Is your garage door not working? Before you call a repairman or start looking at replacement garage doors, troubleshoot the problem yourself. Here are some tips on garage door repair and troubleshooting:
1. Check the eyes on the ceiling unit
If your garage door won't open or close, the eyes on the ceiling unit could be the problem. The eyes are a safety feature that prevents the door from moving if it detects an object in the way. First, unplug the ceiling unit and plug it back in. Often, this simple fix resets the eyes. If that doesn't work, wipe the eyes with a soft cloth to remove dust that blocks the sensors.
2. Make sure the door and opener have power
If your door won't open when you press the button on your garage door opener or when you press the button on the wall, the first solution is to check the power. Change the batteries in your garage door opener. Then, check the ceiling and wall units. Are all the power cables plugged in? If so, reset the circuit breaker by flipping it off and back on at the fuse box.
3. Inspect the tracks
Your garage door's tracks are a key component that enables the door to move. When they're not cleaned, bent, or misaligned, your garage door stops working. Here is a guide on inspecting and fixing the tracks:
- Apply cleaning solution to a soft, lint-free cloth and wipe dirt and dust off the tracks. While you're cleaning, look for dents.
- Use a rubber mallet to gently hammer out any dents in the tracks.
- Check the tracks for proper alignment. Horizontals tracks slant down, while vertical tracks are straight. If a track is out of alignment loosen the screws, adjust it, and tighten the screw back.
- Once the tracks are aligned, make sure the screws are tight on the tracks you didn't fix.
4. Reprogram your garage door opener
If the above troubleshooting tricks didn't work, you may need to reprogram your garage door opener. Here are the steps:
- Use a stepladder to reach your ceiling unit.
- Look for a button with a light on the side of the unit. Hold this button down until the light blinks off.
- Push the button again to make the light come back on.
- Enter your code on the wall keypad.
- Return to the button on the ceiling unit and push it again.
- Press the button on your opener. Your garage door should work again.
These are four ways you can troubleshoot and repair your garage door. If these tricks don't work, contact a repairman. To learn more, visit a website like http://www.raynordoor.com.
