Your home is your castle and you want things to function properly at all times because it makes your life more efficient and comfortable. But when there’s a problem with your house, like a garage door, it can cause havoc on your daily routine.
Your garage door is one of the main entrances into your home and therefore it gets a lot of use. Most people use their garage door at least a couple of hundred times per month. That’s a lot of use that can cause the door to perform poorly over time.
But how can you know what the problem is with your garage door if you’re not familiar with the logistics of its operation? You really can’t. That’s why, in this article, we’re discussing a few common garage door problems that people face.
Keep reading to learn more.
Remote or Wall Switch
If you’re experiencing problems with the remote or wall switch that operates your garage door, it could be a simple fix, but it might be something more serious.
Before calling a technician, you should always check the outlet where the door opening is plugged in to make sure it’s still plugged in all the way. You can also check the circuit breaker, fuse, and/or GFCI switch to see if it has tripped or burned out. If there are other electrical problems in the garage, this could be the likely cause.
Lastly, the garage door opener motor might have burned out which can cause it to stop it working completely. In this instance, it’s best to contact a professional to have the motor replaced.
Reverse Function
Every garage door these days has a close force setting that pulls the garage door open or up if something, or someone, gets in the way of it closing to the floor. It could be as simple as removing items or debris from the rail or the ground where the door closes. It could be, however, the close force function that needs adjusting.
If you’ve removed items from blocking the door from closing and adjusted the close force setting with no luck, it’s a good idea to contact a technician.
Loud Noises
Loud noises can be an indication that something is wrong with your garage door. But it could also be simple maintenance that fixes the problem.
In most cases, it’s best to contact an experienced, professional technician to have maintenance performed for safety. Your technician can check the nuts and bolts as well as the lubricate the chain drive. Sometimes objects get stuck in the rails or they fall off balance causing your garage door to rattle and shake loudly.
If your garage door has always been naturally noisy, you can consider upgrading to a belt-driven garage door opener.
Garage Door Sticks
Sometimes garage doors get stuck. Of course, this is not supposed to happen so if you’re experiencing this issue it’s time to perform a few simple tests. While it could be a problem with the close limit switch which causes your garage door to get stuck halfway through closing or opening. But, it might be the rails.
An easy way to troubleshoot this problem is to try to open the garage door manually. If it gets stuck this time, it’s probably the rails. Make sure to remove any debris or other obstructions that may be causing the door to stop. If that doesn’t work, it might be time to call a professional.
Garage Door Malfunction
One of the most common problems that homeowners face with their garage door is that the garage door simply does not operate. Troubleshooting this issue can be relatively simple if you know what to look for.
First, don’t forget to check the batteries in the remote and/or wall switch. If that doesn’t work you can check the garage door opener to see if it responds at all. If the motor is running but the door still won’t operate, double check the cables to make sure they are still attached. It could be as simple a fix as removing items from blocking the sensors.
Moves Too Quickly
A more dangerous issue lies in your garage door moving too quickly. Make sure to keep people away from the door if this occurs because it can cause serious injury.
It could be as simple as adjusting the garage door opener mechanism, but it could also be more serious. Broken cables can also cause the door to move too fast and this problem should not be taken lightly. If you’re experiencing this issue with your garage door, make sure to contact a technician right away to prevent other problems from cropping up.
Heat
Your garage is likely the hottest place in your house during the summer months which can cause malfunctions with your garage door. Heat affects electronics that control your garage door. It’s a good idea to check the settings of your sensors and adjust the sensitivity limits of your garage door opener.
Springs can also be affected by heat (and cold). Make sure nothing is broken and wait for the temperature to regulate outside before calling a professional.
Garage Door Problems
Nobody wants to deal with garage door problems, but if you don’t take care of a problem right away it could lead to more and/or worse issues with your garage door. Understanding the different types of problems that can occur is the first step to finding a successful solution. Keep this list in mind the next time your garage door starts acting up so you can be proactive.
It’s also important to consider that if one problem occurs, there may be others soon to follow. The best thing you can do to prevent garage door problems is to have it serviced annually or at least semi-annually. A professional technician can determine if there are parts that need to be replaced or maintained for optimal performance.
If you’re experiencing garage door problems or if you have further questions, contact us. We can help!
