Garage Door Repairs
It is true that automatic garage doors are very practical. However, it is inevitable that from time to time a problem arises. That is why in this article we want to tell you about the most frequent breakdowns in automatic garage doors so that you can recognize the problem and solve it.
Garage door mechanisms usually offer a high degree of reliability. In fact, more and more effort is being put into producing quality and durable products.
However, there are certain factors that will necessarily affect the garage door, such as continued use or weather conditions.
Frequent malfunctions of automatic garage doors
Sometimes the door does not work, but it is difficult to find out the reason for the malfunction. That is why below we want to explain what are the most frequent breakdowns or failures in automatic garage doors.
The garage door does not open
This is one of the most typical faults and, in particular, there are two very common reasons:
- A problem with the control that operates the door. Believe it or not, sometimes the explanation is as simple as the remote control has run out of batteries. Check that the knob does indeed have a battery. If it is charged and still does not work, it may be faulty. In this case, the most advisable thing is that you contact a professional so that it verifies that indeed it does not work, and repairs it with all the guarantees.
- A malfunction of the signal-receiving device. As with the remote control, only an expert can carry out the repair. However, there is the possibility that it is not faulty and that it is an interference that prevents the waves from arriving. Most garage remote controls have a control panel. To check if the problem is interference you can use the input button on this box.
You should also check that the motor’s electronic board is turned on. If so, check that the source of the problem is not any of the accessories, such as the photocells. Disconnect them one by one to rule them out.
If the electronic board is off, check the state of its fuses.
Another cause may be a loose cable or a bad connection. This type of failure can be caused by the vibrations of the motor itself. For this reason, it is important that, at the moment of the installation, all the wiring is hidden and safe.
In any case, before checking the wiring it is necessary to take precautions and turn off the power. The following steps should be followed:
- Check the entire installation.
- If the problem is a terminal that has come loose, it is as simple as tightening it again.
- On the other hand, if there is a broken or disconnected wire, it will be necessary to make a splice or replace what has been damaged. It is possible that you do not have the necessary notions to carry out this work.
If you have any doubts, contact a professional, as these installations are delicate and can be dangerous to handle if you are inexperienced.
The garage door neither opens nor closes
This situation may be caused by a failure in the control or in the receiver device, but there may also be a problem with the mechanism that moves the door. Most likely it is obstructed.
It is essential that you do not try to force the door, as you could make the problem you are trying to solve worse.
The best course of action is to carry out proper maintenance and clean the guides and rails from the first moment you notice that the door is not sliding as well as it should. In many cases, these problems are aggravated because they are not solved in time.
In the most serious jams, it is necessary to disassemble the garage door in order to remove the obstacle that is obstructing it. Here are some tips on how to do it yourself:
- Always keep a certain order to disassemble and reassembling the door. You can write everything down to make sure you don’t forget the steps you are following.
- Keep the small parts in a closed container so you don’t lose any of them.
- You can take the opportunity to lubricate the parts if you want to get a smoother bearing.
On the other hand, you may need to repair your garage door because it won’t open or close all the way. The first thing to do is to check the set operating times, and you can also check the limit switches.
Again, our advice is to contact a professional if you are not completely confident that you can perform the task on your own.
Taking the risk without having the necessary skills may end up in an even worse breakdown or even an accident, so it is not recommended at all.
The garage door opens correctly but does not close.
The cause of this problem may be in the photocell or in any other safety element. In fact, the function of the safety elements is to ensure that the door can close safely. This is why it is common for the door to open smoothly but not close afterwards.
The first step is to identify which accessory is causing the problem. Then check that the door works properly without the accessory. If it does, it should be replaced with a new one.
The garage door is making strange noises
Sometimes we do not pay enough attention to the maintenance of the automatic door, and we do not bother to grease its mechanisms. This can result in rattling and squeaking noises from moving parts.
Knocking or rattling can also occur if a gear has been displaced from where it should be.
Your installer may have explained how to grease the parts, in which case you can try doing so to see if the noises stop. If not, you should not touch anything so as not to aggravate the problem; the best solution is to call a professional.
The door motor sounds, but the door does not move or moves very slowly.
This is a very common problem with sliding garage doors. Most of the time the problem is that the capacitor has deteriorated and is not able to give the necessary impulse to the motor. In this case, you will have to replace the capacitor.
On the other hand, it may happen that the door is too hard. In this regard, it is advisable that, before anything else, you move the door manually to check that it slides smoothly and that there is no obstacle.
The door moves a little, stops and then moves backwards.
This is another typical malfunction of sliding doors. One possible explanation is that the motor’s anti-crushing system is detecting some small obstruction and thinks it is running over someone. Another possibility is that this system is faulty.
In any case, these are just some of the many possible explanations for a garage door malfunction.
We hope we have helped you but, if not, do not hesitate to contact a professional so that he can advise you and solve your problem.