My Garage Door
My garage door is not opening! Yes, it is winter, and The Wright Door Co. hears that a bit more often this time of the year. The garage door just may be your “main entry” into the home, or the car is now stranded in the garage. As frustrating as it is, it can be repaired. Let’s walk through trouble shooting the most common problems together.
A Broken Garage Door Spring?
There are two type of garage door springs torsion, and extension.
The torsion spring is above the garage door and will be on a “shaft” that expands the entire width of the door. The torsion spring is typically placed more too the center. The torsion spring is a coil of wire and will be either black (oil-tempered) or silver (galvanized). The spring or springs should not have a gap/separation in it. If there is a separation it is broken. With a torsion spring system, the garage door will not want to lift.
The extension springs will be parallel with the track, one on each side. The track is the “guide” that the garage door follows as it rises. The extension spring will be black and should appear tight in place on a wire. If the extension spring is broken it will just be hanging there. Hence, a broken extension spring. Another indicator for a broken extension is the door will start to go up crooked. Extension springs are independent of the other and one side will want to lift.
DO NOT RELEASE THE GARAGE DOOR FROM THE OPERATOR IF THE DOOR IS IN THE UP POSITION. Once you pull the release rope on the garage door operator, the operator will no longer be supporting the garage door and it will come down fast and hard. PLEASE BE CAREFUL.
Does the Garage Door Operator have Power?
Is the electric on on the you garage door operator, let’s check?
If you have photo sensors (the electric eyes on the bottom of the garage door track) make sure that the light is on. The light should be pointing at you as you are looking down at it. There should also be a light on the push button right outside of your door going in the house. Are the lights on. If You do not see either of the lights make sure the garage door operator unit is plugged in. If it is, check the breaker (fuse box) and make sure none of the breakers tripped.
Next, it could be a GFCI. A GFCI is a breaker that is made into an electrical outlet and may have popped. It will have a small red and black “push button”, push the black side in. The GFI can be located on any of the outlets in the garage or commonly in a bathroom adjacent to the garage.
The worst possible electrical problem is the logic board. All the lights may be on, and it just does not work and will require a visit from a technician.
With an electrical issue (make sure the spring is not broken), you will be able to release the garage door from the operator and lift it by hand.
Is the Lock Engaged?
How many ways can my garage door be locked?
Your garage door has a few ways that it can be locked or locked out depending on the brand. The most common is the physical slide lock. A slide lock will be mounted on the garage door and is manually “slid” into the locking position. Just slide it over and that should do the trick. If the slide lock feels bound, apply pressure to the step plate and slide the lock over.
On a LiftMaster, Chamberlain or Craftsman model there is a lockout on the wall console going into the home. If the lock is engaged when the button is pressed the unit (in the ceiling) will flash 2 times and click. If this is the case there should be a flashing light on the unit, all that needs to be done is press and hold the lock button for 3 seconds (the light will stop flashing). If it is a newer model, it will have the Led display and just follow the user’s manual.
On a Genie or Overhead model there will be no indicator light, lights flashing or clicking. On the wall console going into the home there will be a switch. Just flip it over to unlock.
Simple Reasons!
Let us hope that it is not any of the above and now the simple reason.
Is the battery in your remote drained of charge. Replace the battery, most take a normal watch battery (2032) that you can pick up most places. The other will be a 12v that you can get at Lowes or Home Depot.
Make sure that the carriage is engaged. The carriage is where the operator arm connects to the operator. It can accidently be released (the red rope hanging down). Just reengage and it is fine.
The garage door needs maintenance. Over time the garage door spring will weaken and does not lift with same power. The garage door springs do all the real lifting of the garage door. If it is heavy for you, it is heavy for the garage door operator. Call qualified garage door company, maintenance goes a long way in preserving the garage door and the garage door operator.
NOTE
You should very seldom need to adjust the garage door operator setting (up force or down force). There is an underlying issue as to why it just stopped working.
If you have any questions or comments on how we can help keep your Garage Door secure please give The Wright Door Co. a call at 314-484-3667, 636-293-3007 or 618-698-8058. Delivering Quality You Expect, Service You Deserve is our Goal.