn’t reverse you might need to adjust something called the limit switch. Garage door openers come with an adjustable switch that dictates how far the door should lower in order to close completely. If the switch is set too high for your opening, the door may not close all the way. To adjust the switch, there is usually a screw on the motor unit that when turned, will increase or decrease how far the door descends when closing.
Get More Troubleshooting Tips Or Contact A Certified Services Provider
If you didnt see your garage door problem here, but are having issues with your opener beeping or flashing lights, you may want to check out this quick-fix guide for how to remedy common quirks native to LiftMaster garage door openers.
If your door is still acting up and youve done all of the safe troubleshooting you can, reach out to a certified garage door services provider in your area for prompt, trusted repairs to get your garage door system back up and running in no time.
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Troubleshooting Your Garage Door When It Wont Travel Smoothly
If the garage door doesnt travel smoothly on its tracks when you pull the emergency release cord and close it manually, check for bent rails or damaged rollers.
See our Garage door wont move: motor and travel troubleshooting video for more repair tips for your garage door when it isnt traveling smoothly.
Damaged Garage Door Tracks Jamb Or Rollers
The resistance can be in the form of a damaged garage door tracks, door jambs, or garage door rollers. To fix this issue and get your LiftMaster garage door opener working again, follow these troubleshooting steps.
These steps should fixmost doors. However, if your door still does not open fully, the nexttroubleshooting steps should solve the issue.
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Deal With Any Unrelated Garage Door Problems
If the door will not open or close manually, the most likely culprit is a snapped torsion spring or cables. Examine your springs and cables carefully. If one is broken, it is not recommended that you try to replace it yourself, as untrained spring replacement could lead to injury. If youre in the Portland area or Vancouver, WA, Best Overhead Door offers affordable torsion spring and cable replacement.
Other non-garage-door-opener-related problems may include debris on the track, a door that is off its track or damaged rollers. Clear off any debris you discover and call a professional to replace rollers or restore rollers to the track.
Replacing Faulty Sensors And Wiring
If the indicator lights at the sensors arent working, you may have faulty wiring that needs to be replaced. Heres how to tell if the wiring is faulty:
Step One
Start by raising the garage door with your controller. Use a ladder to remove the cover from the garage door opener. Its normally up in the ceiling on the garage door track.
Step Two
Unplug the garage door opener power cord from the power outlet. Remove the removable cover from the opener. You should be able to see the terminals where the low voltage wiring where sensors land. If the wires are loose, tighten them down. You may need to use a screwdriver to tighten the terminals.
Step Three
Plug the power outlet back in. If the sensor lights dont come on, the wiring itself may be faulty. Even faulty low voltage wiring can be dangerous. If the live wire touches a dry piece of wood or insulation, the wire could cause a fire. If a child or pet touches the live wire, they can be severely shocked.
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The Track Is Not Aligned Properly
If your garage door track is out of alignment, it can be a serious issue. The metal track your door runs on needs to be aligned properly in order for your door to move. If you see gaps between the rollers and rail, or bends in the rails themselves, you have a problem. The heavy weight of the door can compound these issues and make them worse until it becomes dangerous to operate your door.
If the track is misaligned, but the door still moves, there are a few things you can do to attempt to remedy the issue on your own. Youll know that its misaligned if you hear a rubbing noise when the garage door reaches a certain spot on the tracks each time it opens and closes. Sometimes the door may even slow down slightly when it hits this spot.
To realign the track, first loosen the screws that hold the track to the frame. Then, gently tap the track with a rubber mallet to move it back into the proper position. Use a level to ensure its perfectly straight. Once you have the alignment correct, tighten the screws securely to ensure the track wont move and cause more issues when opening your garage door. Youll need to repeat this same process on the other tracks as well, as these may also be out of alignment.
Remote Control Not Responding
If pressing the button on your garage door’s remote control doesn’t work, check the batteries first. Simple but true, the remote transmitter needs power to send a signal to your opener. If batteries aren’t the issue, be sure you’re pressing the button within range of the opener. Try turning into your driveway before pressing the button. If fresh batteries nor a closer range solve your issue, try reprogramming the remote by following the instructions in your opener’s manual.
If your garage door opener’s remote isn’t working, try fresh batteries, a closer range or reprogramming the remote.
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Contact Door Systems To Have The Experts Diagnose The Problem
If these tips dont work for you, it may be time to call an expert. In Lees Summit, MO and the surrounding areas, that means one thingyou should call Door Systems, Inc. Locally owned and operated since 1970, the professionals at Door Systems have the knowledge and experience to quickly diagnose the problem and handle any needed repairs. Give us a call today for a free estimate from the garage door experts you can trust!
Signs To Look For After A Storm:
One very vulnerable item is the electric garage door opener. After a lightning storm, there are three signs to look for to determine if a garage door opener was damaged by lightning.
- The opener acts haphazardly. It may open suddenly without a person pushing the button or it may stop half-way open. The electrical circuits can be harmed by a power surge from a nearby lightning strike.
- Remote controls and/or keypads stop working. The circuits that detect the remote signals could be damaged. Change the batteries in case those happened to die out at the same time. If new batteries do not help, its most likely the result of a lightning power surge.
- Lights on the unit are acting up or will not turn on. Most units have a light on the back of the opener that flashes if there is an object in the way of the door or other issues. If that light is flashing for no reason, there is probably damage.
Most homeowners do not think of protecting the opener with a surge protector. Most units are attached to a ceiling so it is tricky to add a surge protector. But, it can save a homeowner hundreds for replacement dollars.
If you suspect that your garage door opener may have been affected by a thunderstorm or lightning, give us a call. Circuit boards can run about $100 per board, which is not cheap! But it’s less expensive than replacing the entire unit.
Give John a call at 864-506-6735 if you suspect that you need a new circuit board.
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