Understanding How Garage Doors Are Professionally Serviced

Having an attached garage is a major convenience for homeowners, as it creates a safe place to store vehicles and also provides extra storage. But no one wants to manually open and close their garage door, which is why most garage doors are equipped with an automatic garage door opener. Unfortunately, garage door openers can malfunction and need repair. Some common garage door problems include:

Dead Batteries

The transmitter for a garage door opener runs on batteries. One of the most common garage door opener problems, and the easiest to fix are dead transmitter batteries. Check the main opener switch that is wired into a wall in your garage-- if the garage door opener works when you press this button but will not open or close when the transmitter is used, try replacing the batteries to see if the problem is solved.

Sensor Issues

Today's garage door openers typically include sensors that are placed on each side of the garage door tracks, near the ground. These sensors are designed to determine when there is something in the path of the garage door; if a sensor thinks there is something in the way, the garage door will not close. This is a safety feature to prevent people from getting injured and vehicles from being damaged. Check both sensors to ensure that they are properly aligned with each other. The lens of a sensor can also become dirty and cause problems, so clean each one.

Disconnect Switch Enabled

Since garage door openers run on electricity, a disconnect switch is built in to allow a garage door to be opened and closed manually when a house does not have power. In many cases, the disconnect switch is on the garage door opener itself and can be enabled by pulling a cord. If someone has enabled your garage door disconnect switch accidentally, you will hear the motor of your garage door running, but the garage door will not open or close. You will need to have the disconnect switch reset in order for the garage door to begin working again. 

Transmitter Issues

Most people use their garage door opener transmitters on a regular basis to open and close their garage door. If you have put in fresh batteries but your garage door opener is still not working, there may be a problem with the garage door transmitter itself. First, make sure that you can see the antennae hanging freely from the garage door motor. If there is no problem with the antennae, you may need to reprogram your transmitters. In the event that reprogramming the transmitters does not work, try purchasing replacement transmitters. 

Contact a company like R & S Erection Of Richmond for more information and assistance.