Common Problems with Automatic Garage Doors

Garage door openers revolutionized the garage door industry after C.G. Johnson invented the first one in 1926. Today, garage door openers help automate the garage door process, allowing homeowners to open and close their garage door with the simple press of a button or a sensor in their car.

Issues with your garage door opener can turn this convenience into frustration, especially when that issue causes you to run late to an appointment. Action Garage Door Repair Specialists have been helping homeowners in DFW, Austin, and Houston keep their garage doors up and running. We are no stranger to automatic garage door issues and understand that these problems can be extremely irritating. Here is a troubleshooting guide you can use to try and solve the issue.

The Garage Door Opener Switch Isn’t Working

If the switch to your garage door opener is unresponsive, there are several troubleshooting steps to take. Here is what our experts recommend checking:

Step 1: Check to See if the Door Is Locked

Think Occam’s Razor. Sometimes, the simplest solution is the best one. One of the most common reasons why a garage door switch isn’t opening is simply because the garage door is locked.

How does one accidentally lock a garage door?

Most garage door opener switches have two buttons. One to open and shut the garage door and the other one to lock it in place. It can be easy for someone to accidentally hit the wrong button, locking the garage door and preventing it from opening. To solve this issue, just repress the lock button to unlock it. Next, try to open the garage door.

Step 2: Check to See If the Motor Is Unplugged

Another common reason why your automatic garage door switch isn’t working is that the motor has become unplugged. To solve this issue, simply look at the garage door opener motor. (This is attached to the light near the ceiling at the end of the garage door chain). Check to see that the plug is inserted into the socket. If it isn’t, plug it back in and you should be able to open the garage door.

Check the Photo-Eyes for Damage or Obstructions

If the first two steps didn’t work then there could be an issue with the opener’s photo-eyes. These are the safety features that are built into all automatic garage doors to protect individuals and animals from being crushed.

The two sensors should be located on either side of the garage door at the bottom. The sensors project a beam of light to each other. If this beam of light can reach both sensors, then the garage door knows that there is nothing in the way of the door closing.

You can check the sensors by doing the following:

Check to make sure that there is nothing in the sensor’s path. If there is, remove the obstruction.
Check to see if the sensors are staring straight at each other and one of them is crooked. If one is, it could be incorrectly reading that there is something in the garage door’s way.
Finally, make sure the lenses of the sensors are not dirty, as this could also cause the reading to malfunction.

Once you have done these things, check to see if the garage door will close or open.

Step 4: Check the Circuit Breaker

If the sensors aren’t the issue, it could be possible that the circuit breaker tripped. However, this is often very noticeable because the other electric components of your garage, such as the lights, wouldn’t be working either. Check the circuit breaker just in case and reset it if it got tripped. Next, check the garage door opener to see if it works.

Heart of the Issue: the Motor Is Burned Out

If all other possibilities have been run through and the garage door opener is still not working properly, it could simply be that the garage door motor has died. Do not attempt to try and fix or replace the garage door opener yourself. Instead, contact your trusted garage door repair specialists from Action Garage Door and we can help you resolve the issue.

The Garage Door Remote Isn’t Working

If you are just having issues with the garage door remote, you can run through the following steps to try and solve the issue:

Step 1: Check to See If the Garage Door Is Locked

We know this sounds repetitive but it is a common issue that is easily resolved. It is worth the check.

Step 2: Try Replacing the Batteries in the Remote

If you haven’t changed the batteries in your garage door remote in a while, it might be worth changing them out. Once you do, check to see if the problem is resolved.

Step 3: Try Moving Closer to the Garage Door

Your garage door opener remotely sends a wireless signal to the motor to tell it to open. However, this signal only reaches a certain distance. If you notice that your remote works when you are closer to the garage door and not while you are a bit farther away, it could just be that your remote has a short range.

Step 4: Check to See if the Photo-Eyes Are Faulty

Once again, any obstructions, dirt, or misalignment of the photo-eye sensors can cause them to communicate to the garage door that it is unsafe to move. Check the connection path and the alignment, and wipe down the lenses to ensure that it isn’t the sensors that are causing the problem.

The Garage Door Is Stuck When Closing and Opening

If your garage door is getting stuck when it attempts to open or close, it could be due to faulty metal rollers. They may need to be lubricated or the tracks need to be thoroughly cleaned. Whatever the case, for this issue, it is time to bring in the experts.

Your Automatic Garage Door Isn’t Working?

For issues with your garage door in Fort Worth, Austin, or Houston, you can rely on Action Garage Door Repair Specialists to be there. Regardless of whether the problem is the garage door opener or the garage springs or rollers, we will handle it in no time. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an appointment!