Garage Doors – 3 Most Frequently Asked Troubleshooting Questions
We receive plenty of questions from homeowners in the region about their garage doors and openers. While there can be wide variety of questions, most revolve around the following three issues.
1. Why does it reverse back up instead of closing?
Most likely, the safety sensors on the garage door are out of alignment, or something is blocking the path of the garage door. The safety sensors need a clear line of sight between each other in order for the opener to travel downward. They’re usually black, and attached at the base of the tracks. Each should have a small LED light that remains lit when both sensors are properly aligned. If bumped or knocked down or out of place, they can be adjusted by hand so that they are pointing at each other again. It’s fairly common for the lenses on the safety eyes to become obscured by dirt or other debris, as well.
2. Why is the garage door so heavy?
Garage doors are generally at least 8′ wide and 7′ high. That amount of material can really tip the scales, making it the largest moving piece of machinery in your home. That’s why there are springs and a counter balance system to take all that weight, and make it manageable. Openers don’t (or shouldn’t) pull any more weight than a person would when doing that job. That being said, springs can relax over time, making things heavier. Stripped gears, which are a very common repair, are caused by this type of problem. It’s generally a good idea to do some maintenance about once a year. Have a professional check for proper spring tension, alignment, gear wear and adjust them if needed.
Then once you have the garage door, you will need to keep them safe by checking and maintaining them properly. Keep your garage doors well-oiled and clean, and above all well-balanced. Have them serviced regularly (once a year is appropriate): it won’t take long or cost much, and easily justifies itself through your increased peace of mind.
3. Why won’t it go up and Why is it stuck in the down position?
Take a look at the springs located on the wall above the garage door. There should be no break, or separation in the coils. Springs generally last for about 8 years, depending on the amount of daily usage. Again, these provide the force for balancing out all that weight. When one breaks, it can make the garage door too heavy to lift, causing it to seem stuck in place. If one of yours is broken, you’ll probably need to call a pro to fix the issue. If you’ve seen no separation in the coils, try pulling the emergency release. This will allow manual operation, without the motor. It may be that they’ve relaxed to the point that the opener can’t lift the weight anymore.
Hopefully, some of your questions have been answered.