Has your garage door in Arlington TX stopped working? Are you stressing out wondering what to do about it?
Don’t worry. Take a deep breath. Many times when a garage door breaks down it’s an easy fix.
Take a moment to read through these tips. Here, we give you an idea of things to look for that you can fix yourself with ease.
We’ll also tell you when it’s time to call in a professional. Garage doors are heavy and injury is common when homeowners take things into their own hands.
Transmitter Issues
Has your garage door in Arlington TX stopped working out of the blue?
First, try checking the transmitter batteries. Even if you don’t have an extra pair of batteries on hand, you can still test your theory.
If you have a second transmitter, try opening the door with that one. If that’s not an option, try opening the door with the unit mounted on the wall in your garage.
If you’re lucky, this is the problem. All you have to do is swap out the batteries and you’re back in business.
It is also possible that something may be wrong with the transmitter itself. Make sure that you are within range of the door and pop in the new batteries to do a test.
When the door still doesn’t move, check to make sure the antenna can receive the signal.
You will find it hanging down from the motor inside your garage. Make sure nothing is blocking it and check for damage. You’ll need to call a professional to come out and fix a damaged antenna.
The Sensors are Not Aligned Right
In modern garage doors, there is an important safety feature. If something or someone is in the door’s path it will not close.
How does the door know if something is there? Sensors positioned on either side of the door opening run an invisible beam between them. If anything is breaking the beam, the door won’t close.
Sometimes, one or both of the sensors can get knocked out of alignment. Since the beam isn’t working, the system then thinks that something is in the way. It won’t allow the door to close until you have fixed the problem.
This can happen even if the eyes are aligned right but dirty. A thick enough layer of dust can prevent the beam from passing through.
Of course, also check to see if anything is sitting in the beam’s path. Anything breaking the beam can prevent the system from working right.
If your garage door troubles didn’t stop with the batteries, this is the next easy thing to check.
The Door is Not Connected to the Opener
Here’s another easy problem to fix. Garage doors come with a switch that disconnects them from the opener. The purpose of this is to give you the ability to open your garage door even if you lose power.
Do you hear the engine running when you push the button and it sounds normal? It may be that the door is not connected.
To check, look for a rope or chain hanging from the garage door assembly. That rope connects to a switch. If the switch is open, reconnect it and then try to close the door.
The Manual Door Lock is Engaged
Most garage doors, older ones, in particular, come with locks for extra security. Check in the middle of the inside of your door. You should find a knob or handle connected to bars that reach to each side of the door.
Even though no one may have locked it on purpose, go ahead and check. It’s possible to bump the handle without knowing it when unloading items from the trunk of your car.
A Garage Door Spring is Broken
For some unlucky folks, the problem lies in a broken garage door spring. Garage door springs are handy pieces of hardware. Their purpose is to counteract gravity. In other words, they make your door’s slow, stately descent possible.
If the springs weren’t there, your door would fall once it got past the halfway point. Having your door slam to the ground every time you close it would destroy your door fast. Not to mention it would be pretty difficult to open.
There are two main types of springs–extension and torsion. Extension springs work by pulling on the door. Torsion springs work by balancing the door. It will take the same force to close the door as it does to open it. If a spring breaks or is failing, it will not perform this function well.
How do you know if you have a broken spring? If you happen to be home, you may hear a loud pop. You also may find an obvious break/gap in the spring. It might even be hanging or have fallen on the ground.
Other signs that the springs may be failing, but not yet broken are
- The door closes faster than usual
- The door is bent at the top
- The door is too heavy to lift by hand
- The door makes jerky movements
- The door is not straight
Replacing garage door springs is tricky business. It is not something you should attempt to do yourself. Even if you feel you have extensive do-it-yourself experience, we don’t recommend you try it.
The springs are under pressure and can snap when handled wrong. People get seriously injured all the time trying to replace their own springs.
Help for Your Garage Door in Arlington TX
If you’re having troubles with your garage door in Arlington TX, we can help. To save yourself some money, try the tips we’ve mentioned here first. But if you find that it’s the springs or some other part that needs a professional hand, give us a call!
With our expertise, we’ll get you taken care of very fast. We even offer same-day service! We know that a working garage door is very important.
Not only do you use it every day, but also it’s an important part of your home’s security. Don’t stress about it, let us handle it. We are the experts for your garage door in Arlington TX!
