11 Reasons Why Your Garage Door Isn’t Opening
Because we use our garage door nearly everyday, it is a HUGE hassle when we run into one very common issue – when it won’t open! There are a variety of reasons why this occurrence happens in nearly every home, so here are 11 potential reasons your garage door is stuck in the downward position.
#1: Your power source has been unplugged.
While this might seem like the obvious solution, people often disconnect their opener from a power source. Maybe you needed the outlet for something else and forgot to replace it when you were done. You might also run into the issue of having outlets simply go bad, causing the garage door to stay down. Whatever the reasoning may be, make sure to check and see if your issue is easily resolved without help. You can also check the fuse, circuit breaker, and GFCI if you encounter more problems.
#2: You’re blocking the photo eye.
Many of us know what the photo eye was intended for and are thankful our kids and pets haven’t been injured because of it. However, when something else gets in the way of the photo eye, it can prevent the door from going up or going down. If nothing seems to be obstructing it, check for damaged chords, dust, and damage.
#3: Cables have snapped.
Your garage door is a very simple piece of machinery, much like a bike. Cables can often be disengaged or snap when used frequently. When this happens, cables can cause a lot of damage to walls, vehicles, and to people. That being said, if you find this to be the case, a professional is going to be the solution to this problem.
#4: Your torsion springs are broken.
When your torsion spring breaks, you’re going to know. It’s loud and unmistakable. Your springs are usually rated to a certain amount of cycles and is likely going to be the first thing that breaks. If you don’t believe us, these springs are the #1 customer problem amongst garage door companies. If your spring is broken, avoid opening the door at all since it’s pretty dangerous and should be handled by a professional.
#5: Your remote is having problems.
If your remote is causing you problems, there are a variety of possible culprits. The antenna might be damaged or blocked, the battery may be dead, or you may need to reprogram it.
#6: The adjustment of your sensitivity might be off.
Whether your garage door is newly installed or old, sensitivity is a huge part of it working smoothly. If the sensitivity if too high or too low, your door will just not open. You can refer to the manufacturer directions if it’s necessary to reset.
#7: Your limit setting needs some adjustment.
When a garage door closes and then opens again immediately, the limit setting is probable the problem. This setting helps the door to know how far it needs to move in order to close completely. When the settings are incorrect, the door will hit the ground before the opener thinks it should and will therefore just pop back up again. You can refer to the owners manual to adjust the appropriate settings for your model.
#8: Your door is off the track.
When your garage door falls off the track, it’s definitely not going to open or close correctly. When this occurs, simply check for any obstacles, bends, bumps, or gaps along the track that might cause the door to become unhinged. You can also pay attention to the sounds when opening and closing the door. This will allow you to hear where in the track it’s squeaking or going slowly. These points along the track will likely be misaligned and the main cause of the problem. You can fix this by unscrewing and tapping the track into the correct position. If you encounter more problems, consult a professional.
#9: The door is locked.
If your motor is running but the door isn’t moving, it might be locked. You can locate the locking knob or handle and use it to unlock again.
#10: You’re blocked by unseen obstacles.
Garage doors will automatically go back up if they come in contact with something. They do this to prevent any injury. If you are encountering this problem, you can check the tracks for any rocks, dirt, and buildup that can be wiped away.
#11: You’ve accidentally disconnected the door.
Every door comes with a knob, switch, or cord that allows the user to open and close the door manually during power outages. When you can’t make the door work, check to make sure you haven’t accidently disconnected the motor.
If you’re running into garage door problems that you cannot solve on your own, feel free to give us a call here at All Right Garage Door. We ensure our customers know what’s wrong and help for a reasonable price.
