Complete Garage Door Repair: Garage Door Opener Troubleshooting Tips

Garage doors are without a doubt a valuable addition to any type of home. Nevertheless they are also vulnerable to damage from the elements. With regard to this, one component that is commonly affected is the garage door opener. It is however never a good idea to call a technician each time there’s a little squeaking or issue. That may lead to a waste of money and time. There are some minor repairs you can handle on your own; however you must also remember that some tasks are best done by the professionals. This article offers some troubleshooting tips for typical garage door opener issues.

To be able to troubleshoot garage door problems, you need to understand the various components that the system is made up of as well as how the system really works. The garage door device comprises of transmitters, wiring, sensors, tracks, remote control, motor, rollers, door, chains, and so forth. A garage door has a very simple mechanism. The motor rotates clockwise to open the garage door. Then the limit switches causes the motor to rotate counter-clockwise, which results in the door closing. The limit switches are configured to accurately regulate the door’s opening and closing. The chains transfer the rotational motion into mechanical energy, which results in the door opening. Below are the common issues that homeowners may encounter.

- Garage Door Remote Control Does Not Work

If you can open your door using the interior button, however cannot do so using the remote control, then the issue certainly lies with the door’s remote control. First, change the batteries to see if that will solve the problem. If that does not work, examine the program. Study the instruction codes provided by the manufacturer and then reprogram it. If the problem persists, buy a new remote because the remote itself may possibly have a defect.

- Garage Door Closes and Opens by itself

If your door starts to open and close by itself, then chances are that there is a short circuit within the transmitters or within the wiring. First, look for the short circuit within the transmitter. The transmitter will send continuous signals when it has a short circuit. The garage door will seem to close completely, however once the carriage and arm run go beyond the down limit and strike the header, the door starts to open due to reversal in action. Remove the batteries from the transmitters and then try again. If the issue is not resolved, it means the wiring has a short circuit somewhere and it needs to be replaced.

- The Garage door opener makes whirring, scrapping or grinding sounds during operation

The sounds may be an indication of a number of issues connected to a variety of components in the system. These noises can be caused by problems with motors, wheel tracks or the gears. Thus, if you’re not exactly certain regarding the cause of the problem, hire an expert to examine your door instead of fiddling with the entire device.

Nevertheless, at times you might be able to solve the problem by lubricating some of the rollers or hinges. You can prevent this problem from occurring through regular application of low viscosity oil to these components. At times, springs can groan and squeak due to constant use. Even though there is no test to determine how long the springs will last, you can be sure that your garage door will not fall while open as a result of malfunctioning springs. This is because there’s no tension on the spring when the garage door is raised. One simple way to determine if your garage door opener springs are in good condition is to disengage the opener and manually raise the door. Your springs are fine if you can perform this task with little or no difficulty.

- Garage door will not open

What if your garage door fails to open even after the interior button is pushed? For this problem, you’ll have to ensure that the opener is appropriately powered and that the motor is functioning. Check to see if tracks have debris on them which might be obstructing the movement of the door. If everything appears to be fine and still the problem is not resolved, then you should consider getting professional assistance. Your garage door opener has a fault and it may require some repair work.

- Garage door does not close after opening

A door that will not close after opening can easily be fixed by giving the photo eye a thorough cleaning. The photo eye is situated on the floor close to the door. If the eye is covered by debris, the mechanism can be fooled into thinking that there are items beneath the door. When this occurs, your garage door will fail to close as a safety measure. If you find that the photo eye is not obstructed by debris, get in touch with an expert garage door repair technician within your locality. The photo eye might be misaligned or defective.

- The garage door opener makes a grinding sound however the door does not move

If your garage door opener makes a grinding sound however the door does not move, then chances are that the main drive gear (the plastic gear which connects directly with the worm drive gear on top of the motor) is defective. The main drive gear is the component that most often fails on most garage door openers.

To solve this problem, you will need to replace the damaged main gear drive. There are a number of components that you have to remove before you can reach the damaged gear. Follow the instructions in your owner manual to perform this task. Make sure you lubricate it properly when you are done.

Even though there are several other problems that can be encountered with the various garage door openers, the ones mentioned in this article are the most common, also these problems can easily be fixed. Always remember that the best method to prevent problems is to carryout proper scheduled maintenance.

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