The good news is that we can usually fix this with a minimum of fuss. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of a technician removing goop and debris from the hinges and applying a little bit of lubricating oil. At other times, the problem is that the speed setting on the opener needs to be adjusted.
Didn’t know garage doors openers have a speed sensor? Well they do, and frequently, as the garage door opener gets older, it stops working so efficiently One item of interest is that most manufacturers of garage door openers, by default, set their garage door openers to medium or even a low setting. ( It probably says so, buried within the instruction book you lost years ago after installing it, which you probably didn’t read.)
How Slow Is Too Slow?
Unlike commercial garage doors openers which, for security reasons are often designed more quickly, but may cost 10-15 times as much, home garage doors are designed to go at a reasonable speed. We suggest timing it by hitting the close switch on your transponder, and then looking at the second had of your watch.
If it takes between 12 and 15 seconds, then you are in good shape. However, if it takes longer, it’s best to call a pro such as Star Solutions Garage Door. What will the technician do? Not only will the technician set your opener to a higher speed, but also will carefully inspect the springs, hinges and tracks to be sure there are no problems, and then carefully lubricate them.
Garage Doors Openers
Call the pro technicians at Star Solutions Garage Door. A service call is very reasonable, and its worth your knowing whether a pro can fix it or it’s time for a new system.
What Is The Technician Adjusts The Speed And It’s Still Slow?
If, after inspecting the unit, inspecting the tracks, springs, and hinges for defects, and lubricating them, it’s still incredibly slow, you may need a garage doors springs replacement system. But frequently, its simply a matter of ensuring everything is in order with the tracks, the system is lubricated, and the garage door repair is on a higher setting.
The Most Common Garage Door Problems
There are many problems a homeowner can experience with their garage door opener. Some are simple fixes. other require a pro. Here are the most common
The Photo Eye Is Blocked, Misaligned, or Dirty
Garage doors openers work in conjunction with two photo eyes on opposite sides of the garage. These photo eyes connect with each other, usually by infrared light, and while they do nothing to stop a garage door from opening, they are important safety measures when the garage door closes. If the beam of infrared light in interrupted, then, by design, the garage door won’t close.
So why won’t your garage door close? it may be as simple as a box or a bicycle is blocking the path of the infrared connection. It could be that a photosensor has actually gone bad or is flickering, it could be because of George, your St.Bernard who got grease on his tail and use the photosensor to wipe the grease off of, or it could be that your teenage driver actually hit and therefore misaligned the sensor while parking in the garage. Regardless, until the photo-eye system is working properly, your out of business.
No Power To The System
Not infrequent problem is that the garage door opener will not work because there is no power to the system. Prior to calling an electrician, you might test the other electric connections in the garage,l and you can also plug in a drill or another piece of electric equipment to see if it’s simply the outlet, in which case you can temporarily get by plugging your garage door opener into that outlet, but anything more than a fuse or unplugged unit, call an electrician.
Dead or Expired Batteries or a Damaged Remote
If you push your remote transmitter and nothing happens, the next step is to go to your transmission receiver within your garage and push the manual button on your receiver. If the garage door opens, then the problem is within your remote, not the system as a whole. Chances are your batteries are dead or dying, and they are not making a good connection with the receiver. If the receiver itself will not even open the garage door manually, they you need to call in a professional.
Broken Torsion or Extension Springs
If your garage door won’t open but you hear the motor running on the garage door opener, there is a good chance that one or more torsion springs or extension springs are broken. By no means should you try to fix it yourself as broken springs can cause serious injury. Get a professional technician as soon as possible to fix the problem.
Garage Door Cables Snapped
If there is one thing that is more dangerous than broken springs, it is snapped cables. In fact, if you know you have a garage door broken springs, avoid using your garage door altogether until the technician arrives. The reason is the only thing holding the door in place is the cables, which actually move the door up and down.
If a cable becomes snapped, the full weight of your garage door will come crashing down and causing tremendous damage. And hopefully, there are no valuables, pets, or children around. Again, whether you have a broken spring or a cable about to snap, call a professional door technician.
Maladjusted Garage Doors Settings
If you have a garage doors openers that is stuck closed, you may have a problem with the settings on your system. This is most common not long after a homeowner installs a new garage door. The problem is the factory settings don’t fit your particular garage door. If the settings are off, the system may assume your door is lighter than it actually is, or that it exceeds the built-in load weight for the garage door opener, and literally will not respond to the prompts to open the garage. Usually, maladjusted settings require a service call.
Blocked Signal
Dead batteries are not the only reason your system stops working. While it’s possible you are just too far out if you have replaced your batteries and it still doesn’t work, Try it from a slightly different angle. Did it open? It’s very likely you may have tree branches that have overgrown over your garage and are blocking the signal.
Inspect the antenna to see there are no traces of dirt or smudges on it or visible damage. But if all that fails, you will likely need a service call.
Garage Door Off Track
Together with the springs and cables, the door track and rollers are what causes the system to really move that heavy garage door. If the tracks become bent there will often be either a slowing in the progress of the door as it moves or maybe even a loud squeak. The misalignment of door tracks can cause the entire system to groan and strain, and it doesn’t get better over time. Pick up that phone and call a technician.
Your Door Reverses
Does your garage door close, or almost close and then reverse itself? This may be a simple matter of rugs, gum, paper or debris. You generally don’t need a service call unless you can’t find the obstruction. Garage doors openers.
Garage Doors Openers Has Been Disconnected
Sometimes it’s not the photo-eye, the remote, the receiver, or the antenna. Garage doors openers believe it or not, more often then you’d think, the motor becomes unplugged. Your opener system has a motor switch, which works in the event of a power outage. However, sometimes the chord get disconnected to the motor switch and the motor becomes disabled. If this is the case, plug it back in, and see if the system starts.
Garage Door Openers Stripped Gear
Garage doors openers last a long time, but not forever. And sooner or later, chances are, you will strip a gear and your opener will stop working. Signs of a stripped gear are a heavy humming sound, but nothing else is happening. And do yourself a favor, this time call a professional to do the job for you. Not only will they do it right, but it will be much less strain on yourself.
Your Garage Door Is In Lock Mode
Many garage doors openers have a feature which allows a person to help protect against thieves, and in particular thieves with remote devices similar to yours. Instead, you need to hold down the remote button for several seconds. If you return from your vacation, and your door won’t unlock, try this out.