Many reasons can make garage doors suddenly stop working. While some are common and easily diagnosable, others are unexpected and out of the norm. Either way, there are no garage door-related problems that professional garage door technicians can’t handle. They have the expertise and know-how to handle any issues related to garage door springs, disrupted power sources, blocked photo-eye, and many more. This article will discuss in detail some of these problems to help you identify what could be the likely cause for your garage door not working. Read on to learn more.
#1: Broken Springs
A broken spring is the leading cause of many inoperable garage doors. A typical garage door will have at least two springs that aid the door’s opener in lifting the heavy door. Springs are built to last a specific number of life cycles (approximately 10,000 cycles) before needing replacement. However, it’s hard not to know spring has broken as they do so with a loud bang that will be heard even by your neighbors. Call a professional immediately if you suspect spring has broken. Never try to fix it yourself, as it can be dangerous.
#2: Power Disruptions
Power problems are another prevalent cause of suddenly inoperable garage doors and are often hard for many people to figure out. When attempting to diagnose power problems, the first natural thing is to check if the garage door opener is plugged into a working power source. You can confirm that the outlet is working by plugging in a different electronic device to rule out a power issue. Remember also to check your circuit breaker and switch.
#3: Remote Control Problems
Your remote control could also be the culprit. Many things can cause remote control problems. The first thing to do is ensure that you’re within its operational range. Next is checking that the motor’s antenna is not blocked from the signal. If the door opens when the wall switch is used, try changing your remote control’s batteries or reprogramming it.
#4: Snapped Cables
Sometimes cables become disengaged or snap, rendering the garage door inoperable or causing erratic opening and closing. This can be pretty dangerous, and you should ensure the garage door isn’t in use and no vehicles are parked in it. Snapped cables often result from broken torsion springs due to much of the tension being transferred to them. Call a professional immediately and ensure your family and pets are away from the garage area until it’s fixed.
#5: Photo Eye Issues
As a safety measure, each side of your garage door entrance should have two tiny photo eyes that detect objects within its path as it closes. A typical indicator of photo-eye problems will manifest with your garage door not closing upon pressing the remote control. The first thing to do is to visually inspect them for signs of dirt and dust that could have clogged the eyes and wipe them gently with a tissue. They could also be misaligned with time causing them not to match up and malfunction. Ensure they point in the same direction and angle.
#6: Misaligned Track
A misaligned door track can also cause your garage door to stop working or make it dangerous to operate suddenly. You’ll know the track is misaligned if you hear some rubbing sounds or if it slows down at a particular point. You can align the track yourself by unscrewing it from the frame and using a rubber mallet and a level to put it back in place. A professional will be able to advise if you need a new track.
#7: Wrong Limit Settings
Limit settings are common problems with newly installed garage doors and old ones that need to be reset. If your garage door limit settings are improper, you may find your garage door closing but immediately returning. This happens because the opener is misguided by the settings that it hadn’t closed all the way, and the garage door floor is mistaken for an object along its path. You can try setting them by using a user manual or calling a technician.
#8: Disconnect Switch is On
Garage door openers have a disconnect switch that enables users to use their garage doors manually in a power outage. check the switch if it was accidentally enabled and turn it off
#9: Garage Door is Manually Locked
Some garage doors, especially older ones, come with a manual lock for added security. They are usually located in the middle of the garage door and can easily knock and lock. If you open your door and you can hear the motor running briefly and stopping, chances are it is manually locked. Locate the locking handle and unlock it.
#10: The Doors Path is Blocked
Sometimes you may close the garage door, and it closes halfway before going back. This is the auto-reverse mechanism at work that ensures that the garage door doesn’t crash into objects along its path. Ensure there are no cans on the garage door floor blocking the photo eye sensors. Also, ensure that the tracks are clear and no debris build-up.
