Usually, the garage door is possibly the most frequently used entrance and exit point in a lot of residential homes. Due to its continuous use, this makes the garage door prone to wear and tear. So, you shouldn’t be so surprised if you wake up one morning and your garage door isn’t working. There are tons of reasons why this could happen, and you could even fix some of these functional issues yourself. So, the first thing you can do if your garage door isn’t working is to carry out some checks for common causes of this problem before you call a professional.
Possible Reasons Why Your Garage Door Isn’t Working
The Photo-eye Is Dirty or Blocked
Usually, the first thing to check for when your garage door isn’t closing all the way is the photo-eye. Most garage doors have had this safety feature since the early 90s, and it is programmed to respond fast to any form of obstruction. The purpose of the photo-eye is to halt the closure of the door or reverse it as soon as it detects an object or body part in its path. Even the slightest piece of paper can trigger the photo-eye. This is great for ensuring that your garage door doesn’t close down on pets, people, or objects.
Sometimes, it could be dirt or dust that is misinterpreted as a physical obstruction. When the photo-eye is activated, a pea-sized laser beam travels from one side of the garage door to the other. Therefore, the best remedy in this situation is to remove the obstruction. However, if nothing changes after doing this, then chances are the photo-eyes are misaligned due to physical pressure, fatigue, or other internal problems. In this situation, your best choice is to call a professional.
The Operator Has No Power Connection
Another essential thing to do when your garage door isn’t working is to check the power connection. It could be due to something as basic as an unplugged power cord. Possibly to forget something like this, especially when you are in a rush. It could also be due to a faulty outlet which you can confirm by plugging an electric tool into the outlet. However, another cause of this could be something bigger, like a blown circuit breaker or fuse. You should never handle problems like this yourself, as only an expert can handle this with all the necessary safety precautions. It is in your best interest to never tamper with the electrical fittings.
Expired Transmitter Batteries
Apart from the operator, another component that may not be receiving power is your remote transmitter. So, if you manually push the transmission receiver on the wall of your garage and the door activates, then the problem could be expired batteries in your remote transmitter. The solution to this is easy. Simply purchase replacements for this exact type and replace your batteries with the new ones. Make sure that the battery tips align properly from end to end.
Blocked Remote Signal
Apart from a dead battery, another issue that could be stopping your garage door from working is a blocked remote signal. If the door fails to activate after pressing the button, it could be that the remote is out of range as well, or it has been damaged. Alternately, you might be out of range. On the flip side, your remote antenna could damaged or obstructed by foreign material. So, here are a few things to do if your remote doesn’t work from the same angles anymore. Change the batteries and then inspect the remote antenna for any obstruction like dirt or foreign matter. However, if you notice that the antenna’s broken, that would be the perfect time to call a repair company.
Deactivated Motor
Sometimes, your garage door isn’t working due to a disconnected motor rather than issues with your remote. The purpose of a motor switch is to open the garage door without using the opener when there is a power outage. However, the motor switch won’t respond if the connecting cord pulled away, resulting in the motor being disabled. In this case, simply reconnect the motor, and your garage door should be working again.
Choosing the Right Garage Door Repair Company When Your Garage Door Isn’t Working
While it is noble of you to try a do-it-yourself approach when your garage door isn’t working, the most foolproof plan is to hire a professional garage door repair company to get it working like new. This could save you a lot of valuable time you would have spent trying to troubleshoot the problem yourself. Meanwhile, a professional will be able to detect the problem very fast and get to work on a solution. Trying a do-it-yourself approach could also expose you to electrical dangers. Since the garage door is one of the most accessible points in your home, you wouldn’t want to compromise your security by hiring the wrong garage door repair company. So, here are some things to look out for when choosing the right garage door repair company:
- Verify the critical information of the company like physical addresses, website, and overall online reputation. If they have a few reviews from previous customers, be sure to read through to understand their customer service.
- Be sure to verify that there are no red flags like multiple company names. This could signify that the company is not trustworthy
- While a garage door repair company needs to advertise its services, doing this in excess is a cause for concern.
The garage door is possibly the most crucial security feature in your home. This technologically complex and large entrance should serviced as fast as possible whenever it fails to function as it should. A 24-hour garage door repair company like EK Garage Door is one of the most trusted when it comes to delivering exceptional services. You can contact them on (312) 860-1171 whenever you need to repair your garage door.