Even though you likely use your garage door multiple times per day, you probably don’t often think about it until it stops working. Addressing unusual garage door operations and being proactive about potential repairs will let you fix minor issues before they become more serious. You can also prolong the lifespan of your system and reduce inconveniences. Keep an eye out for these common garage door problems.
1. Broken Springs
If you’re having difficulty raising and lowering your garage door, then you’re likely experiencing a problem with your garage door springs — a damaged or worn spring is among the most frequent garage door issues. These springs are the force primarily responsible for offsetting the door’s weight. Since springs have a lifespan of about 10,000 cycles, or about six to 10 years, depending on how often the door is used, these are regular but infrequent repairs.
Your garage door’s springs could become broken for the following reasons:
- Wear and tear based on the regular use of your garage door
- Rust buildup that causes friction on your metal springs
- Neglecting to maintain your garage door at least once a year
When the springs break, the occurrence is often marked by a loud banging sound, similar to a firework exploding. Afterward, you’ll find that the door is challenging to lift.
Springs are under an immense amount of weight and tension. Homeowners should never attempt to replace or repair garage door torsion or extension springs. Call a professional garage door repair company to fix your broken springs.
2. Bent or Damaged Tracks
Your garage door operates smoothly by moving up and down the tracks using rollers. When your garage door is older or damaged, the tracks can become bent. Homeowners can often determine there’s an issue with their garage door tracks if there’s a rubbing or grating noise when your door is moving.
Follow these tips to assess whether your tracks have become misaligned:
- Using gentle pressure, try to operate your door manually.
- Inspect the garage door track for dents, bends or other signs of damage.
- Turn off the automatic operation of your garage door and tighten any loose screws.
- Make an appointment with a technician to handle more complicated repairs.
If your door can still move, you can attempt to repair the issue by gently tapping the damaged part of the track with a rubber mallet to realign the metal. However, if the door becomes dislodged from its tracks, preventing the door from opening and closing properly, then you need to call a professional to evaluate your system and make repair suggestions.
3. Photo Eye Misalignment or Blockages
Garage doors installed after 1993 have photo-eye sensor safety features at the base of your garage door system. These recognize obstacles in the garage door’s path and prevent it from closing. Often, if your garage door opens easily but refuses to shut, you may have an issue with the photo-eye sensors. Check your garage door safety sensors for the following problems:
- The photo-eye sensor is dirty.
- There’s something in the garage door’s pathway.
- The two photo-eye sensors are misaligned.
- The photo-eye wiring has become damaged.
- The LED lights are flashing to indicate that the photo-eye is damaged.
4. Garage Door Opener Malfunctions
If your garage door is regularly maintained and all of the parts and hardware are in good condition, then the garage door opener could be the culprit for why your garage door won’t open or close. Problems with your garage door could range from simple remote fixes to more severe malfunctions with the machine itself.
Follow these tips to find out if your garage door opener is malfunctioning:
- Replace the batteries: Check that the garage door remote’s batteries are fresh. You can switch out the batteries by sliding the door off of the back compartment of the control. Then, stand within a few feet of your door and push the control button to test if your garage door will respond.
- Use the remote within range: If the batteries in your garage door remote are new, then make sure you’re trying to use it within the range of the machine’s receiver and that the antenna on your opener isn’t bent or damaged.
- Contact a garage door technician: From there, if the machine is still malfunctioning, then call a professional to ensure the wall-wiring is in good condition or that you don’t have a faulty garage door opener.
5. The Garage Door Limit Isn’t Set Correctly
The garage door limit is a programming mechanism that tells the opener how much it needs to move for the garage door to open or close completely. The movement is programmed to a high or low setting, depending on your garage door’s height and size. Follow these tips to find out if you need to reset the garage door limit:
- Try operating your garage door automatically.
- Check if the garage door reverses as soon as it touches the ground or the ceiling.
- Contact a professional to realign the inputs.
6. An Enabled Disconnect Switch
If your garage door doesn’t open or close, there might not be anything wrong with it or any of its parts. Instead, the motor may be disconnected. Follow these tips to reconnect the switch:
- Check that the cord to the motor switch is connected to a power source.
- Flip the switch to reconnect the motor.
- Clear any obstructions from the motor’s cord to prevent it from being pulled loose.
7. The Door Is Locked
Another simple fix may be that your door was accidentally locked, either manually or automatically — some garage door openers have a button that allows you to engage the lock setting on your door. Hold down the lock button on your remote for several seconds to fix it automatically.
You may have unintentionally locked your door manually if there’s nothing wrong with the garage door opener but the door still won’t open. Check the horizontal bar on your garage door or the sliding lock on the wall to unlock the garage door manually.
When You Need Garage Door Troubleshooting or Repair, Call Liberty Door and Awning
If you’re experiencing issues with your garage door, trust the friendly, reliable and responsive garage door specialists at Liberty Door and Awning. As the premier New Jersey garage door servicing company serving Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean Counties since 1968, we understand how inconvenient garage door malfunctions can be. We work quickly to identify the issue and make quality repairs. Our company goal is to provide the best repair and maintenance services. We offer free project estimates and personalized solutions.
Schedule your garage door repairs today by calling (732) 286-3667, or fill out our online contact form to schedule an appointment.