Your garage door improves not only the curb appeal of your home, but it’s also the entrance to your garage. Imagine pulling up to your garage door and finding out that the door won’t open; this experience can be quite frustrating.
There are several reasons why your garage door won’t open. From a blocked or dirty photo-eye sensor to a broken garage door torsion or extension springs and many more. However, it’s very important to troubleshoot first so that you would know the next action to take.
6 Top Reasons Why Your Garage Door Won’t Open
If you’re experiencing difficulties with your garage door and you’re wondering why it’s so, below are 6 most common reasons why your garage door is not opening:
1. The photo-eye is blocked, dirty or misaligned
The photo-eye is 4-6 inches above the ground and about the size of a pea. Upon activation, it shoots a laser across the length of the garage door. So anytime the door is opened or closed the beam is activated and it scans the underlying environment for possible obstruction.
Your door won’t open if your photo-eye is misaligned and this can be because of physical pressure or fatigue. In situations where it’s blocked by dust or dirt you can easily wipe the surface of the photo-eye off with a clean cloth to enable the beam to send signals.
2. The door is off its track
If you notice that your garage door is not rolling properly along its metal track, chances are it’s off its track. To troubleshoot this, simply check the track for bumps, bents, gaps or obstacles and you can also listen for squeaks or watch out for friction as it moves through its track.
This would help you decode if your garage door is really misaligned. To fix this problem, you can easily loosen the screw holding the track to the door frame, nuzzle the track into its place and tighten the screws back or invite a service specialist immediately.
3. The garage door torsion or extension springs are broken
The garage door springs have their cycles and some break down even before the end of their cycle. So if you’re privileged to be home and you hear a loud snap like a firecracker or a gunshot it’s likely your torsion spring is broken.
In such situations don’t try to fix or open your door as it can be very dangerous. Simply contact the service of a professional to repair the damage.
4. The cable doors have snapped
Having a snapped cable is a more dangerous problem than a broken spring as it can destroy, damage or kill anything on its way as it hits the floor. Once you have a broken spring a lot of energy and weight is released to the cable, making the possibility of having a snapped cable very high.
So just like a broken spring, don’t attempt to fix a snapped cable on your own, rather call for the service of a specialist.
5. The operator’s power source is disrupted
Your garage door won’t open if you mistakenly unplugged your operator. It’s necessary to ensure that your garage door opener is always plugged into a working outlet. Also, your operator will not receive power if your outlet goes out without warning.
You can check this by plugging another electronic device into it and if the result is the same, it can be due to a blown fuse or circuit breaker. To return your garage door to normalcy, simply call in for the service of a professional.
Conclusion
Having a garage door that won’t open after a long busy day can be very annoying. However, it’s more frustrating when you have no clue as to what might be the reason for having a faulty garage door. So knowing the reasons why your door isn’t opening and steps to take is a secret that would save you from these unnecessary inconveniences.