Trouble with your garage door opener? Garage door troubleshooting can seem intimidating, however, there are often simple solutions you can try to fix a broken garage door. When attempting to diagnose and repair a garage door, safety is of utmost importance. You’ll need to think of and prepare for possible scenarios that may cause injury to a person or pet, or damage property.
Some common garage door opener problems are:
The Photo Eye Is Blocked
One of the safety features on an automatic garage door is the photo eye. It has a sensor designed to detect any obstructions and will prevent the door from closing to eliminate the possibility of damage or injury. If the photo eye is blocked, the garage door will not close.
Solution:
- Step 1: Check to see if the garage doorway is free from any possible obstruction.
- Step 2: Examine the photo eye sensors to ensure that the LED light is on. If only one of them is lit, it may mean that the other one may have been moved unintentionally. Adjust the sensor with your hand.
- Step 3: Also check to see that the sensors are at the appropriate height (6 inches above the ground) and adjust accordingly if they are not.
- Step 4: If there is still an issue with the garage door, check the wiring that leads to the photo eyes to make sure that nothing is twisted. If the garage door still does not work properly, contact a garage door opener repair company for further assistance.
Power Source Disrupted
If your garage door does not respond to the remote or the wall-mounted switch, it could be a problem with the power source. To fix:
- Step 1: The first thing you should do is to check whether the cord is plugged in completely.
- Step 2: Another reason why the garage door not responding could be because there could be something wrong with the outlet itself. Plug in a different electric appliance to see whether it works when turned on. If it does, then you know there is an issue with the wiring. If the appliance doesn’t turn on, then you will know that the outlet itself is faulty.
Garage Torsion Springs Are Broken
Opening a garage door requires a lot of force. The garage torsion spring is what lifts your garage door. Since garage doors typically weigh anywhere between 150 to 250 pounds, the torsion springs endure a lot of tension and experience wear and tear over time. In fact, this is one of the most common garage door repairs. Torsion springs typically last between 3 to 5 years.
A sign that your garage door’s torsion spring is broken is if the garage door opener doesn’t open the door, or if the door doesn’t hold in position when you manually raise it.
Solution: Inspect the torsion spring to see if it is broken. If it is, find an expert to replace it.
Garage Remote Control Not Working
Your garage door opener is not working could be due to a number of reasons. So the best thing to do is eliminate the possibilities one by one.
Solution:
- Step 1: Use the control panel on the wall to open the garage door. If it opens, then you know that the problem is quite likely dead batteries. Garage door remote batteries last an average of two years. So if it’s getting close to that time, try replacing the batteries.
- Step 2: If your remote is still not working after you replace the batteries the remote signal may have been disrupted. Make sure that your remote is within range. Stand within 20 feet of your garage door and then press the remote. If the remote still does not work, the problem could be debris buildup on the antenna or a damaged antenna.
- Step 3: If the antenna appears to be damaged then you’ll need to call a professional to inspect it. Another possibility is that the lock button is on. This is sometimes accidentally pressed and will prevent the garage door from opening.
If the problem persists, contact an expert who knows how to fix a garage door opener.
Snapped or Loose Cables
Garage doors relying on cables to open and close. So when cables become broken or loose, it interferes with the performance of the garage door. Because springs are under a lot of tension due to the weight of garage doors, it’s not uncommon for them to snap or become loose over time.
Solution:
Sometimes cables break or become loose due to human error, so it is important to make sure you are operating your garage door appropriately to prevent damage and promote safety.
Garage door cables are designed to withstand a substantial amount of force. One of the common reasons why cables break is the friction against metal parts or corrosion. Hire a professional to troubleshoot.
Sensitivity Needs Adjustment
Your garage door has a feature that allows you to adjust the force used to open or close the door. It is a safety feature and if anything obstructs the path of the garage door, it will not close. The sensitivity needs to be adjusted if you find that your garage door exerts too much or too little force as it closes.
To adjust the sensitivity, you should:
- Step 1: The first thing you should do is disconnect the power source.
- Step 2: Look for the sensitivity adjustment screw. It will show you which way to turn the screw to increase or decrease the force used to close the garage door.
- Step 3: Make sure you are adjusting the sensitivity screws and not the limit adjustment screws. Note the sensitivity screws are smaller than the limit adjustment screws.
The Limit Setting Is Off
The limit switches on your garage door control the garage door opener and tell it when to stop. If the limit switches have been incorrectly programmed, it will result in your garage door failing to open or close completely. If this is the case, try fixing the problem by resetting the limit switches.
Solution:
- Step 1: Measure the distance from the top of the garage door opening to the bottom in inches.
- Step 2: Then, using a ladder, reach the limit switch adjustment screw located on the side of the garage door opener.
- Step 3: Use a flathead screwdriver to adjust the setting clockwise. For every 3 inches, turn the screw clockwise one full turn.
- Step 4: If the door is not closing all the way, measure the distance from where it stops to the bottom in inches.
- Step 5: Use the flathead screwdriver to adjust the limit switch anticlockwise. For every 3 inches you need, adjust the garage door opener one full turn.
The Door Has Dislodged from Its Track
Solution:
- Step 1: Disconnect the opener by looking for the rope that connects the opener to the door. This will allow you to operate the garage door manually.
- Step 2: Open the garage door remembering to exercise care.
- Step 3: Find the jamming wheels and check to see if they are coming off the track. It may be difficult to locate them so you may need to close the door and open it again to see them.
- Step 4: When you see the jamming wheels, stop the tracks by using the locking pliers. Once the tracks are well secured by the lock pliers, reach for the outer edge of the tracks, get a pair of pliers and tag on it. This should provide enough room to put the wheels back on track.
- Step 5: Once this is done, test the door manually to see whether it is working properly and well-balanced. Then try using the opener.
Something Is Blocking the Garage Door
Solution:
- Step 1: Look to see if there are any objects like toys or tools that are obstructing the path.
- Step 2: If there is nothing in the path in the garage door, there could be a buildup of dirt or debris on the tracks. Using a damp cloth, wipe each track to wipe away anything that may be in the way.
“Disconnect” Has Been Switched On
One of the features of your garage door opener is the disconnect switch which can be handy if you lose power.
Solution:
It could be because the disconnection switch has been enabled. The switch is fastened to the rope and you can tag on it to easily open and close your garage door manually. Open the garage door all the way manually. Then connect to close the garage door and open it.
The Garage Door Is Locked
If you find yourself locked out of your garage, try a manual release.
Solution: A power outage may prevent your remote garage opener from working.
- Step 1: Use the manual release device to close the garage door manually. Then disconnect the garage door opener from its power source.
- Step 2: Disconnect the garage door from the trolly so you can open the door manually. Then open the garage door until it is fully open.
- Step 3: Once you have done this, try to close the garage door manually. Do this until you can determine why the opener is not working.
Why Is My Garage Door Not Opening Completely?
The likely cause of incomplete opening is the up-limit switch. The switch is usually a touch-lever mounted near the end of the track close to the motor unit, and needs to be moved closer to the motor. The close-limit switch is a safety measure that keeps people from being hit and having the door close on them. Usually, a screw feature on the motor unit will have to be adjusted to determine how far the door descends.
Sometimes, your safety sensors might be the issue. If there is anything blocking the sightline, or the clear line of view near the bottom of the door track, or if the brackets are not aligned, the door may be prone to stopping or reversing. Ensure nothing is blocking the electronic sensors or that the brackets are not loosened and therefore unaligned when the door is closing or opening.
Reliable Garage Door Motor Repair
There are a number of issues with your garage door which might indicate faulty or broken motors. Fortunately, no matter what the problem is, Fix It Right Garage Doors offers effective garage door repairs in the Toronto area, so you can call us anytime for a number of repair services and fair prices. If you believe any of the following is wrong with your garage door, give us a call anytime. We are always happy to provide you with a free consultation. Book your garage door motor repair today!
