Why Do Garage Doors Stop Working?

If something in your home isn’t working the way that you expect it to, it can be very worrying. If your garage door isn’t opening or closing correctly, you may be wondering how long it’s going to take to fix it, or how much the repairs will cost. Keep reading to find out more about some of the common reasons why automatic garage doors stop working, and what you can do to fix the problem.

Misaligned Safety Sensors

If a garage door is opening but not closing, this is usually the culprit. Garage doors that were installed after 1993 will have two safety sensors on each side of the door. If one sensor is unable to detect the other, it will stop the garage door from closing. The main aim of the sensors is to prevent damage to property or people, since the door won’t close if there is something blocking the invisible beam between the sensors. However, if the sensors become misaligned, the sensors might not be able to detect one another even if there is nothing blocking them. Check that the sensors are aligned using the manufacturer’s instructions. Long Beach Garage Doors offers sensor realignment services for homes in the area. Whether you need new sensors installed or the current sensors need repairing, get in touch with Long Beach Garage Doors to find out more about what they offer.

No Power to the Opener

If the garage door remote is working but nothing is happening when you press the wall button, there may be no power going to the garage door opener. Sometimes, this can be a simple and easy fix by just making sure that it is plugged into the power. Try plugging something into the same outlet to check if it works. If other electrical items are working when plugged in, there might be a broken fuse.

Garage Door Springs are Broken

Broken springs or cables on the garage door are often the main reasons why people call out garage door repair services. This is due to the fact that although spring breakage does not happen very often, they do tend to be the first thing to break. When the spring breaks, it will make a loud snapping noise and the door may slam into the floor. In this situation, it’s important to call a professional and avoid trying to open the garage door. This is because there is a high risk of damage to your property or person without the tension that is usually provided by the springs.

Remote Malfunctions

In some cases, the garage door remote might malfunction, which can lead to the garage door no longer opening or closing as it should. Sometimes, it might be something as a simple as a dead battery that needs replacing. In other cases, it might need a more complicated fix such as reprogramming the transmitter. You will usually have instructions on how to do this in the manual.

When your garage door stops working as it should, it’s easy to worry. Thankfully, most of the time this is caused by a common problem that can easily be repaired either by yourself or a professional.