Automatic garage door openers do a lot of heavy
lifting. They also consist of many
moving and electronic parts, all of which are likely to have trouble at some
point or another. The heavy use that
garage door openers sustain is usually the culprit when troubles arise. Sometimes problems with garage door openers
are a sign that the openers have seen better days and need to be replaced. Other times, a bit of troubleshooting can
lead to simple, and inexpensive, repairs.
Many problems that arise with automatic garage door openers
can be fixed simply by replacing the batteries in the remote controls and
keypads. The plug and outlet for the
opener should also be checked for any abnormal wear and tear. If the plug or outlet have black marks, or
aren’t working properly, a garage door service is likely necessary to fix the
problem. Homeowners should always be
careful when working with electricity—even when checking outlets and plugs for
damage.
If replacing the remote and keypad batteries does not work,
and everything looks to be in good condition with the plug and outlet,
reprogramming the garage door opener is the next step in troubleshooting. The manual that came with the opener is
usually needed in order to learn how to perform the reprogramming
procedure. If the manual is lost,
knowing the make and model of the opener can help in finding a replacement
manual online. These are often in Adobe
Acrobat PDF format, which makes it convenient to download and save the manuals
for future troubleshooting reference.
The hardware system that supports the garage door should
also be checked for damage or loose parts.
The torsion spring, lift chains, and guide rails should all be looked at
for wear and tear. In many garage door
troubleshooting situation, the problem is caused by loose guide rails. Go through and clean the rails with a dry
cloth to remove dirt and debris, and check that each and every bolt is tight
and secure. The bolts that secure the
rails to the structure should never be loose.
Don’t neglect bolts that hold rail sections together. Even a slight misalignment can cause
operational problems.
Finally, the parts that make up the safety features should
also be checked. If the parts that beam
the infrared light across the door path are dirty, it can cause the beam to be
broken, thus causing the door to operate improperly. Wiping with a clean, lint free cloth is often
an easy fix for this problem. Garage
doors now have to have bump sensors along the bottoms. If these sensors are malfunctioning, the door
will not operate properly. This might be
the issue if the garage door continuously rises without reason. If a problem with the bump sensors is
suspected, or if cleaning the infrared mechanics does not help, a professional
garage door service should be consulted.
Garage doors require a lot of maintenance, and even
with proper maintenance, operational problems do arise. Owners can usually find the problems, and
even solve the problems themselves with a bit of troubleshooting. When troubleshooting fails, a garage door
service should always be consulted when door openers are malfunctioning. Malfunctioning garage doors pose a
significant safety threat, and should not be used until a knowledgeable
professional has fixed the problem.