Your garage door not working could be more than an inconvenience. Depending on the reason behind the malfunction, it could be a dangerous situation. You should be aware of the possible reasons behind a garage door not working and how to get an idea of what’s causing the problem.
1. Dead Batteries
The transmitter or remote may have dead batteries. You should follow the manufacturer’s instructions on battery replacement. Only use approved brands of batteries. After confirming that the remote control isn’t the problem, you should press the transmitter inside your garage to see if it opens the door. This will let you know if you need to try changing the car transmitter’s batteries or the wall’s. Check the owner’s manual to know how to change the batteries.
2. Blocked, Dirty or Damaged Photo Eye
Your door’s photo eye might be blocked or damaged when it doesn’t open. The photo eye detects when there is a person or an object in the way of the door for safety purposes. If its cord is cut or damaged, then you’ll need to schedule a repair. The photo eye could also be dirty or out of alignment, which would interfere with accurate sensing. This may result in the door refusing to either open or close. An insect nest on the sensor could also cause issues with the door functioning correctly.
You can clean the photo eye with a soft cloth and a mild, streak-free cleaner. Be careful to not scratch it because it’s sensitive to damage. As for alignment issues, you can check with a level. They should point in the same direction at the same angle.
3. Worn or Broken Torsion Spring
Your door has one or two springs. When one or both of the springs are damaged, the door will struggle to open. A broken garage door spring is dangerous, so you should promptly schedule a repair. If you hear a loud sound when you attempt to open or close the door, then this usually means that a spring is broken. Don’t try to open or close the door when you suspect a spring is damaged. You’ll need to wait on it to be repaired.
4. Snapped Cable
Snapped door cables are also dangerous, so you need to immediately schedule a service call in this situation. When the door cables are snapped, your vehicle or wall could become damaged as well. The cables usually snap when a spring breaks.
One warning sign that a cable is snapped is the garage door closing too quickly. This fast closing could injure someone or a pet who gets underneath it. Another problem is the force of the closure could damage your car and anything else in the garage. Cables can fly out of the structure when they snap, which is another risk of injury and damage. You must avoid using the door until it’s fixed.
5. Misaligned Sensitivity
This issue is more common after a garage door installation. If you just got a new garage door, then its sensitivity might have been set too high or low. You can check the owner’s manual for instructions on how to check and align the sensitivity.
6. Broken Remote
Dead batteries in the remote aren’t the only possible problem you could experience with it. Sometimes, a component in the remote, such as the motor’s antenna, is faulty.
7. Misaligned Limit Setting
If your garage door pops open after closing, then it may have a misaligned limit setting. You can check your owner’s manual for instructions on how to adjust it. The limit setting might require a few tweaks before you find the sweet spot.
8. Unhooked Disconnect Switch
Your garage door opener has a disconnect switch to allow you to manually open the door during a power outage. If the disconnect switch has become unhooked, then the door won’t open. You are able to rehook it on your own, following your user manual’s instructions. A sign that you have an unhooked disconnect switch is the sound of the door opener running yet no movement of the door.
9. Blocked Track
If debris has gotten into the door track, then this will cause issues with proper opening and closing of the door. You can examine the track for obstructions or damage. Even dirt in the track can cause problems. If it’s dirty, you can wipe it clean with a dry cloth. The door may start to open, then reverse when there’s an obstacle in the track.
10. Misaligned Track
It’s possible for the door track to become misaligned. Opening and closing the door is dangerous when the track is out of alignment. When you inspect the track, watch for bends and gaps. A professional garage door repair company will need to fix this issue.
Sometimes, it’s a simple, easy-to-fix reason behind your garage door not working. Other times, you need to call a professional who has the necessary training to safely repair your garage door.
