Why You’re Garage Door Might Not Open

If you have a garage door, you can expect to have problems from time to time. Some minor and some major. Most start off minor but because they are ignored, they become major. At Elizabeth Garage Door Repair in Elizabeth, CO, we make sure that your garage door is always able to open when you need it to. Our service technicians know how to inspect the problem to determine what is causing the trouble. No matter how difficult the problem might appear to be, you’re sure to be able to get it working again with the help of a qualified garage door service technician.  

Some homeowners are just prone to resolving the problem themselves. The problem with this is that they may be creating an even bigger problem by attempting to handle it on their own. If you have never received the training needed to identify the problem or resolve the problem, it is in your best interest to allow a qualified garage door service professional to handle this for you. We find it commendable that someone would like to handle certain household chores on their own but this is something that shouldn’t be handled by just anyone. Without the right training, handling your garage door on your own could prove dangerous.   
Now that you’re dealing with a garage door that will open sometimes and not when you need it to, here are some reasons to take into consideration.  

Transmitter Issues  

The first thing a technician will do is make sure the transmitter from your wall unit to your hand held transmitter is working correctly. In some cases, the problem is that you have a dead battery that needs to be replaced. Our customers hope it’s something just that simple. The transmitters need to effectively communicate if the door is going to respond. If it is determined that the battery is the problem, you will likely have to change the batter on both transmitters at the same time. Changing the battery is an easy fix that homeowners can certainly handle these themselves by screwing off the back of the transmitter’s case and installing the new battery.  

Obstructed Photo Eyes  

There are photo eyes or sensors on both sides of your garage door, toward the bottom of the door. If there is something that is covering them, either one of them, it will cause a problem with your door opening. The photo eyes are a safety feature that keeps the door from coming down when something is in its path, such as a child. Even if there is debris on the lens of the photo eye, it will prevent the door from opening or closing. The homeowner can clean the debris from the lens with a soft cloth and some soap and water. They should avoid wiping too hard so that they do not scratch the lens.   

Another problem that you might experience is the photo eye becoming misaligned. They need to be properly aligned in order for the door to open. You can align them yourself or you can simply rely on the services of a garage door service technician.