How to Troubleshoot a Garage Door That’s Struggling to Open
Is your garage door struggling to open? A malfunctioning garage door can quickly grow from a slight inconvenience to a frustrating problem. It not only makes it more difficult to access your storage and vehicle, but it may even be a main point of entry for members of your family!
At Creative Door Services™, we understand that troubleshooting your garage door can take a bit of work, but this week’s blog aims to help you diagnose and potentially resolve the issues yourself before giving one of our local garage door technicians a service call.
Issue: The Door is Going Up and Down Several Times
If you try to open your door and notice that it starts going up and down several times before opening fully, there are a few things you should check:
The Transmitter
The first thing you should look at is your transmitter, both the wall control and the remote controls. Devices that are dirty or old can have stuck buttons that send conflicting signals. If you keep your transmitters clean or replace them if they’re past their prime, you should be able to resolve this problem.
The Limit Settings
The limit settings on your garage door tell it how far it needs to go up or down to open or close. If your limit settings are not set properly, when it reaches the top or bottom, it can continue to move in the opposite direction. If you suspect this is the issue, you should call in a professional to reset your settings.
The Wiring
Your garage door has a wire that runs from the motor unit to the mounted wall control. There are also wires that run from the photo eye sensor to the motor unit. Any bare spots or short circuits in any of these wires can lead to your door having issues opening and closing.
Issue: Weird Noises
Is your garage door making strange noises? No one likes hearing weird noises coming from their garage, because that means just another thing that you need to fix. Grating, grinding, or rattling sounds when your garage door is in motion can indicate a few different problems.
Grinding and Grating
A grinding or grating sound can mean your garage door is improperly aligned. This misalignment can occur for several reasons such as broken or worn tension springs, frayed cables, bent tracks, faulty rollers, lack of lubrication, or debris in the tracks.
If your garage door is misaligned, your best option is to call a professional to repair it. Garage doors are very heavy, and the mechanism is under a lot of pressure. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you can injure yourself very badly.
Slapping Noises
A slapping noise when your garage door is opening or closing means your chain is loose and knocking against the rail. This is one of the most common issues that can afflict residential garage doors. The vibrations from day-to-day use can loosen the chain.
A loose chain is more than just noisy – it makes your opener do more work, leading to a much less efficient system, and it can also cause your door to jump the track.
You should call a technician to adjust your chain during routine maintenance, but this is also something you can do yourself.
Vibrations, Rumbling, Rattling
Noises like vibrations, rumbling, and rattling are generally caused by loose nuts and bolts. Taking care of this problem is fairly easy – just tighten all the nuts and bolts with a wrench.
Issue: The Door Appears to Be Struggling
If you notice your garage door is struggling to open or not opening at all, you should call a professional to inspect your door. There are many different reasons why this is happening.
The Track is Not Properly Aligned
A garage door is lifted physically by a cable, while metal tracks keep the door in line. If those metal tracks aren’t properly aligned, it can cause grinding noises and make your door jerk around and fail to open properly. The misalignment can worsen over time and lead to your door ceasing operation altogether. You should call a professional to repair the problem.
Tension Springs are Broken
Broken tension springs are a very common issue with garage doors. Tension springs store mechanical energy that controls the motion of the garage door. Over time, wear and tear will weaken the springs. If your tension springs are broken, your garage door won’t open at all.
Learn more: The Dangers of Garage Door Spring Repair and Replacement
Problem with the Opener Mechanism
Problems with the opener mechanism mean your door isn’t opening as it should. There are a few different issues that can affect the opener, such as:
- If your opener is receiving power but still not working, that may indicate a mechanical issue.
- If the door doesn’t open but it sounds like the motor is still running, it means the main gear drive may be broken.
- If the trolley carriage moves but your door doesn’t, that may mean the components of the carriage are broken and should be replaced.
- If nothing happens, it may mean that you should replace the circuit board of the motor.
Problem with the Sensors
Many models of garage doors have photo eye sensors that are placed on either side of the door, roughly six inches above the ground. These sensors detect people or objects in the way of the door and prevent the door from closing on them. However, if there are any issues with the sensors, it can lead to them thinking there are obstructions even when there aren’t any.
Try cleaning the sensors to remove dirt and debris. You can also check the wiring to see if there is any damage and check to see if the sensors are properly aligned. If you’re not sure, always call a professional to solve any problems.
Creative Door Services™ Fixes All Garage Door Issues
At Creative Door Services™, we have the solutions to all your garage door problems. We have been installing and repairing residential garage doors and commercial doors, dock equipment, and pedestrian doors for over 55 years, establishing ourselves as a trusted name in communities across Western Canada. Our expert repair technicians can provide smart and snappy service, letting you get on with your day.
To learn more about our garage door products or request a service, please don’t hesitate to contact us today. We’re happy to serve you from one of our eight locations. You can find us in Kelowna, British Columbia; Vancouver, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta; Fort McMurray, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.