Having a garage door opener stop working is super frustrating, especially during cold winter months when you just want to park inside. But before calling in the professionals, there are some checks you can do yourself to potentially remedy a non-functioning opener. In this blog post, I’ll go through the main things to examine when push button or remote control won’t trigger your door to lift.
The first step when an opener quit is to inspect the power supply. Make sure it’s plugged in and the outlet is receiving electricity – try another outlet to be sure. Then press the wall-mounted push button a few times to test the switch. You should hear a faint click even if the motor doesn’t run. If no click, the switch may need replacement.
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Check the Photo Eyes
Most openers have an invisible beam running across the garage door opening about knee-high, known as photo eyes. If this optical sensor beam is disrupted by an object while closing, it forces the door to stop and reverse direction for safety. Make sure photo eyes are aligned facing each other no more than 6 inches apart.
Test them by blocking the beam with your hand – the door shouldn’t close and if it does, the eyes may need realignment or replacement by a professional like Garage Door Opener Repair in Chesapeake. Dirty or misaligned sensors will cause the motor to simply click without moving the door.
Examine the Manual Release Cord
Some garage door openers have an emergency release cord dangling below for manual door operation if power fails. Make sure this cord isn’t stuck in the disengaged position which would prevent the motor from moving the door at all. For liftmaster brand openers, the manual release is a pulldown rope hanging alongside photo eyes.
Check for Binding or Obstructions Along Tracks
Inspect both sides of the tracks from the motor’s rail to the top where the door pivots. Look for debris, dents, or anything preventing smooth travel. Test if a section is binding by manually sliding it up and down with little force. A bad roller can cause binding at that spot. Spin motor in opener – it should turn freely without loud rubbing noises.
Look for Power at the Opener Motor
If the wall switch and release cord checks out, next get up on a ladder near the opener mounted to the ceiling. Try running the door from the remote to see if the motor itself engages. If not, place one hand carefully on the motor housing during an open command – you should feel a slight vibration as it attempts to operate.
If so, the motor itself is functioning but still no door movement. If no motor activity, disconnect it from power and check for broken wires between switch, release, and motor. Corroded wire connections and loose or nicked wiring can easily cause intermittent opener issues.
Test the Door for Manual Operation
After ensuring the tracks and rollers are clear, detach the motor and manual test the garage door. It should lift smoothly by hand without binding or out-of-balance feeling. A mechanical problem may be preventing it from operating regardless of the opener working or not.
A weak or broken torsion spring is often the culprit, since that provides much of the lifting force. Only a professional should service or replace springs due to safety concerns of high tensions involved. Springs may need to just be adjusted back to balance.
Check the Remote Batteries & Receiver
Testing the opener without the remotes will confirm if a remote or wireless issue exists. Replace batteries in the remotes and triggers, pressing each button multiple times. Then check the receiver antenna wire is securely plugged in and look for any flashing LED indicator light when buttons are pressed, showing it’s receiving commands.
A replacement wireless keypad or remote may be required if signal issues persist even with new batteries. Don’t despair yet if you still have a hardwired push button wall controller that operates the opener as a worst case scenario. At least you can still access the garage with a working switch.
Know When a Job is Best Left to Professionals
After exhausting the troubleshooting basics, if your garage door opener still absolutely refuses to function at all it may require skilled hands-on service. Garage door opener mechanisms with electrical control boards and multiple moving parts can be tricky to fully diagnose and fix without proper tools and expertise. Experienced opener technicians have the special equipment and parts access needed to efficiently remedy even complicate total failures. Their services are worth considering for prompt restoration of a dependable system.
With these inspection steps and checklist to work through methodically, most malfunctioning garage door openers can potentially be repaired independently. At least major components can be ruled out to help service technicians hone in quicker on the true issue. But stubborn inoperative conditions may indeed require a visit from experienced professionals.
Shawn Davis is a wonderful person. He is very nice and always willing to help out! He loves his job because it lets him share interesting things with people who want to know about new developments in the world of technology.
