Easy Garage Door Fixes
Problems with a garage door can be frustrating, and you may be worried your only solution will be to shell out a lot of money for a repairman. Fortunately, many common garage door problems can be fixed by the average homeowner.
Here are some of the most common garage door issues and how to fix them:
- Transmitter batteries are dead. If the batteries in the remote transmitter are dead, the door isn’t going to open no matter how many times you push the button. The first thing you should do is to manually test the wired transmitter found inside of your garage. If you are still able to open and close the door with the wired transmitter, then the problem may be with the remote transmitter you keep in your car. To fix the problem, simply replace the batteries. If you have other vehicles with transmitters, it’s also a wise idea to get these batteries swapped out at the same time.
- Photo eye isn’t properly aligned. The photo eyes near the base of the garage door opening prevent your door from closing on you, your family or on property. They transmit a beam between each other on both sides of the garage door. If anything blocks the beam, the door will not close completely. If your door is opening, but it won’t completely close, check to be sure that the photo eyes are still properly aligned. Also, carefully clean them off as dust can sometimes interfere with the beam they transmit.
- Track is no longer aligned. If your garage door is no longer opening or closing, and you are able to see bent rails or gaps between rollers and rails, then this may mean the track is out of alignment. Also, when this problem occurs in your garage, you may hear a loud rubbing noise when the door gets to certain areas on the track. Loosen the screws that keep the track and frame secured. Use a hammer to lightly move the track back to where it needs to be. If this doesn’t take care of the problem, you may need to call in a professional.
- Broken springs. The springs on your garage door help to move it open or closed. When the springs break, you may hear a loud pop coming from your garage. Your garage door will have one or two torsion springs installed. If just one of them breaks on a two-spring door, it’s not going to work. You will need to call a professional to replace springs as this can be a dangerous job to do on your own. This may not be do-it-yourself work, but you can at least diagnose the problem.
- Something is obstructing the garage door’s movement. A garage door won’t close if there are items obstructing the photo eye beams. Make sure the path is clear of toys, lawn equipment, automotive accessories and other objects.
Ensure the proper functioning of your garage door by watching out for problems which may require immediate attention. If you come across something you feel uncomfortable trying to diagnose or fix on your own, contact a professional.