Why Is My Garage Door Not Working?

There’s never a good time for your garage door to malfunction but, when it does, you could be left scratching your head. Troubleshooting for these common garage door problems can help save you time and money.

Malfunctioning Remote Control

When your garage door won’t open or close when trying to use your opener’s remote control, the solution may be as simple as replacing the batteries. If all else fails, try replacing the energy efficient light bulbs in your garage door opener with traditional incandescent. While eco-friendly, energy efficient bulbs emit frequencies that can sometimes interfere with garage door sensors.

Broken or Worn Out Springs

Garage door springs do all of the heavy lifting for your garage door and are rated for a specific number of cycles. When your springs exceed their cycle rating, they’re more likely to break and cause your garage door to malfunction. Trying to open your garage door when your springs are worn out or broken can be dangerous and attempting to repair or replace them yourself is a risk you shouldn’t take. Always seek help from trained professionals when it comes to your garage door springs.

Locked Handle or Opener

If your garage door won’t open, it could just be locked. If your door’s exterior is fitted with a handle, locking the handle will prevent it from opening automatically. It may sound as though the opener’s motor is running, but the door still won’t budge. Try manually unlocking the handle first but if the problem persists, your garage door opener could be to blame.

Accidentally holding down the keypad button for your garage door opener for too long will activate the lock mode, preventing your door from opening or closing. To deactivate it, hold the keypad button down for a few more seconds.

Dirty or Misaligned Photo Eyes

Is your garage door struggling to close? The photo eyes may just be dirty or out of alignment. Located on either side of your garage door, photo eyes project an invisible beam across the bottom of the opening. If the beam is interrupted by a person or object, your door will not close. Use a clean cloth to gently wipe dirt off the lenses. If the problem continues, misaligned lenses are likely the culprit. Pivot the sensors slightly by hand and use a level to ensure that they’re horizontally aligned.

Still experiencing issues with your garage door? Our team of trained professionals can help you get your garage door back up and running. Contact Creative Door today to schedule a service call.