Faulty or Disconnected Remote Control
Most garage door systems today come with a handheld remote control to allow the homeowner to easily open or close their garage doors from the car. At the very least, a control panel is mounted on your garage wall where you can operate the doors from. Here’s what you can do to troubleshoot the issue:
- Ensure the antenna is visible and hanging from the motor, as the signal could be blocked if your antenna is damaged.
- Ensure that your garage door control panel or remote control is in working condition. Otherwise, you might have to replace the batteries with either a 3-volt lithium battery or a 12-volt battery. Once done, make sure you reset the remote before testing it again.
- Inspect the wiring on your garage door’s control panel. You can first unplug the opener and the two wires from the motor. Thereafter, reconnect the motor to power and reprogram the remote controls. Test its functionality again with a remote control.
Broken Tension Springs
One of the most common reasons for your garage door not being able to open is a broken tension spring. Tension springs are used to hold the weight of the garage and suspend it when the doors are open. Overtime, usage may wear on the tension springs, causing it to loosen and snap. Rust due to weather conditions like frequent precipitation could also result in the tension springs to break. In such cases, you might need to get the broken spring repaired.
Here are some ways to tell if your garage door’s tension springs are broken:
- Loud cracking sounds can be heard from within your garage
- The motor runs, but the door does not budge
- The door makes straining noises when you attempt to open or close it
- The garage door feels unusually heavy if you try to manually open or close it
Photo Eye Issues
The safety sensor of your garage door, known as the photo eye, may be the component that is causing your garage door to malfunction when in use. It’s important that you regularly clean the lens of the sensor and get rid of dust or cobwebs to ensure that it can accurately detect obstructions in the way of the garage door.
It’s also possible that the two pieces in the photo eye are misaligned. Inspect it closely, and if you find that one piece of the eye misses the LED laser beam from the other, this means that they have fallen out of alignment. This comes with prolonged use or physical pressure being exerted on the sensor. Contact a professional to get it replaced if this is the case.
In some cases, your garage door may be faulty due to a combination of parts becoming faulty. In these cases, it might be better to have your garage door replaced professionally. An upgraded system frees you from having to deal with breakdowns for a longer period!
