Professional garage door technicians face various garage door issues every day, and still, get caught by surprise in some garage door malfunction cases. However, in most cases of garage door malfunction, the issue is usually something very common that happens to other homeowners frequently. Some of these issues can be resolved easily, while others may require an experienced professional repair company
The only way to know whether you should attempt to repair the garage door alone or call in a professional is to know exactly what’s wrong with your garage door. We spoke to the experts at Radford Doors & Gates and in this article, we are going to list some of the most common issues that they have come across over the years.
Table of Contents
The Most Common Garage Door Malfunction Reasons:
1. Power source disruption
2. Photo Eye Blocked
3. Remote Control is Malfunctioning
4. You Need to Adjust the Sensitivity
5. The Door Was Dislodged
Power source disruption
Let’s start with a silly one. No matter how absurd, people often unplug their power source and are baffled when their garage door won’t open. So before you do anything, make sure you did not unplug the garage opener and forgot about it. Next, make sure the outlet is working and that everything is alright with the fuse box and the circuit breaker.
Photo Eye Blocked
A lot of older garage doors use a photo eye or a sensor that is able to detect whether there’s an object in the way of the garage door. When a person or an object blocks the sensor, the garage door is unable to close. In most cases, the photo eye is located around four to six inches above the ground. Make sure the photo eye is unobstructed. During severe weather conditions, the photo eye can get damaged without you noticing. The photo eye can also be obstructed by dust, dirt and grime so make sure to clean it regularly.
Remote Control Is Malfunctioning
If your garage door won’t open when using a remote, there are several things to consider.
- Make sure you are in range for the remote to work
- Make sure the antenna on the garage door opener isn’t damaged or blocked. It should be hanging down.
- Try replacing the batteries in the remote if it can still be opened via the wall switch.
- Try a factory reset on the remote.
You Need to Adjust the Sensitivity
If you’ve had an amateur install your garage door, one common issue that can occur is that sensitivity is set too high or too low. This will cause the garage door to malfunction or not open. Check the user manual to find the correct level of sensitivity. Once you’ve adjusted the sensitivity levels the issue should be resolved.
The Door Was Dislodged
If the door gets dislodged from the track, it will not open as it cannot slide. First, check if the garage door is smoothly rolling in the track. Make sure there are no obstructions, gaps or bends in the tracks. Listen to the garage door as it moves and try to detect any unusual sounds like squeaks or grunts. If you notice any, that area of the track is likely causing the issues. To fix this, try loosening the screws holding the track and gently moving it in its position.
Read Also: How to Replace a Garage Door