Frequently Asked Questions and Garage Door Troubleshooting
Here are just a few tips on how to overcome the simple problems that garage doors and openers sometimes give us. Remember, if this turns out to be a bigger problem than you anticipated, you will want to consult an expert. The garage door is the largest moving mechanism on your home. Only Certified Service Professionals should attempt to repair garage doors and garage door openers.
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If the garage door is not working, that can create major problems. There is nothing worse than not being able to get out of your garage on a Monday morning to go to work. Routine maintenance is more important now than ever since the garage door has truly become the new front door. Here are a few tips to help you get your garage door working again.
This can be a very frustrating process, but it is usually an easy fix. Follow the steps on the image link to the left or consult the owner’s manual from your vehicle. Not all vehicles are compatible with garage door openers.
Most modern garage door openers have Infrared Safety Beams (or ISB’s). Since 1993, these have been required as a safety feature by the government as a safety measure. These little square boxes at the bottom of your garage door must be aligned in order for your door to close. Check to be sure that nothing is blocking the sensors, and try loosening the wing nuts to adjust them. Sweep the area around the sensors and make sure that nothing on the door or tracks might be obstructing the path of the beam. Both safety sensors should be lit up a solid color, not flickering or off. If both lights are lit up on either side, your opener might need to have its’ force settings or travel limits adjusted on the unit. This is something that a professional should perform. Routine maintenance can help prevent sensors from coming misaligned due to vibration and loose tracks or hardware on the garage door.
See if all the opener’s remotes, both in the house and with the cars, are not working. Sometimes it simply is worn-out batteries. If multiple remotes are bad at the same time, you likely have a more serious problem with the garage door opener itself.
The Door Reaches the Bottom but Goes Right Back Up.
The door’s limit switch needs to be fixed and adjusted. Either that, or the Infrared Safety Beams need adjustment. Either of these will likely require professional service. If the door hits the ground with force, it will eventually damage the garage door and the opener beyond repair.
There’s a Beeping in My Garage.
First, check to make sure that it’s not the battery backup from your Verizon Fios Box, or other accessory mounted in the garage such as an alarm system. Most customers never know they have a battery backup on their cable box or alarm system until it starts beeping. Most Elite Series garage door openers now come with a battery backup system. There’s a 4 inch by 4 inch version of a typical car battery in these openers. If this battery has gone bad, your garage door opener will continue to work without it, but not if the opener loses power. You can replace the battery yourself, but it is recommended to schedule service since these batteries go out at about during the regular intervals that we suggest maintenance.
The Garage Door Won’t Open.
You probably have old or broken springs that need to be replaced. One way to determine this to attempt to open the door manually and see if the door holds up by itself. If not, then your springs need replacement or adjustment. If the door won’t open by hand or is extremely heavy when not attached to the garage door opener, then the garage door needs to be looked at.
Garage Door Opens by Itself.
Oftentimes, there is a stuck button on one of the remotes. Jiggle the remotes around a bit to see if the button will become unstuck. Other times, the batteries have gotten old and you will have to determine which remote has the old batteries. There may also be interference, or the remotes themselves might need to be re-coded to the opener.
No Power or Response from Garage Door Opener.
The easiest way to check this problem, is to plug in an appliance (hair drier, lamp, battery charger) to the outlet that the garage door is plugged into to be sure that the outlet itself is functioning properly. Depending on the system of opener you have, it might either be activated through wiring, light switches, and/or internal battery backup systems. If powered by wiring or an outlet, check to see if there is any faulty or burned wires, or if maybe a breaker has been blown. Also check to make sure that your garage door opener is not connected to a light switch. Some outlets are on the same circuit as a light switch, and that switch may simply be turned off. Never work on electrical wiring without proper training. If you don’t know how to fix it, consult a professional.
The Opener Makes a Lot of Noise.
This could indicate some loose parts in your opener or the simple fact that your opener and springs need some lubrication or adjustments. There are countless adjustments that can be made by professionals in order to lessen the loudness of your garage door opener. Many times the garage door can actually need professional level adjustments in order to allow the garage door opener to function better as well.
Light is Not Working.
Check to make sure the bulb has not blown out. If you try that and it fails to light up, then there might be an issue with the logic board or light socket within the opener. Some openers also have an actual light button on the wall console. Check to make sure that your wall control is functioning properly as well.
The Door is Noisy.
Check to make sure that no parts appear to be worn, and that there are no loose parts or hardware on the door itself. Fine tuning by a professional might be required to ensure that all of the garage door and opener parts are operating properly.
Still Can’t Quite Figure it Out?
These are just a few things that can help to diagnose the most common problems with garage doors. Make sure that you consult a local Certified Service Professionals when any of these situations arise. If you are unsure of what you are doing, never attempt to work on a garage door or any of it’s components. Local professionals are more than happy to take care of any of your garage door or garage door opener problems and questions.