Garage Door Troubleshooting: The Definitive Guide
You also need to carefully maintain your garage door and its opener over the years to keep them functioning at an optimal level. A properly working garage door is essential to your familys safety and security.
As a San Diego company experienced with all things garage doors, including garage door repair, garage door opener repair, garage door spring repair and general garage door service we can tell you that if you are garage door troubleshooting because of issues with your door or opener, the culprit is likely one of these common problems:
How To Fix Your Manual Garage Door
Theres nothing more infuriating than struggling to open your manual garage door or having difficulty closing it. Not only does it make accessing your belongings inside difficult, but if it wont close properly, it also poses a security risk. With these tips, you can identify some of the common problems that cause issues with manual garage doors and how to fix them. If you need further advice on how to operate your garage door, get in touch with our friendly team and well be happy to help.
Confirm The Photo Eyes Are Clean And Facing The Right Direction
On either side of modern garage doors, youll find two photo eyes. They transmit an invisible beam that, when broken, interrupts the movement of your garage door. The problem could be that they have become misaligned, blocked by a foreign object, or just dirty. In any case, the invisible beam could unintentionally be broken.
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Eye Is Out Of Alignment
The photo eye is the safety sensor on the garage door. Its job is to detect a person or object in the way of the door. If you hear a clicking noise and see a light flash from the garage door opener, there may be an issue with the photo eye.
Since photo eyes are sensitive, there are several reasons why the photo eye could be out of alignment. Try these remedies for realigning photo eyes:
Check Your Garage Door Remotes Batteries
If the garage door opener isnt the issue and your garage still wont open, you may want to check the remote batteries. While they typically do last a good while, they will eventually run out of juice and need to be replaced. When the batteries to your garage door opener remote die, it makes it almost impossible to open the garage door from the comfort of your vehicle.
Thankfully, it is a fairly easy fix to replace the battery. Simply follow the instructions for the remote and make sure you buy the right replacement. If you are unsure of how to go about the change, you can bring it into your nearest battery store and they can help you install one.
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Make Sure The Photo Eyes Are Not Blocked
- Move larger obstructions out of the way: There are two lenses. One of the lenses acts as a transmitter. It sends a beam to the other lens, which acts as a receiver. This second receiver reads the beam, but if something is in the way, the garage door wont be able to respond.
- Inspect the LED lights on both sides of the sensor: Check to see if one of the LED lights happens to either be flickering or is completely off. If you notice either of these things, the photo eye lens is more than likely faulty. Try and manually re-position the lens to see if it comes back on.
- See if the lenses need to be realigned: Over time, the photo eye lenses on your garage door opener can get bumped into, causing them to become misaligned. What youll want to do is equip yourself with a level. Now measure them and ensure that both of the lenses are positioned at the same height.
- Inspect the wiring connecting the sensors: Look and make sure the cord that connects the sensor isnt disconnected or damaged. Bad weather, water damage, rips, pesky animals, and overuse can cause these wires to become faulty.
Tension Springs Or Cables Are Broken
Your tension springs and cables help your garage door safely reach the ground. If your springs or cables are broken, your door wont close. If your door does close, it will crash on the ground.
This issue is extremely dangerous. If you suspect the problem is in your springs or cables, call a garage door repair service immediately.
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Transmitter Or Garage Door Opener Issues
Do you notice the issue occurs when you use your garage door opener? Try closing the garage door with your opener remote first. Then, try closing the garage door with the button inside the garage.
If the garage door closes with the button but not the opener, then your opener, or your transmitter, isnt working.
Common transmitter issues include being too far away and your neighbors transmitters interfering. You may also need transmitter repair or a new garage door opener. Its best to consult with an expert first.
The Transmitter Batteries Are Dead
This may sound obvious, but your garage door transmitters need power to work. If the batteries in your transmitter are dead, the transmitter wont be able to send a signal to your garage door to open.
First, check to see if the transmitter on the wall inside your garage still opens your garage door when pressed. If it does, then the transmitter in your car likely just needs a simple battery replacement. If you have more than one car transmitter for your garage door, then your other transmitters will likely need new batteries soon as well, since they were probably installed around the same time.
Changing the battery on your garage door transmitter is pretty simple. On most, you can simply slide the door open on the back of the transmitter and remove the battery. Others may be screwed in to keep the battery more secure, so this type of transmitter will require a screwdriver to open.
After removing the old batteries, make sure the plus and minus signs line up with the plus and minus signs on the inside of the transmitter. Otherwise, the new battery wont work in the transmitter, and it could give you a false sign that something else may be wrong. Once the battery is in place, test the transmitter, and if it works, replace the transmitter door.
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The Garage Door Is Locked
If your garage door has a locking mechanism, verify that it isnt engaged.
Some garage door openers have a lock mode that is activated when you hold down the open/close button on the keypad for several seconds. When the lock mode is engaged, simply pressing on the button wont do anything you need to hold down the button again in order to unlock the door.
Other types of garage doors have manual locks that are opened and closed with handles placed on the outside of the garage door. These doors may become locked if someone unintentionally pushes on the handle. Simply turn the handle to unlock the door when this happens.
How To Reconnect An Opener Without An Automatic Trolley:
If you tried connecting the garage door automatically and it did not work, you might not have an automatic trolley on your garage door opener. In this case, youll have to connect the arm of your garage door to the trolley manually. You can also use this method to reconnect the garage door to the opener before the power returns.
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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.
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.
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The Door Track Is Misaligned
When it comes to the workings of a garage door system, the operating mechanisms activate the door, and the cables lift and lower it physically while the springs manage the tension. However, none of these actions could possibly remain centered along the garage doorway and ceiling if not for the metal tracks that keep the door in line. Therefore, the tracks that guide the door must be straight and even on both sides.
If either track becomes slightly ajar, it can slow the movement of the door. As time goes on, the problem is liable to get worse. For instance, a bend at any point along one side is bound to pull on the door, which, in turn, will put pressure on the other side and effectively duplicate the problem on the mirroring track.
Pressure and natural wear and tear can cause misaligned door tracks. Always call a service to get these tracks replaced and get your garage door working again.
If one or both tracks is bent, you might hear a squeaking sound as the rollers pass the affected area. The movement of the door might slow just slightly as it passes this spot. A problem like this can grow out of hand as the months wear on, and the weight of the door causes further stress. If you know or even sense that your door tracks have lost their alignment, call a service specialist immediately.
Reasons Why Your Garage Door Wont Close
Anticipating garage door repair is intimidating. The costs are high and theres no telling when you can use your garage door again. Fortunately, some common garage door repair symptoms can mean minor issues.
Do you notice your garage door wont closeor wont close all the way? While these issues may seem severe, theyre common. A garage door that wont shut could be the ticket to needing garage door repair. Or, youll only require a simple maintenance service.
Regardless of what you need, never ignore these common signs. Here are 10 reasons why your garage door isnt closing all the way. Always call a garage door service when you experience these symptoms.
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Malfunctioning Garage Door Opener Contact Banko Overhead Doors Today
If youre a homeowner located throughout the Tampa Bay area or its surrounding counties looking for the best and most knowledgeable garage door repair professionals, then contact the experts at Banko Overhead Doors today. We have more than 35 years of garage door repair, maintenance and installation experience, and we strive to always provide comprehensive services performed by highly trained, full-time technicians using only the finest tools and equipment available.
Learn more about our garage door repair services today by calling us at 844.707.9868 or completing our online contact form. We also invite you to explore our wide selection of residential garage door opener products, featuring the latest technological advancements to add convenience and ease to your daily activity.
Garage Door Reverses Before Hitting The Floor
The Spruce / Ana Cadena
Two possible problems can lead to a garage door reversing before it even touches the floor:
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Dead Batteries In The Transmitter
While this might sound like an obvious issue, the truth is, most people do not think about testing or replacing their transmitter batteries until they become unusable. If your garage wont open with the remote, the first thing you should check is the batteries.
You can easily test your transmitter batteries by testing each device to see if the door will open or close. Test the wall mounted remote in the garage first and then each transmitter device to confirm which ones work and which ones do not. Replace the old batteries with new ones in the remotes that do not open or close the overhead door.
What To Do When Your Garage Door Wont Open Or Close
It can be very aggravating to try and figure out what is causing your garage door to not open or close effectively. It is very important to have a properly working garage door for several reasons. There are multiple causes as to why your garage door may not be working that Hunter Doors can happily fix! Understanding what may be causing these issues is a great start to getting your garage door repaired correctly. Below we will discuss common problems and solutions to ensure that your garage door is working as it should.
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Assess The Door Opener
After checking the battery, the lock, and remote, the next step is to check the garage door opener. Though openers function in the same manner, they do have nuances in style depending on your brand of choice.
For the best solutions, it would help consult your owners manual. If you cannot find the physical book, you can download one from the official website of the garage opener manufacturer. If that is still a bust, you can follow these other steps:
Can I Use A Patio Heater In My Garage
Patio heaters are designed to be used outdoors. The propane gas is flammable and it is never a good idea to use it indoors. If you use the patio heater in the garage with the doors closed, the emissions of these gases can be fatal. Patio heaters are regulated for outdoor use only so they should never be used inside.
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Your Photo Eye Is Out Of Alignment
You may remember a time as a kid when you and your siblings would close the garage door and run underneath it as fast as possible to make it out before the door closed. Well, on any garage door installed after 1993, thats no longer possible thanks to two tiny photo eyes on either side of the garage entrance. These photo eyes transmit an invisible beam between each other that detects if anything is in the garage doors path when it closes. This safety measure is there to prevent automatic garage doors from closing on top of someone or something and causing serious injury or damage to property.
If you notice that the garage door opens normally but doesnt make any attempt to close when the remote is pressed, the first thing youll want to do is visually inspect the photo eyes. Over time, these eyes can get dirty, causing the light from the beam to be blocked. They also can eventually become misaligned, causing the eyes to not match up on both sides.
When cleaning the photo eye, you should take care not to scratch or damage the eye since its made of glass, similar to that of a camera lens. The photo eye itself is pretty small, only a few centimeters in diameter, but it can get dirty rather easily. To clean it, youll need a soft cloth and a mild, streak-free cleaner. Gently wipe away any dirt or residue that has built up on the eye and be careful not to oversaturate as excessive wetness can cause dirt to stick to the eye more quickly.