Attention! Homeowners with a garage! If you experience one (or all) of these common garage door problems, then it’s time you consider calling a professional in the area who can repair a garage door in no time.
More than 30,000 people get injured by their garage each year. If you don’t know how to safely repair a garage door, you could find yourself in a dangerous situation. While some repairs are simple for any homeowner, some jobs are best left to professionals.
This article will walk you through 5 common reasons why your garage door won’t open and what steps you can take to fix it. Let’s dive in!
1. Bad Alignment
Telltale sign: Garage door opens a little and then stops.
What this means: The reason why garage doors are able to open smoothly is because they run along metal tracks. Sometimes the tracks can get out of shape. Wherever the misalignment is, that’s where the door will stop opening.
If you think that the alignment is the problem, listen closely to the door. Is there a grinding sound as it opens? If so, look along both metal tracks to see if there are any obvious bends in the metal.
This job is one that should really be handled by a professional. Only they have the knowledge to assess how extensive the damages are and what steps are required to repair the alignment.
2. Lock in Place
Telltale sign: Garage door not opening but motor running or garage door won’t open manually.
What this means: The most obvious cause for garage doors not opening even when the motor runs is that there is a locking mechanism in place. Most garage doors come with a lock for additional protection against home invasions.
Scan along the door to look for a bar or any other locking mechanism that could be holding the door shut. If you see an obstruction, you can carefully remove it. The door should then open without any difficulty.
3. Cables and Springs
Telltale sign: Garage door won’t open automatically.
What this means: Your garage door uses various cables and springs to pull it open and ease it shut. If a cable snaps, you’ll likely hear a loud boom. This problem is easy to identify.
However, if your garage only opens halfway, a broken spring may be to blame. Repairing springs and cables is the most dangerous garage repair, so homeowners shouldn’t even attempt to try it themselves. Don’t hesitate to contact a garage door repairman for this job.
4. Repair a Garage Door Photo Eye
Telltale sign: Garage door won’t open all the way.
What this means: The photo eye sensors are located a few inches off the ground on each side of the garage door. They shoot lasers out that must maintain a connection in order to open and close the garage.
If a sensor gets knocked out of alignment, the connection will be broken and the garage will stop opening automatically. This is a safety feature to prevent the door from shutting on an object or person.
If you notice that the red lasers aren’t in contact with each other, then you can fiddle with the sensors to re-establish the connection. You can even try dusting the photo eye because even a thin coat of dust on the lens is enough to break the connection.
5. Issues with Remote or Sensor
Telltale sign: Garage won’t open when there is no obvious physical damage to the door or other parts.
What this means: Make sure that your remote doesn’t need new batteries and that you are clicking within the appropriate range. If those aren’t the problems, you might want to try reprogramming your remote control so that it is fully in sync with the sensor inside the garage.
Need More Help?
If you need more information about how to repair a garage door, you can always call All-Pro Overhead Door. We are available to service the Sacramento area 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Please contact us if you have any questions about how we can repair your garage at an affordable price.
