Imagine this: you pull into your driveway after a long day at work, press the button on your garage door opener, and… nothing.
This is a common scenario that has happened to many of us. Worse yet, how often do we sit there, pressing the button over and over, hoping for an outcome we know isn’t going to come. Finally, we get out of the car and manually lift the door, annoyed that we had to get out of the car at all.
The next time that this happens, try some basic troubleshooting that can solve your problem before you get angry or upset. Here are four common problems that you can fix easily if you find yourself in this type of situation.
What Should You Do When The Car Remote Won’t Work?
One of the most common issues with garage doors that are unresponsive when the door opener is pressed is that the batteries in the opener are dead. Typically, there’s an LED light somewhere on the remote that will give you an indication of the life of the batteries, so look for that first. Otherwise, simply replace the batteries in the door opener and see if it responds. If that doesn’t fix the problem, consult the owner’s manual next. The remote may need to be reprogrammed, and this is usually a simple process that the manual can guide you through.
What Should You Do When The Wall Button Brings the Door Back Up?
Once you’ve gotten into the garage and you hit the wall button to make the door go down, does the door just come back up? This situation is usually caused by a faulty safety sensor on your garage door. Check the alignment of the sensors near the bottom of your garage door. Also, make sure the sensors are on and working by checking the LED lights on both sensors. If you both are working, aligned properly, and there are no obstructions, consult your owner’s manual or call a professional service like Garage Door Specialist, as this may be indicating a problem with the circuit board.
What Should You Do When The Door ‘Sticks’ On It’s Way Down?
If the garage door opens and closes, but ‘sticks’ or stalls along the way, you may be facing worn pulleys. A standard garage door has four pulleys that handle the opening and closing functions of the door, and when a few of them wear out you will notice some operational issues. With a little bit of effort, a handy homeowner will be able to replace these him- or herself, but if you’d rather trust a professional you can contact a service like Garage Door Specialist!
What Should You Do When The Door Goes Halfway Up, Then Closes?
This can be a major safety issue if you run into it, as the door may go up six to eight inches then shut back down immediately. Most likely, this issue is being caused by a broken spring in your garage door. This type of repair is not one that should be handled by most homeowners, as there are several safety hazards associated with the spring. It is best to contact a professional service for this repair, and can be replaced within a day or two.
If you’re in the Raleigh area and experience any issues with your garage door, Garage Door Specialist is ready to help you get your door back into good working order. Contact us today to set up an appointment so that you never have to experience the frustration of a malfunctioning door again!