GARAGE DOORS EXPERT

A DIY Guide to a Common Annoyance

No Need for Added Stress

At Mass Garage Doors Expert, we field many calls from clients who experience a non-working garage door opener. It was working fine the night before, and then, this morning, you're heading out for the day when your garage door opener suddenly grinds to a halt or jams midway. Before booking a service call, in this article, we'll walk you through some simple and safe fix-its that every DIY'er can easily tackle.

Remote Possibilities

Out of all of the problems that could arise from a broken garage door, the remote opener could be the easiest to fix or diagnose further. An unplugged garage door opener, tripped circuit breaker, dead battery in either your wall keypad or handheld remote, or a mistakenly manually locked garage door are swift fixes. Let's take a run down.

• The motor unit has been unplugged. Start by checking the outlet where the door opener is plugged in, and ensure the cord is plugged in all the way.
• A GFCI outlet has been tripped or is repeatedly tripping. It could indicate a short circuit in your electrical panel or possibly the garage door opener itself.
• Get closer. Even the highest tuned antenna inside the garage can't pick up on your signal if you are out of range. Bad weather, high winds, or a bent garage door opener antenna can be the issue. Keeping in mind that the signaling units act like small transistor radios with an average of 315 MHz and that your antenna should be pointing down from the unit, you may find a simple straightening of it could solve the range issue.
• Reprogram the keypad or check the batteries in the wall unit or handheld remote.
• Realign or clean the sensors that sit at the bottom of your tracking.
• Check for any obstruction, damage, or rust around the rollers/track.
• If you are stalled halfway through a circuit, try pulling the emergency pull cord to close or open the door manually.
• The manual garage door lock has somehow been engaged. Pull down on the red-handled cord to disengage the lock.

Most Common Garage Door Problems and their Signs and Signals

Because many co-dependent parts create the muscle and flow, there could be many reasons why your garage door won't get up and go. Now let's look over a preliminary synopsis as to what the problem is and what could be the cause of it. 

Ø  Garage door won't open -  broken garage door spring.

Ø  The garage door won't close - sensors are misaligned, covered, dirty or broken.

Ø  Garage door won't work with remote but works with wall panel - remote control broken.

Ø  Motor turns on, but the door does not move - stripped gear.

Ø  Motor turns on, loose chain, the door does not open -  sprocket bearing.

Ø  Grinding noise and door stops inches from the floor - stripped or corroded rail trolley.

Ø  The garage door won't move at all - broken garage door cable.

Sensitivity Could be the Issue

There are 2 main sensitive spots to consider when troubleshooting your garage door opener issues. One is the close-limit switch that may need adjusting if the door is not closing or reverses back up. The other is the up-limit switch which causes the door opener motor to stop before the door opens all the way. Moving this switch closer to the motor unit should resolve the issue. The key is to adjust both of these screw assemblies a few inches at a time. 

These two examples are also quite prevalent during the winter months. Here in our greater Boston and southern New Hapshire, we can understand and appreciate the concerns and worries about a broken garage door opener in the middle of the season, cold and snowy. This is when a maintenance call to MassGarageDoorsExpert at 888-989-8758 can save you garage door trouble in advance.

Not All Spare Parts Will Fit the Bill

While you may have the urge to attack the repair yourself but lack the manufacturer's parts or manual, we at Mass Garage Doors Expert strongly suggest you give us a call. Don't attempt a repair with second-rate hardware; simply because manufacturers' parts are meant to be used in the strictest conjunction with associated components. 

Trust these repairs and installations to us to not cause further damage or void any warranty or guarantee standard. We service southern New Hampshire, Greater Boston, Worcester county, and Part of Rhod Island with top-of-the-line industry parts, brand names, and hardware. Emergency services for all reasons, in every season, or just an overall maintenance call, we pride our expertise on each and every detail of our work. 

We have the formula for outstanding customer service and are dedicated to providing you with the best value, integrity, and precision detailed work. We see you as a neighbor who shares the community with us. To see for yourself, call, visit us online, and follow us on social media links and discover what we can do for you at home or your business.