Try These Troubleshooting Tips Before Calling a Garage Door Technician
In life, frustrating things seem to happen all at once. Maybe you spilled your coffee on your outfit, you forgot your phone charger at home, and now your garage door opener isn’t working when all you want to do is get inside to relax.
We’ve been there. Although you can’t troubleshoot all of life’s little problems, you can troubleshoot your garage door issues. Keep reading to learn what to try when your garage door opener suddenly stops working.
Check That Your Garage Door Opener Is Plugged In
Your garage door opener is the electronic system usually mounted on the ceiling of your garage. Modern openers may be mounted on the wall of your garage.
Check that your opener is plugged into its outlet. If it isn’t plugged in, fix it and try opening your garage door again.
You can also check all the wires connected to your opener to see if any have come loose. These can come loose around the opener, around the door sensors, or around the wall-mounted button that opens and closes your garage. If you have loose wiring, leave the repair to a professional garage door technician.
Check the Red Emergency Release Cord
Your garage door system has a red emergency release cord. If this is pulled, it disengages your garage door from your opener. This allows you to manually move the door, but it also will mean your garage door opener remote won’t work.
Test the Wall-Mounted Button
Does your garage door open and close when you press the wall-mounted button in your garage? If it does, then it’s more likely an issue with your remote controller. If it still doesn’t operate properly, you will need to keep checking for various problems until you identify the solution.
Is Your Garage Door Opener In “Lock” Mode?
If the wall-mounted button isn’t working, check that your opener isn’t in “lock” mode. Your opener’s “lock” mode button is likely on the wall-mounted unit that connects to the opener mechanism.
Check Your Garage Door Opener Remote’s Batteries
Like all small electronics, including the keyfob to your car, your garage door opener remote uses batteries. If your garage door isn’t opening when you press the button on your remote, you may need new batteries. Most remotes use button cell batteries.
If you swap out your remote’s batteries, and your garage door still won’t open, then you may need to check a few other things in your garage door system.
Remove Objects From Your Sensors’ Paths
If your garage door is stuck open, you may have inadvertently placed an object in the path of your garage door sensors, which are usually located near the ground on either side of your garage door, inside your garage.
Try moving objects away from the sensors before attempting to close the door again. Even objects as small as fallen leaves can cause the sensors to prevent your door from sliding closed.
Look At Your Breaker Box
If your garage door is plugged in, make sure that you don’t have a flipped breaker in your home’s electric panel. If the breaker associated with your garage door has flipped, your garage door opener won’t receive the electricity it needs to operate. Try flipping the breaker back to the “on” position, and test your door again.
Check For Track Problems
If your garage door is getting stuck at the same place when going up or down, the tracks may be in poor condition. The tracks that guide your garage door can become bent or clogged with debris. These problems will prevent your door from opening and closing properly.
Examine the tracks for anything unusual, including dents, bends, or blockages. If you don’t see anything obviously wrong with the tracks, it is more likely that your garage door opener and its associated parts are the culprit.
What to Do When You Can’t Identify the Problem
If you’ve checked all of the parts of your garage door opener system, and nothing is resolving your issue, it may be time to call in a professional. You may need a new garage door opener installation, especially if yours is 10 years old or older.
By hiring a professional, you ensure that your garage door is properly balanced, your tracks are well-maintained, and your new garage door opener will function exactly as intended. You’ll also be eligible for the manufacturer’s warranty on your new opener.
Check that the professional garage door company you hire is licensed and insured in your area, and that they have great reviews and references from past customers.
