When your garage door opener stops working, there could be several reasons. Many of them are easy to understand for the people who understand the garage doors and their normal functioning. But if you have never handled a garage door before, identifying the causes is not less than a mystery. It could be anything hidden between the door tracks or some pest living inside the garage. Yes, a critter can also be a cause of your inconvenience with garage doors.
If you want to be a proactive owner and want to protect yourself and your family from garage door opener emergencies, be good with preventive maintenance. A little troubleshooting can go a long way in maintaining your door's functionality and aesthetic appeal.
Imagine you wake up a morning and ready to leave for your job and the garage door openers refuse to open. Do you always need repair technicians for garage doors? Here are 4 common problems of door opener, possible causes, and some quick fixes to get you back on track.
1. Neither Wall Switch Nor Remote Operates The Door
When the garage door does not move when the remote or wall switch is pressed, the issue lies with the power source. In most cases, the motor is unplugged. It may seem pretty obvious but this happens. So the first step you should take is to check the motor wire. If you are using a remote, replace its battery.
There is always a possibility that the circuit breaker, fuse, or some part of the wire is burned out, or chewed. If you find that all of the lights in a garage are not working, this may be the cause. Check your garage for pest infestation. Or hire a professional to inspect the electrical system for any short circuit.
If the garage door opener motor is burnt, you will need to hire a garage door opener specialist.
2. Door Opener Does Not Respond
If the remote and power source is working perfectly fine but the opener does not respond to the remote, there could be some other issues. Move closer to the door. It is possible that you are away from the range of the antenna. A few feet of extra distance can also affect the operation.
At certain times the remote needs reprogramming. Get in touch with your nearest garage door expert to fix it. You can also read the instructions from the user's manual to do it on your own.
3. Garage Door Opens But Fails To Close Completely
This is one of the most annoying garage door opener problems. The door opens properly but it fails to close completely. You need to check the close-limit switch setting. This limit tells the door when to stop opening. Readjust the setting according to the instructions given in the manual and you may be able to fix it. Do check the electronic sensors of the door. Make sure nothing is blocking them.
4. The Motor Won't Stop Running
This is an unusual problem but mostly happens after a new garage door opener installation. It generally means the up-limit switch probably needs to be moved away from the motor unit.
When any of these quick fixes do not seem to work, it is best to hire a certified professional for garage door opener repair. It is also the best course of action when you have little to no experience with garage doors. The heavy garage doors can be pretty risky and may cause serious injuries. Stay safe and seek the best professional services.