Having a garage door that is working improperly can be quite a hassle for a homeowner. It is important to realize that there are many reasons why a garage door opener may stop working properly though. The following guide walks you through a few things to check when troubleshooting a malfunctioning garage door opener.

Dead Batteries on the Remote

The first thing you need to do when your garage door fails to open or close is to check the batteries in the remote that operates the garage door. Many times, the batteries will go dead in a remote without any warning. There should be a door on the back on the remote that can be easily removed to expose the battery housing in the remote so you can replace the batteries quickly and easily.

Garage Door Not Properly Aligned on the Track

Garage doors open and close by rollers moving along a track. If the rollers become misaligned with the track, the door will not be able to move. Look at the tracks and be sure the rollers are on the track and properly aligned. If you see a roller hanging off of the edge of the track, the door is misaligned and the rollers need to be put back into place.

Sensors Not Properly Aligned

There are sensors located on either side of the opening where your garage door is located. The sensors alert the garage door opener when something is in the way of the garage door so that it does not close on anyone or anything. If the sensors are blocked or have become unaligned, the laser that is shot between them will not transmit information properly. Check to be sure that nothing is blocking the sensors and that they have not been tilted accidentally.

Damage to the Garage Door Opener Motor

There are times when the motor that the garage door opener uses can be damaged through a lightning strike without your knowledge. If the motor suddenly stops working altogether after as a storm has occurred, there is a chance the motor may have been damaged during the storm and will need to be replaced in order for the door to open and shut properly again.

If you cannot determine what is wrong with the garage door opener or are not able to make the necessary repairs on your own, hire a garage door repair company like Quality Doors to come and evaluate the situation for you. The repair person will be able to determine if the issue can be fixed easily or if the entire system will need to be replaced. It is very rare for a system to be in such bad condition that everything needs to be replaced though.