Monday, March 13, 2017

Alpharetta Garage Door Repair: How to Troubleshoot Garage Door Openers

Garage door not opening? It’s likely to be an opener glitch. Don’t worry, it could be something quite minor. In fact, not every door opener issue requires the help of a garage door professional. There are a few troubleshooting methods to try before resorting to calling an expert.

This is what we’ll cover in this blog post. Here are some of the most common opener issues and how to troubleshoot them.

  1. Checking the door

Turn off your opener and open it manually. You can do so by pulling the emergency release, or simply by lifting up the door itself. If the door is opening and closing smoothly, then your issues are related to the opener – otherwise, your problem may be with the rollers, tracks, or even your door’s springs.

Definitely an opener issue? Then proceed to step two.

2. Test your remote and wall switch

Try to open the door using your remote (if you have more than one of these, test them all) and again by pressing the button on the wall switch.

  • If the wall switch works but your remote control doesn’t, see if a battery change solves your issues. You may need to have a screwdriver handy to open some car transmitters, but changing the battery is quite straightforward from there.
    • Changing the battery didn’t work? That means you’ll need to replace the receiver itself.
  • When your openers work but the wall switch fails, you may have a wiring problem in your hands. The way to check this is to unscrew the opener at the wall and touch the two wires you see once you’ve opened them (don’t be scared: the wires are very low voltage so you won’t get shocked in process!). If the opener runs after this prompt, you’ll need a switch replacement.
  • Garage door not opening either way? That’s a sign the power source has been disrupted. Check whether the motor unit is plugged in, and inspect your circuit breaker and fuse as well.

 

3. When a door only closes if you hold down the wall switch…

You will need to check your door’s sensors.  When properly aligned, you’ll be able to see a small light on each side of your garage door’s photo eye sensors. Otherwise, you may need to realign or replace these. The way to ensure your sensors are aligned is to measure their distance from the ground, and use a spirit level to re-balance them if needed. If no light shows up after doing this, you will likely need to replace them.

4. If a motor continues to run after the door has been closed

Check your close limit switch, as it will most likely be the culprit. You may need to readjust this, moving it further away from your garage door’s motor unit. Having said that, this is one of those situations you may require the help of a repairs technician.

  • Other scenarios where you may need to readjust your close limit switch include: when the garage door motor is still running after opening, when the door fails to close all the way, or if the door reverses before hitting the floor.

5. Door opens and closes, but sticks along the way?

Usually that just means your metal hinges and/or rollers need a bit of oiling. Or it could even be that there’s dirt of debris getting in the way. A quick maintenance check, and a bit of grooming is all you’ll need in this scenario.

Did you manage to restore your garage door to working condition after following these tips? Great! If not, don’t fret – the last section will help you if you require the help of a qualified garage door technician.

What if I need to repair or replace my opener?

When all basic troubleshooting fails, you will need to hire a repairs professional to look into the issue. Never had to do this before? Not to worry – we’ll give you a few quick tips to help you make a good decision.

Reputation travels fast so word of mouth will be your best indicator that you are hiring a credible garage door repair business. We recommend you ask people you trust for recommendations, and keep a list of a few different local business names handy. If you have the time to spare, do a few background checks: read online reviews, see if any complaints have been laid against them through your Better Business Bureau, check if each business is certified by the manufacturers they work with. Make sure to call the businesses to inquire about their services, licensing and insurance information, product warranties and minimum callout charges. Get a full price quote prior to approving any repair job and never pay full price upfront (but don’t worry about partial deposits – these are a legitimate procedure for some businesses). Avoid paying in cash, and never hire a business with an unverifiable address. For full peace of mind, try to be present at the day of the repairs too – that way, you’ll know exactly what fixes the repairs professional you have hired is applying to your garage door.

Those of you looking for a garage door repairs business based in Alpharetta, GA are more than welcome to contact us about any door opener issue you have encountered along the way. Whether you need a second opinion or you are sure you need some form of opener repair or replacement, Alpharetta Garage Door Repair is happy to consult with you. We can come to inspect the issue at a time that suits you, or you can discuss with us over the phone and tell us your troubles. Either way, we will provide you with all of our recommendations and will give you a full price quote at no additional cost. All of our certified and field-tested technicians carry a full inventory of tools with them, and they are available to assist 24/7 in the case of emergencies.

No matter where you are based, your local garage door repairs professional should bring you full peace of mind if our troubleshooting tips have not resolved your opener problems.




Article source here: Alpharetta Garage Door Repair: How to Troubleshoot Garage Door Openers