Garage doors are one of those things that we use daily and often take for granted until they stop working. When that happens, your car may be trapped in or you may be locked out—neither situation is a fun place to find yourself in when you have places to go and people to see.
The good news? Many garage door issues can be solved without calling a garage door repair company. Try these troubleshooting tips before calling in the pros. Chances are, you aren’t looking at a massive garage door replacement cost but rather a simple fix.
Check Your Power
One of the most common reasons your garage may not be working is actually one of the easiest things to fix: the power! We’re going to look at two power components to make sure that neither of them is the reason your garage door won’t close or open.
- Make sure the power cord from the garage door opener to the electrical outlet is still plugged in. These often get kicked loose so, if that’s the case, simply plug it back in and try again. Back in power? Terrific! If not, move on to number two.
- Make sure the breaker to your garage isn’t tripped. If it’s in the “off” position, just flip it over and see if your problem is fixed. Voila! Or maybe not. If the latter, carry on to the next tip.
Get Back on Track
Another common reason your garage door is not closing is that the door may be off the track. This happens sometimes if something heavy hits or bends the door and makes the rollers slip out of place. If this is the case, the opener won’t be able to lift the heavy door.
Try this solution: First, disconnect the opener and, with the help of a friend, raise the door manually while rocking the door to get the rollers to slip back onto the track. When the garage door is open, if you see a bent track, lightly tap it with a soft hammer. Once everything looks straight, try lowering the door and reconnecting the opener. If it’s fixed, everything should run smoothly. If not, let’s try another method.
Wipe Your Eye Off
We’re not talking about the peepers on your face. Instead, try cleaning the photo eye, or sensor, with a soft rag. This safety mechanism automatically stops the door if it senses something is in the way and could possibly be hit by the closing door, which is great when you have children or animals running around. The problem is that if dirt or debris clogs the lens, it’s wondering if Little Susie left her bike out again and so it puts the door on lockdown. Give your garage door 20/20 vision again and see if that fixes your problem.
Are you back in business yet? No worries, we still have two more possible solutions.
Reset Your Remote
Another common reason you may find your garage door not closing or opening is due to your remote. Before you start the hassle of reprogramming the remote, test it out. If the door opens or closes when you push the button on the wall but not with the remote, there’s your problem!
Try changing the batteries first and see if that fixes it. If that doesn’t work, you may need to get your owner’s manual out and reprogram the remote. We know it’s a pain, but when it comes to garage door repair, this is a fairly minor issue to fix.
Time to Check the Trolley
Our last troubleshooting tip is to make sure that your trolley hasn’t somehow gotten disconnected. This sounds like it would be a slightly tricker overhead door repair, but it’s still completely DIY-friendly.
The trolley is the part of your garage door that moves along the long track attached to the ceiling. All garage doors have a pull-cord and/or switch that will turn off the trolley so you can manually open the door. Simply see if the cord has been pulled and the trolley disconnected. If so, your owner’s manual will walk you through how to reconnect it.
Schedule Garage Door Service
If you’ve tried all of the above and your garage door still won’t work, sorry to say: it may be time to call the pros. Get recommendations for the top garage door services in your area and go ahead and schedule a service call.
We know it’s tough to ask for help when you’re a DIY master, but there’s no shame in calling in backup! Plus, it’s better to get help before you damage major components—be it the garage’s or your own. Let a professional check everything out and they’ll have your garage door back in shape in no time. Bet you won’t take it for granted again, will you?
