Why Isn’t My Garage Door Opening or Closing?

Have you ever wondered why your garage door isn’t opening or closing as it should be? When you look at it, there doesn’t seem to be anything obviously wrong, and you don’t see broken pieces of hardware on the floor. Troubles with residential garage doors are more common than you may think—in fact, depending on the kind of problem, older and newer doors alike can fail.

If you are constantly running into issues with your garage door not opening or closing, then you may need professional garage door repair in McDonough, GA. However, you may be able to remedy or at least diagnose some of these problems on your own. Read on for reasons why your garage door won’t open or close, with suggestions of how to fix these problems.

The door springs are broken

Your garage door springs are the parts that allow the door to get pulled up and lowered down smoothly. For this reason, it’s not uncommon for torsion springs to break after a certain number of door opens or closes. Caught early, a weakened spring can be replaced before it breaks; you’ll be able to see that the spring is no longer tightly coiled together when the door is opened. A torsion spring breaking is very loud, resembling the sound of a gunshot. Garage door repair companies report that broken springs are the number one repair need required for residential garages.

You should never try to activate a door with broken springs. Luckily, garage door experts are equipped with the right tools and knowledge to make professional spring repairs or replacements.

The remote control is malfunctioning

There are a few explanations for a garage door that won’t respond to the remote. First, you could simply be out of range—try moving closer. The motor’s antenna may also have damage or be blocked from the remote signal. Ensure the antenna is hanging below the motor. Do you use the wall switch in addition to the wireless remote control? Change the wall switch batteries and give it another try. If all these potential fixes are unsuccessful, try reprogramming the remote and starting fresh.

The photo eye might be blocked

If your garage door was installed within the past 20 years or so, it is likely equipped with a photo eye. This mechanism—which is four to six inches from the ground and runs the length of the garage—uses a laser sensor to detect any objects or people, preventing the door from lowering all the way to the ground. It stops lowering if something triggers the laser.

Is your sensor not working? Check to see if dirt or dust is in the eye and wipe it clean. If this doesn’t resolve the problem, inspect the cord that’s attached to the eye for damage.

Whether you are in need of residential door services or garage door repair in McDonough, GA, make sure your first call is to the experienced team of technicians at Affordable Dock & Door. We are available all day to help remedy issues with doors we have installed, as well as those put in by other companies. Contact us today to arrange a visit!

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