How to Troubleshoot Garage Door Openers

Garage door openers are wonderful innovations; they have made it so much easier to operate heavy doors. In fact, it is because of them that one does not shy away from installing some of the strongest, heaviest and safest garage doors. There is a flip side to the story; sometimes these openers don’t respond the way you like them too! So what do you do before calling a professional?

Troubleshooting Tips

1. There have been many instances when homeowners fail to check the obvious and panic when their garage doors don’t rising. By obvious reasons; it means checking the power outlet to see whether the cord is plugged in or not! It is impossible for any opener to respond without power. The moment there is a slight delay in door response; one call the professional and foots a heavy bill without checking for such simple things. However, if the cords are plugged in and still there is no response, then there might be a serious fault for which technicians will need to be called in.
2. If there are any loose or damaged wires; change them and check again.
3. Check the alignment of the sensors: this can be checked by readjusting the brackets and trying to use the opener again.
4. Sometimes there can be an obstruction in the path of the sensor beams. This obstruction can be a simple thing as your children’s toys lying around, cobwebs, old boxes, any other kind of debris or garbage, etc. Some models have a light that indicates that the beam is being obstructed which then of course makes troubleshooting easier.
5. Check the lenses of the sensors for any dirt. Clean and try using it again.
6. If you have a basic idea of how the sensors work; you can open the parts and ensure that there is no damage and that there are no loose connections. However, if you have no idea then it is advisable to not try opening any parts as you might cause more damage or worse, can make any warranty void too.
7. At times the motor can heat up after repeated attempts or usage. Allow for some cooling time for almost fifteen minutes before using it again.
8. Removing batteries from the remote, disconnecting the power and then putting back everything and starting again will result in a resetting of the system which is all that it might be asking for.
9. Another obvious problem may lie in the remote control’s batteries. Before, going and opening any parts for sensors to check for damage; change batteries and check. It may cost you to purchase new batteries, but if this is the problem alone, then it works out to be much cheaper than calling in service personnel. Now, as a precautionary measure, use high quality branded batteries so that they don’t die out without any notice!
10. Some models have an antenna attached to the garage door opener; check its angles; change direction and test to see whether you are getting any kind of response.
11. At times the opener may be responding to the remote but the door may fail to open. In such a situation; one needs to inspect gears and sprockets.  Refer to the manufacturer’s manual to see whether you are following all the instructions or not.
12. If the remote is working on other people’s garage doors, but not yours, then you need to see whether frequency has to be adjusted or not.
13. The spring and tensions must also be inspected as part of troubleshooting to be sure that such minor problems are not the real cause.

If you have tried all the above troubleshooting tips plus if your opener is new and still under warranty, contact the dealer immediately for a total unit replacement. The earlier you have this done, the better. Do not settle for any repairs if it is under warranty; instead ask for a total replacement because any repairs on a defective unit may cause recurring problems.

A lot of people call the professionals in for regular service and inspection as part of an annual maintenance contract; perhaps if you also undertake something like this, you will not be caught unawares sitting in your car wondering why your garage door fails to open. There is no magical “open sesame” that will work but giving the above tips a try might help.

Hope this blog helps you in troubleshooting garage door opener!!! Click here to get more information.