Garage Door Troubleshooting Guide

Garage doors are crucial elements of houses and businesses, but they can easily be taken for granted. It’s often not until the door stops working that you realise how important it is for safety, security and ease of living.

Of course, typically when they malfunction, it happens at the worst times too! We’ve had panicked calls from people stuck outside in the rain, trying to leave while running late for work, or shutting up the work garage after working overtime on a weekend. If your garage door is giving you grief, read through the troubleshooting guide below to find out what type of fix you may need.

Troubleshooting Guide for Your Garage Door:

The door isn’t opening or closing

• This is a common problem that can be caused by a variety of issues. Things to check or do can include:
• Make sure there are no obstacles in the way stopping the door from opening or triggering the sensors to stop it from closing.
• Make sure the door hasn’t been manually locked (if it comes with that function).
• Check the power is turned on and the remote batteries are charged.
• Check that the emergency pull cord hasn’t been pulled. If it has, the door will be disengaged and need to be reconnected to open or close.

Otherwise, get a professional to check the door who will make sure the moving parts are properly lubricated, and the springs have the necessary tautness to work.

The door opens and closes straight away (or vice versa)

If the door is opening and then closing right after or doesn’t stay closed, there may be a problem with the sensors. Try checking that they are clean and that there’s nothing else that might be triggering them.
If it’s not staying closed, check that there’s nothing even remotely small that the door could be hitting on closing as the safety mechanism will cause it to open if it thinks it’s closing on someone or something.

The door isn’t closing all the way

This is another common problem with a lot of potential causes. Things to look for include:
Make sure there are no obstructions stopping it from closing.
If you know where they are, you can check the height sensors to make sure they are working properly.

This could also be caused by springs and other parts not working properly, in which case the best solution is to get a professional to do a service and any required repairs.

The remote isn’t working

Firstly, check that the batteries are not flat. These are easy to replace and you shouldn’t need a professional to do this. Additionally, check that the receiving end for the remote is operating. If the power source for the door is turned off or not connected, the remote is obviously not going to work.

If you’ve checked the batteries and the power and nothing appears to be wrong – it’s time to call a professional. The good news is that our garage door openers come with a manual release, so if you can’t get the remote to work and don’t have time to wait for immediate help, you can still get your vehicle in and out of the garage.

Loud noises, clattering sounds, banging and making unusual noises

Most modern doors like ours come with a soft start and stop function which stops the garage door from making a lot of noise. So, when they do start making noise, it’s usually a sign that something is wrong.

Firstly, look for signs of obstruction and that nothing has gotten in where it shouldn’t, or is hooked on the door and being dragged around. If you can’t see any reason for the noise, then it’s likely that part of the internal mechanism of the door is in dire need of lubrication or has broken, in which case you will need a professional to look at it.

How to avoid troubleshooting in the first place

With regular care, servicing and maintenance, most doors shouldn’t get to the point where they break down completely. While they aren’t indestructible, if garage doors are looked after properly and serviced regularly by a professional, you’ll usually know long before there is a problem that stops them from functioning.

If you want to extend the life of your garage doors to avoid troubleshooting – here are the best ways to do it.

Do what you can yourself to take care of your garage doors regularly

Garage doors require maintenance and aren’t features of your house that you install and forget about. The most important things you can do is to:

1) Keep the door and garage clean from dust, dirt and debris that can fill the guide tracks or get into the moving mechanisms that need to be clean and lubricated to run well.

2) Book a regular professional service or tune-up for your doors.

3) DIY Care.

There are some basic servicing functions that you can do yourself, but most people find it easier to get their doors serviced by a professional like us who will be able to provide a full, detailed service. DIY care ideas include:

• Use a cloth with methylated spirits or turps to clean and polish the guide tracks.
• Lubricate steel hinges and wheel axel bearings with all-purpose machine oil
• Wipe springs with an oily rag. They don’t need to be sprayed or excessively coated – just a wipe over with what’s on a cloth will do the trick.
• Lubricate the opener chain with chain lube.

It is important to note – we do not recommend trying to repair, fix or do any maintenance on the inner mechanics or the springs of your garage door yourself. That may inadvertently cause more damage and even void your warranty. These DIY tips are only suggestions of how you can assist in maximising the life and effectiveness of your garage door, but it in no way replaces the need for a professional for full servicing and repairs.

Get your doors serviced and repaired by a professional
Garage doors need servicing just like the cars they often house. We recommend getting a professional, like us, to service your door at least once a year. While there are plenty of DIY things you can do to care for your garage door, a professional will know the intricate details and mechanics and how best to look after them. A professional will lubricate, check and align your garage door to keep it fully functional. They will also be able to spot things like loose screws, hinges and worn-out springs that will affect the operation of your door and be able to rectify any problems long before it leads to a full breakdown.

If you need a garage door service or repair, call our friendly team or book online today.