Common Garage Door Opener Issues

Garage door openers can have several common problems. Knowing the general types of problems that commonly arise with garage door openers and some tips on how to fix them can be helpful in being better prepared. The following are some common types of door opener problems:

Fails to Close

In some cases the garage door fails to close at all. That is, it will open but not close. Some things you can check in this case are the following: That the LED system is well aligned – this tells the device whether there are people and things in the way or any other obstructions. If it’s reading an obstruction, it can tell the doorway not to close.

Another aspect to check is that the wiring on the close limit switch is in good order. You might also try adjusting the close force setting on the opener. These settings govern the force with which the doorway closes and the distance it travels down the track to be considered closed.

Fails to Open

If the doorway closes but fails to open, you can check the wiring on the open limit switch and also check the open force setting. Similarly to above, these settings define how much force and distance the door opens with and can thus affect whether it opens at all if they are wired or set wrong. You might want to investigate the tracks and springs for any obvious failures as well.

Garage Door Starts to Close and then Opens Back Up

We’ve all seen the phenomenon of a garage door that begins to close and then rolls back up. This can be maddening.The problem will generally have to do with the same sorts of problems as above. The close force setting can affect this. There may also be LED alignment or blockage problems.

Stops While Opening

Sometimes a door will start to open but then stop, leaving the garage door partially open. The first thing to check in this case is the mechanical situation. Sometimes the springs are rusty or broken which would prevent it from opening all the way. The tracks of the doorway may also be bent or damaged in other ways. The tracks and springs, along with the control arms are some of the most important parts of the physical structure of the opener and its action.

Opens Mysteriously By Itself

If the doorway just opens without any action on your part it can be because the opener isn’t programmed right. You should check the programming on the remote, erase and reprogram it if necessary. Again also check the open limit switch and and the open force settings.

Door Doesn’t Open from Control on Wall

This is often a straightforward electrical wiring problem. Check the circuit breaker box to make sure a switch isn’t thrown. Also check the wiring going from the wall control to the device. Make sure there are no nails or staples pressing down too hard on it. The latter can lead to short circuits or wire damage that may prevent the signal of the wall control from getting to the doorway opener itself.

And as always, these are all issues your local garage door experts at Mile High Garage can assess and resolve for you.