Top Reasons Why Your Garage Door Will Not Open

If you are having trouble with you garage door opening, don’t get too frustrated. There is likely a very common reason why you are experiencing this problem.

Although you might look at videos to determine just how you can resolve the problem yourself, there are some situations that call for the help of a professional garage door technician. When you know the cause of your problem, you can act decisively to remedy the problem. It might be something simple yet it could be something far more complicated. When you are thinking of troubleshooting the problem on your own, think again. Without the proper training and experience, there is a chance that you could harm yourself.

Here are some of the most common reasons why your garage door will not open:

Transmitter Issues

If you are still able to use the transmitter on the wall to open the garage door your problem may be something as easy as just replacing the battery of your car transmitter. This will enable the transmitters to effectively communicate. If you have to change the transmitter to your car transmitter, you should go ahead and change the one of the wall at the same time to prevent the problem from occurring again. This isn’t necessarily something that needs an expert to do; you can certainly handle replacing batteries on your own. The transmitters may have a back that screws off and this calls for the use of a screwdriver. Just keep this in mind when you get ready to replace your battery.

Blocked Photo Eyes

The photo eyes are there to protect you from harm. They are installed on both sides of your garage door. If there is anything on the lens or in the path of the photo eyes, it will prevent you from opening your garage door. The photo eyes protect you because they keep the door from shutting on you or anything in its path. If you experience problems with the door opening but not closing, this could be the result of having something blocking the photo eyes. You can easily determine if this is the case simply by visually inspecting the photo eyes or the path of them. Remove whatever is in front of them and you should be able to continue using your garage door as usual.

Another problem that can occur is the photo eyes can become misaligned. This can certainly occur over time and with continued use. Trying to realign the photo eyes is another thing you can do on your own without the help of an expert service technician. You can also clean them if there is debris or dirt found on them. All that you’ll need is a soft cloth and a gentle cleaner to wipe the lens. On the other hand, checking the alignment of your door can be a little more of a challenge. However, it isn’t something that cannot be resolved by an experienced service professional. We can troubleshoot and come up with a solution that will get your door opening like it used to in no time.

Misaligned Tracks

Your metal tracks have to be aligned in order for the door to continue functioning properly. If you notice any type of gaps and bends on the rails and rollers, you are bound to have issues. Since a garage door is very heavy, it will eventually cause problems to your tracks. Continuing to use your garage door while you need repairs to the tracks can also be dangerous. The way to find out if the door is misaligned is to listen when you are driving in and out of your garage. If there is a sound of rubbing when your door reaches a specific point, it is likely that your track is out of alignment. To fix this issue all that you have to do is gently tap on the track with a mallet to get it back in position. We will generally use a level when performing this for our customers.

Transmitter Issues

If you’re experiencing problems with your transmitter, it will prevent your garage door from opening. Your transmitter needs to be in a certain range if it is going to work effectively. If you’re trying to open your garage door while you are around the corner from your home, it might not work. Why not wait until you are in front of your garage door before you try to open the garage door. You are certain to be within the correct range in order for the door to work correctly. If the problem involves your transmitter, being in front of your garage should fix the problem. The next thing you might want to check is your antenna. If the antenna is blocked it will also prevent your garage door opening.  If the antenna is not blocked but it is damaged, this will create a problem. When you have a damaged antenna, you will require he help of a service technician to replace the antenna for you.