21March 2021
In this post about remote garage door opener troubleshooting, we’ll discuss a number of issues that can occur with a garage door opener and how to fix these issues.
COMMON PROBLEMS WITH REMOTE GARAGE DOOR OPENERS
It can be challenging to determine both the problem and the reason for a garage door opener problem. Below is an overview of several common issues, with an explanation of each possible cause and solution.
GARAGE DOOR OPENER SWITCH DOESN’T WORK
When you push the wall switch that operates the garage door opener and nothing happens, one of the following could be the issue.
The Garage Door is Locked
It is possible that the garage door is locked. Most garage door switches have two buttons — one for opening/closing the garage door, and another for locking the garage door. If someone has pushed the lock button, the door will be stopped from being able to open. Test this by pushing the lock button and trying again to open the door. If it works, you’ve solved the issue.
Motor Has Become Unplugged
If that was not the issue, it may be that the motor is unplugged. Take a look at the motor, which is attached to the light near the ceiling at the end of the garage door chain. Check to see if the plug is inserted into the socket. If it is not, plug it back in, and test the opener again.
Photo-Eye Sensor Issue
A safety feature that exists in nearly all garage doors with photo-eye sensors.
Two sensors are placed near the bottom of the garage door, one on each side. These sensors project a beam of light to each other to verify that the opening is clear. If anything interrupts that beam, the photo-eyes prevent the door from closing. This is meant to prevent the door from hurting anyone or damaging anything when the garage door closes.
The photo-eyes only affect closing. If the garage door does not open, then this is not likely to be the problem. To fix a photo-eye issue, check that the sensors are properly aligned to face one another and clean the lenses of each photo-eye. Then try using the opener again to see if this resolved the issue.
The Garage Door Motor is Burnt Out
If none of the above has solved the issue, it is likely that the garage door motor is burnt out. If this is the cause, call us to verify and repair or replace the motor for you.
