Your garage door might have suddenly stopped working. Or, perhaps the door is showing signs of breaking down and you aren't sure what exactly needs to be repaired. It could be a problem with your remote, or maybe the door itself needs replacing.
Here are some ways you can troubleshoot your garage door so you know what to repair.
Check The Batteries
If you find that your garage door doesn't open or is sluggish while opening, it may be your remote or the transmitter's batteries that are the problem. Check the remote to see if it needs new batteries before you do anything else. Hit the opener on the wall to see if the door opens and if it does, it's most likely the batteries that need changing.
If the door doesn't open when you hit the opener on the wall, then you might need to repair or replace the motor or chain of the door opener itself.
Check The Opener's Invisible Beam
If your garage door opens fine when you press the remote but makes no attempt to close, or perhaps will swing back upwards before it reaches the ground, then it might be a problem with the opener's photo eyes.
The photo-eye is actually a beam that stretches across the bottom of the garage door opening. This beam is not visible to the naked eye, but it detects if there is something in the way of the door. If the beam detects something there, the door won't close. If there is a problem with the door closing and nothing breaking the beam, then the photo eyes might be dirty or damaged.
Check The Door's Track Alignment
The garage door might not close properly if the track isn't aligned correctly. Check to see if there are any gaps or bending in the rail and where the door slides against the rail. Your garage door might still open and close even with the door not aligned, but it will most likely shake and rattle.
If you notice the door opening or closing really slowly, having jerky movements or making strange sounds, then you should have it repaired.
Check For Broken Springs On The Door
Another problem that can prevent the garage door from opening or closing is broken springs. The door might open if the springs are hanging by a thread but it will be slow or jerky. The springs might suddenly snap if they are already breaking. If the spring is broken, it most likely won't open the door at all.
Don't try to repair the springs, contact a professional company, such as On Track Overhead Doors Inc., to repair the garage door springs.