Since you rely on your garage door daily, it must be in good working condition. With numerous moving parts, you can expect something to break eventually, even with routine maintenance. One such component is the opener, which is vital for ensuring the door operates efficiently.
There’s no cause for alarm with these helpful tips on what to do if your garage door opener stops working. Read on for more.
Why Did Your Garage Door Opener Stop Working?
When your garage door opener stops working, you’ll feel more confident if you can identify the problem’s potential source. We’ll provide our top garage door opener troubleshooting tips below.
Check the Power Source
It may seem obvious, but the first thing you should check is your garage door’s power source. If it’s become disconnected, it’s a quick fix to reconnect it again. The electricity powering the motor may also be off due to a tripped switch or blown fuse. Check the circuit breaker to determine whether that is the problem.
If it is not a power source issue, disconnect the opener and try manually opening and closing the door. If you can, your opener is probably faulty, but something else is wrong if your door doesn’t budge.
Rule out Other Issues
If the garage door opener is working, but your door still won’t operate manually, you have another problem on your hands. Inspect the cables to see if they have snapped. If they’re intact, they should have the appropriate tension. Check that the rollers are in the tracks and don’t have any dirt or debris stuck in them that would prevent them from functioning. Often, they only need lubrication to work properly. Survey all parts to ensure nothing else prevents the door from opening and closing manually.
Ruling out other potential issues can help you isolate what’s wrong, making it easier to find a quick solution.
Test the Garage Door Opener Remote
Check that the opener remote batteries aren’t dead and that the keypad in the garage is working. If the batteries are OK, you might have to reprogram the remote or keypad according to the user manual. A reset can sometimes resolve the issue.
If they both work, a loose wire or broken antenna on the opener might prevent the signal from transmitting. Inspect the opener unit to see if this is the case, and reconnect any loose wiring you find. If you’re unsure, contact a qualified garage door contractor to assist.
Also, check that you’re within range of opening and closing the door. You might have to move closer to ensure you are. Lastly, look closely for any signs of damage, and replace the remote if you see any.
Clean and Align the Photo Eye Sensors
Your garage door has photo eye sensors on both sides at the bottom of the interior. Their role is to detect movement, ensuring the door doesn’t close on any person or object. This safety precaution has prevented numerous accidents and injuries.
Since these sensors work with the opener to operate efficiently, any problems with your garage door opener may result in the sensors not working and vice versa. If your garage door opener isn’t working, it might not be receiving the signal from the sensors that trigger the cable release to open the door. Check that the sensor glass is clean and dust-free and that the sensors have not become misaligned.
Reset the Opener Limit Switch
The limit switch is a vital component that assists in controlling the speed and extent to which the door can open and close. It serves a similar safety function as the sensors by stopping the door from closing on people and objects. It signals the motor to close and open the garage door when the rollers come in contact with it. The switch resembles two knobs and is close to the rollers on the tracks. You can also identify it by looking for screws on the motor unit.
An improperly set or failing switch may prevent the door from closing or cause it to reverse while closing, just as it hits the ground. You may need to adjust or reset the limit switch for it to perform its function efficiently again. While you can do this task yourself, check the instruction manual to ensure you adjust it correctly. Consult a professional garage door technician if you’re unsure how to do it.
Repair or Replace the Garage Door Opener
If all else fails and you suspect the motor could have burned out, it may be time to replace the garage door opener. A technician can help you decide whether to repair or replace this equipment by inspecting your opener in person.
Call Valley Overhead Door for Garage Door Opener Repairs in Oregon
It’s not only an inconvenience when your Liftmaster garage door opener stops working — it can also pose a risk if it’s not closing correctly, potentially inviting intruders who could take advantage of the situation. For peace of mind, it helps to know which parts to check to ensure you rule out any severe issues with your opener that could require a total replacement. We intended these tips to be informative and helpful in such situations. Still, we always encourage you to contact an experienced garage door company for repairs or replacements.
Our skilled experts are serious about providing the best service without compromise. We pay attention to detail, so you’re confident in the results at the end of every job. We are ready to help you fix your garage door or garage door opener without delays and hassles. Call us at 541-926-3828 or request an estimate so we can start as soon as possible.