Why Does My Garage Door Open on Its Own?

Your garage door should be a secure entry point into your home, with access only given to you and the members of your household. So, it can be concerning when your garage door opens randomly, with no one operating it. Valley Overhead Door can help you troubleshoot this issue. Below are reasons why a garage door opens by itself and possible fixes.

Possible Causes of a Garage Door Opening by Itself

If you’ve got an unexplained self-opening garage door, one of the following factors could be the culprit:

Sensor Issues

If your door has misaligned or dirty photo-eyes or damaged sensor wiring, it could sense these as physical obstructions and suddenly open. Sunlight overwhelming the infrared beams can also cause this issue. The solution is to shade them from the direct sun, clean the lenses and realign until the LEDs are solid, or replace the photo-eyes.

Physical Obstructions

Any objects in the door’s path will trigger safety reversal when it opens, appearing to open itself after attempting to close. Obstructions include debris, stiff weatherstripping and ice.

If you’ve removed debris, you may still wonder why a garage door would open by itself after clearing obstructions. Bound rollers and bent tracks can also trigger a reversal due to the resistance they create for the motor.

Mechanical Challenges

If your door is poorly balanced or has over-tensioned springs, it can slowly move upward due to the excessive counterbalance. If you suspect these mechanical issues, call a professional to readjust the tension and balance the door, as faulty garage door springs are hazardous.

Environmental Factors

Wind pressure, thermal expansion, condensation or cold-stiffened seals can affect closing force, causing the door to reverse. To fix this, you can add a bottom seal to reduce wind pressure, lubricate in cold weather, add desiccant to remove humidity and seal opener housings to protect from insects.

Electrical Problems

Wiring issues can occur from shorted, pinched or chewed wall-button wires, causing the circuit to close intermittently. Corroded terminals can also produce ghost signals, which is why your garage door opens by itself. All faulty and corroded wiring should be disconnected and replaced.

Incorrect Lift Settings

Limits learned with an unbalanced door, a misadjusted down limit or low closing force can trigger safety reversals, which appear as if your garage door opened by itself. You need to recalibrate travel and force limits on your opener’s motor unit. Consult your motor’s user guide for help or call a professional.

How Valley Overhead Door Can Help

We are extremely reliable and knowledgeable, with over 20 years in the industry. If you’re wondering why your garage door opens by itself, we’re here to diagnose and repair the issue efficiently. Contact us to request a garage door service today.