Having a malfunctioning garage door can be a frustrating experience. In some cases when this happens, it is not always clear what the fault is so that you can fix it and get on with your life. Fortunately, there are many ways to find out what is wrong with your garage door or its opener and the solutions you need to fix the problem.
In most cases, you will need to engage the services of a professional garage door service to detect and fix the problem, but this article contains some of the common garage door problems, making it easy for you to take a first look before bringing in the big guns.
Problem with the photo-eye
In recent years, modern garage doors come with a photo eye that detects when there is something blocking the door from lowering down. This photo eye is what prevents the garage door from lowering and crushing the hood of your car, should it stall halfway in or closing down on any little child or pet that happens to be under the garage door.
The photo-eye is usually about 6 inches off the ground, high enough to detect the presence of a small child, and shoots a laser across the length of the opening that if interrupted will cut of the signal so that the door stops closing.
If your garage door refuses to close all the way, the first thing to check is the photo-eye. A damaged or blocked photo-eye will cause your garage door to malfunction so that it does not close all the way down. In most cases, simply cleaning the device with a tissue will solve the issue.
Misaligned track
A misaligned garage door track can be a serious issue. If the metal track that your garage door runs on is out of alignment, it causes affect the smooth operation of your garage door so that it does not move properly. Common signs of garage door track problems include gaps in the rollers and rails, bent rails, or broken rollers and rails. The heavyweight of a garage door can also worsen the situation so that it becomes dangerous to operate your garage door.
If your garage door track is misaligned but still moves, there are a few things you can do to correct the situation on your own without calling in an expert. For example, you can attempt to move the track back into position by first losing the screws that hold it on to the frame, using a rubber mallet to tap it back into position, and screwing it down again. Be sure to get the level straight so that you don’t experience problems with opening and closing. It is also a good idea to repeat the same thing on the other track so that both are in their proper position.
If your garage door track is misaligned to the point that the door refuses to move, then it is time to call in the garage door experts. An expert will safely and professionally repair the bad track or suggest a complete replacement.
There is a problem with your garage door remote
The problem with your garage door remote will definitely affect the operation of your garage door, and if your garage door totally refuses to bulge, this is probably the first place to check.
Common remote related problems include:
- Out of range
- Bad motor antenna
- Dead remote battery
- Corrupt programming.
For these problems, first check that you are actually within the right range to use the remote control, verify that the antenna on the garage door motor is intact and hanging down in the proper position, and replace dead batteries. If all the above fails to fix the problem, you can go ahead to reprogram your garage door remote control.
Bad or broken torsion springs
Bad or broken torsion springs will definitely cause your garage door to malfunction. Bad torsion springs will give signs that cannot be mistaken. For example, your garage door will make creaking and groaning sounds when it is opening or closing, alerting you to the fact that your torsion springs will soon go.
When the torsion springs actually do go, the sound is usually a loud firecracker like sound that cannot be mistaken. At this point, it is very dangerous to operate the garage door as it can lead to injuries.
Torsion springs in garage doors are built to withstand a number of cycles after which they become prone to damage. In fact, torsion spring replacements are the number one source of calls for garage door repair companies. If the torsion springs on your garage door get broken, never attempt to fix it by yourself. This is one aspect that must be left to the able hands of a trained garage door repair.
Disconnect switch was enabled
If you activate your garage door and hear the motor running for the full amount of time without the door responding, chances are the disconnect switch has been enabled.
Every garage door comes with a disconnect switch which is used to disable the automatic doors in case of a power outage so that the doors can be opened manually. This switch is usually in the form of a pull rope or knob, and it may have been enabled by a family member in your absence.
If this is the case, you will need to disable the manual function via the disconnect switch so that you can use your transmitter to operate your door again.
