Garage Door Blog - Garage Door Repair

How Often Should I Service My Garage Door and How?

Garage doors are one of the hardest-working parts of your home. You rely on them day in and day out to open and close on your command. It’s little wonder that these doors need some TLC to continue functioning well all the time.

To keep your garage door properly maintained, you should have it professionally serviced annually. In addition, be sure to conduct your own monthly checks of the door to ensure it is working correctly. Learn more about the most common items a service technician will inspect each year and how to perform your own monthly checkup.

Why Should I Service a Garage Door?

Servicing your garage door helps to extend its life. When you get annual service for your garage door, it’s a lot like going to a physical. There, a physician checks you for signs of potential problems and treats any issues they find. It’s the same for a garage door.

Service ensures a small problem doesn’t turn into a big one. For instance, at your service appointment, a technician may identify a spring that’s about to break and replace it. You won’t be caught off guard by a broken garage spring and have to wait around until someone can come to repair your door. Plus, it can save you money since it won’t require emergency service.

How Professionals Service a Garage Door

A garage door is the largest moving object in your home. It is extremely dangerous to perform some service and repairs, which is why it is best left to a professional technician. Professionals have a checklist of issues to look for when they inspect a garage door. They may start by oiling squeaky tracks and examining the overall health of the system. Then they will perform individual checks, such as:

Springs: Examine torsion springs to ensure they have the right level of tension.
Cable: Check the cable for signs of fraying and replace anything that looks worn.
Roller: Look for signs of bending or breakage.
Door sections and panels: Search for signs of disrepair, which can impact the garage door opener as well.
Garage door opener: Use for opening and closing several times to ensure the door is balanced.

How to Maintain Garage Doors by Yourself

In addition to having your garage door professionally inspected annually, you can also look after your system yourself by following these simple maintenance tips:

Check your garage door alignment: Unhook the opener, then raise and lower the door by hand. If it’s really tough to do, you may have door alignment issues.
Test the function of the “eye:” The garage door eye tells your opener when it’s OK to open or close the door. Press the garage door opener button to close the door, and place a broom in front of one of the eyes. If the door stops, the eye is fine, but if it doesn’t, you should get assistance immediately as it’s a safety issue.
Clean out debris: Keep the garage floors and door tracks clean and free of debris.

Trust Custom Door & Gate for Your Garage Door Needs

Do you need a professional to assist you with garage door maintenance? Custom Door & Gate offers annual maintenance plans for residents of Raleigh and surrounding North Carolina communities. Get in touch today to learn more about our services.

How To Fix A Dented Garage Door

If you have a large dent in your garage door, you probably will need to have it replaced. However, it is possible to fix smaller dents in your home’s garage door yourself.

When your garage door is damaged, the curb appeal of your home suffers. This may not seem like a big issue, but if you are planning on selling your house in the future, it could be. Homebuyers love curb appeal. If a buyer is looking at your home and sees dents in your garage, they may believe there are other things in your home that are neglected, too.

Fixing small dents in your garage door is a quick and easy repair, whether you do it yourself or call a professional.

DIY Garage Door Dents Repair

Repairing a small dent in your garage door requires materials you probably already have around the house. There are a couple of methods for fixing dents. Choose one below based on the materials you have at home:

Method 1

You’ll Need: A wooden block, rubber mallet, putty knife, fine-grit sandpaper, patching material, paint, and primer

Steps:

Wash the area with warm water and detergent and allow it to dry fully.
Place the wood block over the dent and tap it with the mallet to even the dent.
Sand the area to even it out.
Use the patching material to cover the dented area and make it even using the putty knife. Let it dry, then sand it down again.
Apply the primer and let it dry, then paint.

Method 2

You’ll Need: Compressed air, a heat source, and aluminum foil

Steps:

Wash the area with warm water and detergent and allow it to dry completely.
Put a strip of aluminum foil over the dent.
Use the heat source so it evenly heats up the foil.
After a minute, remove the foil and spray the dent with the compressed air upside down for about 30 seconds.

Both of these repair methods are fast and easy to do. If you have a stubborn dent, though, they may not be enough.

Get a Professional Fix From Custom Door & Gate

When you have dents in your garage or need other door repairs, think of Custom Door & Gate first. We’ve been in the business for more than 25 years, giving us the experience and knowledge necessary to get the job done quickly and correctly. Our skilled technicians will diagnose your problem, suggest the best solution, and give a quote for the fix.

After you have selected the best choice, our technician will efficiently complete the repair. Dents in your garage door are small issues, but they can lead to larger problems. When your garage door isn’t functioning properly, you can’t enjoy the convenience and safety that comes with it.

Let Custom Door & Gate take care of all your garage door needs. Contact us today for more information or to schedule a repair.

Why a Warping and Bowing Garage Door Needs Fixed

Your garage door is a key element of your home, and the last thing you want to do is come back to a beautiful home only to find your garage door buckling.

A bowing garage door is not only unsightly, but it can also interfere with the operation of your door. What are the causes of a bowing garage door and what can you do about it?

What Is Bowing?

Bowing is a form of warping that occurs across the surface of the garage door, giving it a sort of caved-in look. You will notice immediately if you have a bowing garage door. Warped garage doors just do not look right, and you might notice your garage door opener moaning and straining as it tries to fit the misshapen door into your garage.

What Causes a Warped Garage Door?

Wooden garage doors, while they can look great, are susceptible to temperature fluctuations. Over time, extreme temperatures can affect the integrity of the wood and cause it to warp. Steel garage doors can experience bowing, but it is far less likely. If your steel door is bowing, it may be that you have a centrally situated garage door opener that is not strong enough to handle the weight of your door smoothly.

How to Fix a Bowing Garage Door

If you only have one warped garage door panel, or just a couple, it may be most cost-effective to simply replace those panels, as the cost of replacing a garage door panel is much lower than replacing the entire door.

However, if your whole door is bowing, and/or you are having trouble opening or closing the garage door, you will need to replace the door. Custom Door & Gate has a wide selection of quality garage doors, including superior Clopay® doors that have steel cores with wood cladding, or are made of steel but have the look and feel of real wood through a realistic wood-grain finish. To avoid bowing in the future, you may want to consider one of these types of doors.

Custom Door & Gate also has a selection of highly modern and reliable LiftMaster® garage door openers. We can help you find the one that is the right fit for your garage if your opener is the source of the problem.

Contact Custom Door & Gate for Warped Garage Door Repair Today

Whether you need help fixing a few panels or you’re ready to replace your old, warped door with a beautiful new garage door, Custom Door & Gate is ready to help. After over 25 years of serving North Carolina homeowners, we know the best way to handle a warped garage door and can install a new one fast. For all the garage door assistance you need, contact us online or call us today.

Should I Repair or Replace My Garage Door?

If you’re having problems with a damaged garage door, such as a broken panel, a door that is out of balance or a door that won’t open or close correctly, you have to ask the question, “should I repair my garage door or should I replace my garage door?”

Naturally, if your garage door repair cost exceeds a new garage door replacement cost, the door should be replaced. If not, however, there will be a few factors to consider.

Repair vs. Replacement for Different Types and Causes of Garage Door Damage

Cosmetic Damage: This is the most basic form of garage door damage — chipped paint, a cracked panel or fading — that doesn’t affect the operation of the door but does not look very good. This type of damage may be the result of age or weather, as well as the occasional impact on the door. With cosmetic damage, it is usually more cost-effective to repair. However, if your door is close to 10 years old or more, and/or you are experiencing other types of repair issues, you should strongly consider replacement. A custom new garage door may be a better match for your home and even enhance its overall curb appeal. It is important to note that a new garage door offers one of the highest ROIs of all renovations.

Structural Damage: Structural damage like a warped door could be caused by severe weather or multiple seasons of extreme temperature conditions. You will need to replace these doors, as your garage door opening system will struggle to work properly with a warped door. This is a good opportunity to replace your old wooden door with a new steel door, galvanized to prevent rust. If you like the wooden look, there are composite doors with steel cores and wood cladding, as well as steel doors with very realistic wood-grain finishes available from Custom Door & Gate.

Functionality: If you have a situation where your door is stuck, opens or closes too loudly or too slowly, or only opens intermittently, the decision to repair or replace will depend on the extent of the problem. If you just need to replace the torsion springs but the rest of the system and the door itself are in good shape, you may want to stick with a repair.

On the other hand, if you have multiple repair issues, especially with an older door, this may be a good opportunity for replacement.

Contact Custom Door & Gate for Garage Door Repair or Replacement Assistance in North Carolina

Whether you decide on repair or replacement for your garage door, Custom Door & Gate has the personnel, tools and inventory to help. We have a selection of beautiful new garage doors to choose from in a wide variety of styles, and we’re sure to find one that’s right for you. When it comes to new garage door cost we are extremely competitive and are happy to work with you.

If you feel that repair is the way to go, our highly trained staff are friendly, efficient and can get the job done at a competitive rate. We’re more than happy to assess your situation and help you determine whether repair or replacement is best.

Does My Homeowners’ Insurance Cover My Garage Door Repair/Replacement?

Garage door accidents. You hope they will never happen, but for many of us, sooner or later, they do. Whether it’s one of your kids who accidentally crashed into the garage door, a large tree branch blown by the wind or even vandalism, the end result is you are left with a garage door to fix.

So where is the money going to come from? One question you might be asking yourself is “will homeowners’ insurance cover garage door damage?” After all, the garage door is part of your home. So, does homeowners’ insurance cover a garage door? The answer varies. While you should always check with your individual insurance provider, here are a few different situations that homeowners’ insurance may cover.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Garage Door Repairs?

Here are some typical scenarios you might encounter and what your insurance policy may or may not cover:

Garage Door Damage From Vehicles: If you or a member of your family drives into your garage door and damages it, the good news is that most homeowners’ insurance policies will cover this, although you should always check your individual policy to make sure. Even better news is that if someone else drives into your garage door and damages it, it should be covered by their auto liability insurance.

Garage Door Damage From Natural Disasters: If your garage door is damaged by hail or wind-blown debris, homeowners’ insurance will usually cover some of the repair. However, you should read your policy carefully, as some policies do not cover certain kinds of natural disaster damage. For example, if your garage door is damaged in an earthquake or a flood, you are probably on your own unless you have specific insurance for these eventualities.

Vandalism/Break-In: Your homeowners’ insurance policy should have a clause covering malicious mischief, which includes things like strangers breaking windows or drawing graffiti on your home, including your garage door. You will probably be covered if your door is damaged by someone for malicious reasons.

General Wear and Tear: There is no insurance provision for general wear and tear resulting in a repair need for your garage door. Your best bet is to contact Custom Door & Gate for annual or semiannual garage door maintenance to keep the effects of wear and tear at bay.

Contact Custom Door & Gate for Garage Door Repair

Whatever the cause of your garage door repair, Custom Door & Gate can help. Check with your insurance company to see how your coverage affects the repair and let us know. We have plenty of experience working with insurance companies for garage door repair, and we are happy to work with yours. No matter what level of coverage you have, Custom Door & Gate offers budget-friendly garage door repair terms to help you get back up and running with a minimum of stress.

To get started on your garage door repair or replacement today, contact our experts today.

How to Measure for a New Garage Door

Before you ever start looking at new garage doors, be sure of the proper size garage door you need. Fortunately, measuring your garage door can be a quick, easy process with the right approach.

Before you start, you’ll need to be prepared with some basic materials. You’ll want a tape measure to get the actual measurements, a step ladder for easy access to all areas, and a pen and paper to write it all down.

Steps for Measuring Your Garage Door

Now you’re ready to actually measure the garage door.

Start by measuring the width of the door. For this measurement, you want to make sure you record the width at its widest point. You will measure from the middle of the left side of the finished opening directly across to the right side. Measure in feet and inches. It may be difficult for you to stretch a tape measure all the way across by yourself, so get assistance or use a digital tape measure.

Once you’ve got the width, the next step is to measure the height, also in feet and inches. Again, you want the highest possible point. Make sure the floor is level and the top of the finished opening is as well. Measure from the garage door floor to the top of the finished opening.

Now you need to know how much room you have between the door opening and the ends of the garage. Measure the width from the opening on either side to the end of the garage on that side. You’ll need up to 3.75 inches on each side to install vertical track. For a double car garage door, you need a center post at least 10 inches wide.

You’re almost done. Next, you’ll need to measure the distance from the top of the door opening to the ceiling. You’ll need a stepladder for this part. This area is known as the headroom, and it is important because the garage door will need to roll up on tracks through this area.

Finally, you’ll need to measure the distance from the garage door opening to the back of the garage. This is called the backroom, and it is also critical because this is the area where your garage door will retract when open. If you have a sectional door, you’ll need the amount of the door height plus 15 inches for manual lift doors or 18 inches for doors that retract with an electric garage door opener.

Order Your Replacement Garage Door From Custom Door & Gate Today

Once you know the measurements, it’s time to get your new garage door.

Whether you need a new garage door replacement or residential garage door repair in Raleigh, Greensboro, Greenville, Fayetteville or nearby areas, Custom Door & Gate is the company to call. We offer fast, friendly, high-quality garage door service at a reasonable price in North Carolina for over 25 years. Contact us today.

Cleaning and Lubricating Your Garage Door Hinges, Rollers and Track

Your garage door just like any other mechanical device requires regular maintenance to perform its best day-in and day-out. This includes cleaning and lubricating your garage door hinges, rollers and track on an annual basis.

Cleaning your garage door track is the first step. Don’t use water or other chemicals as this can cause build up and do more damage than good. Instead, use a broom to brush off any dust and debris. Be particularly careful to clean out spider webs and other insect nests that might capture other dirt and particles that can clog up the tracks and wheels.

For garage doors in North Carolina, consider doing this seasonally after the brown pine pollen has finished covering the ground. In other areas, the spring is a good time to do maintenance because winter vehicle traffic brings an abundance of dirt and grime into the garage.

Once you have cleaned the track and other elements, the next step is lubrication. Lubricating your garage door hinges, rollers and track should be done with a light coating of spray silicon lubricant. You don’t need to apply very much and you shouldn’t apply liquid lubricants as this can also cause build up and collect other debris.

If you decide that you do need a garage door service professional to help with fixing your garage door or to do maintenance, or even give you a quote on a new garage door, we hope you’ll contact Custom Door & Gate your first call.

Testing the Reversing Mechanism of Your Garage Door

Garage doors are safety hazards, plain and simply. Because of their significant weight and proximity in the home, the chances of injury from crushing are very real. That is why automatic garage door openers manufactured after January 1, 1993, are required by federal law to have an integrated reversing mechanism and a photo eye sensor to prevent entrapment. This important safety feature senses when there is something in the path of the door. It stops the door and then reverses it. This protects you, your family or your car from accidental injury or damage.

Regularly testing the reversing mechanism of your garage door is a smart practice.

Despite this regulation, nearly 20,000 garage door related injuries are reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission each year. Many of them are preventable by these safety features. However, they only work if your safety features are configured correctly. And testing the reversing mechanism of your garage door is the only way to ensure that this important safety feature is working. If your opener does not have this feature, you should replace the equipment.

Time for a test…

To test the reversing mechanism of your garage door, place a brick or piece of wood on the floor in the path of your garage door. Try to place this object as close to the center of the garage door opening to avoid causing balance issues.

When you push your garage door opener’s transmitter or wall button to close the door, it should strike this object and automatically reopen. If this does not happen, you should replace your opener or have the door serviced by a trained technician.

If you decide that you do need a garage door service professional, or even a new garage door, we hope you’ll Contact Custom Door & Gate.

Extending the Life of Your Garage Door

If you’ve ever been woken up by your garage door going up or down, you know how irritating it can be. The thunder of wheels rolling down their tracks or the high pitch squeal of the gears straining to lift the weight of the door are not just symptoms that something is wrong with your door, but also that you have a safety issue.

Extending the life of your garage door doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. With the right guidance, you can do many things yourself. And as with most things, the best way to make it last is to avoid any series problems by doing a regular inspection of parts and performing minor maintenance as needed. Here are few things you can test to see if you’re garage door needs attention.

By performing these simply steps, you can significantly extend the life of your garage door, improve its performance and even save money by avoiding expensive repairs and reduced heating and cooling bills. If you do find a problem, check out our blog entry entitled, “A Guide for Fixing Your Garage Door” with helpful tips on what you should and shouldn’t attempt to fix yourself. And if you decide that maybe you do need a garage door service professional, or even a new garage door, we hope you’ll Contact Custom Door & Gate.

The Top 10 Reasons Your Garage Door Won’t Work

As commercial and residential garage door service professionals, we’ve pretty much dealt with every issue you can think of when it comes to garage door repair. Even still, there are sometimes issues that continue to surprise us, like the tiny insect nest growing on the photo eye sensor or the tennis ball that somehow managed to knock the door entirely off its track. Even though these issues are uncommon, it’s nothing that garage door service professionals like us can’t handle!

While there are times you may be able to fix the problem yourself, there are many reasons it may be best to leave the garage door repair up to the professionals. Knowing what’s wrong with your garage door may help you to determine if it is a problem you can tackle or if it’s time to call someone for assistance. To help you troubleshoot your garage door issues, here are the top 10 reasons your garage door won’t work.

1. The Transmitter Batteries Are Dead

This may sound obvious, but your garage door transmitters need power to work. If the batteries in your transmitter are dead, the transmitter won’t be able to send a signal to your garage door to open.

First, check to see if the transmitter on the wall inside your garage still opens your garage door when pressed. If it does, then the transmitter in your car likely just needs a simple battery replacement. If you have more than one car transmitter for your garage door, then your other transmitters will likely need new batteries soon as well, since they were probably installed around the same time.

Changing the battery on your garage door transmitter is pretty simple. On most, you can simply slide the door open on the back of the transmitter and remove the battery. Others may be screwed in to keep the battery more secure, so this type of transmitter will require a screwdriver to open.

After removing the old batteries, make sure the plus and minus signs line up with the plus and minus signs on the inside of the transmitter. Otherwise, the new battery won’t work in the transmitter, and it could give you a false sign that something else may be wrong. Once the battery is in place, test the transmitter, and if it works, replace the transmitter door.

2. Your Photo Eye Is out of Alignment

You may remember a time as a kid when you and your siblings would close the garage door and run underneath it as fast as possible to make it out before the door closed. Well, on any garage door installed after 1993, that’s no longer possible thanks to two tiny photo eyes on either side of the garage entrance. These photo eyes transmit an invisible beam between each other that detects if anything is in the garage door’s path when it closes. This safety measure is there to prevent automatic garage doors from closing on top of someone or something and causing serious injury or damage to property.

If you notice that the garage door opens normally but doesn’t make any attempt to close when the remote is pressed, the first thing you’ll want to do is visually inspect the photo eyes. Over time, these eyes can get dirty, causing the light from the beam to be blocked. They also can eventually become misaligned, causing the eyes to not match up on both sides.

When cleaning the photo eye, you should take care not to scratch or damage the eye since it’s made of glass, similar to that of a camera lens. The photo eye itself is pretty small, only a few centimeters in diameter, but it can get dirty rather easily. To clean it, you’ll need a soft cloth and a mild, streak-free cleaner. Gently wipe away any dirt or residue that has built up on the eye and be careful not to oversaturate as excessive wetness can cause dirt to stick to the eye more quickly.

If your photo eyes are clean and the door still isn’t closing, the next thing you’ll need to do is check the alignment of the eyes. The eyes should be pointing in exactly the same direction and at the same angle. If they’re off, they won’t register that the other one is there, and it’ll assume something is in its path, causing the door to stay in the open position. When checking the alignment, measure the height of each photo eye from the ground. Use a level to make sure they’re pointing directly across at each other at the same angle. A laser level will make this part a little easier, but if you don’t have one, a regular level will work as well.

Once you have the eyes cleaned and aligned, test your door to make sure it opens and closes normally. If you’re still experiencing issues with the photo eyes, it may be time to call the professionals to come out and diagnose the problem.

3. The Track Is Not Aligned Properly

If your garage door track is out of alignment, it can be a serious issue. The metal track your door runs on needs to be aligned properly in order for your door to move. If you see gaps between the rollers and rail, or bends in the rails themselves, you have a problem. The heavy weight of the door can compound these issues and make them worse until it becomes dangerous to operate your door.

If the track is misaligned, but the door still moves, there are a few things you can do to attempt to remedy the issue on your own. You’ll know that it’s misaligned if you hear a rubbing noise when the garage door reaches a certain spot on the tracks each time it opens and closes. Sometimes the door may even slow down slightly when it hits this spot.

To realign the track, first loosen the screws that hold the track to the frame. Then, gently tap the track with a rubber mallet to move it back into the proper position. Use a level to ensure it’s perfectly straight. Once you have the alignment correct, tighten the screws securely to ensure the track won’t move and cause more issues when opening your garage door. You’ll need to repeat this same process on the other tracks as well, as these may also be out of alignment.

If the door won’t move at all because of an alignment issue, then this problem isn’t one that you should try to tackle yourself. A garage door professional will have the necessary equipment needed to safely realign and repair your garage door. Additionally, if the track misalignment is beyond repair, a professional can install a new garage door track for you.

4. Something Is Wrong With Your Transmitters

There could be a few issues that might be causing your transmitters not to work properly. The most common reason could be that you’re simply out of range of your garage door. Each garage door and transmitter combo has a specific range it will function in. If you’re trying to open your garage door before you can even see your house, then chances are you’re just too far away. Try waiting until you turn into your driveway to hit your transmitter button, and you should have more success opening your garage door on the first try.

When you know you’re in range and the door still won’t open, check to make sure the antenna is hanging down from the motor inside your garage and nothing is blocking it. Your antenna must be free from any obstruction to clearly receive the signal to open and close the door. Also inspect the antenna for any signs of damage. If it looks like there has been damage to the antenna, you’ll need to call your garage door technician to come out and replace it.

If you find that your garage door opens and closes randomly when you’re not even hitting the button, it may seem like your garage door is going haywire and the only possible solution is to replace the entire unit. However, we assure you that there’s likely a much simpler answer to this problem.

First, make sure your transmitter isn’t stuck under something that could be pressing on the button. For example, your transmitter may have fallen under your car seat and the button is accidentally being pushed by something heavy rolling around on your floor. If that’s not the case, you may also need to check your transmitter’s frequency. It’s possible your neighbors could be running their garage doors on the same frequency as yours, and as they drive by, they’re opening their garage door along with yours.

It’s possible to change your garage door frequency so this doesn’t continue to happen. Each model will have different steps on changing the frequency, so consult your owner’s manual for specific instructions, or call a garage door professional to come help you.

If you’ve tested and tried to remedy these other problems and you’re still having issues, you may need to reprogram your transmitter. All transmitters have a learn button somewhere on the remote, so first you’ll need to locate that on your transmitter. Press and hold the learn button for a few seconds until the indicator light starts blinking. While the light is blinking, press your remote button again to reprogram that remote.

This process may vary depending on your specific garage door model, so you’ll need to double check the owner’s manual to make sure there aren’t additional measures that need to be taken. It should only be a few steps to fully reset and reprogram your remote, though, so your garage door transmitter should be working properly again in no time.

5. Something Is Blocking the Door’s Path

As mentioned in issue #2, garage doors are designed with a reversing mechanism that prevents them from crushing objects in their path. If you find that your garage door closes part way and then goes back up, this can be triggered by objects on the ground blocking their path such as garbage cans or toys. It could also be caused by a buildup of debris on the tracks that prevents the rollers from moving forward. This could include small items like rocks, gum or mud buildup. If the door hits even a small object on the track, it will go back up to avoid crushing whatever is underneath it.

Inspect the area around your garage door to see if something is blocking the photo eye sensors. Then look at the tracks to see if there is any buildup on the inside. You’ll need to get a step ladder to look at the tracks on the top part of your garage, as it will be difficult to see from ground level. It may also not be a bad idea to proactively wipe down your garage door tracks periodically to prevent this type of buildup from occurring. Running a damp rag along each track should be enough to remove anything that’s lingering on the tracks.

6. Your Springs Are Broken

If your garage door all of sudden won’t go up and you’re sure the transmitters are working properly and power is getting to the motor, then you may have broken torsion springs.

If you happen to be home when these break, you’ll hear a loud bang from inside your garage. This bang can be so loud that some people might think a firecracker went off inside their garage. That’s because garage doors can be very heavy and despite what most people think, it’s not the garage door opener that does the heavy lifting, but rather the heavy-duty springs of the door.

Doors come with one or two torsion springs. If either spring is broken, the garage door opener may struggle to lift the weight of the door or fail to open the door at all. If a spring is broken, call a professional for service as these can be very dangerous to work with. Don’t try to open the door until a professional comes to inspect it and replace the springs. Springs can only be used for a certain number of open and close cycles, and over time they will eventually break and need replacing.

7. The Garage Door Limit Settings Isn’t Set Properly

Sometimes, you’ll notice that your garage door closes all the way and then immediately goes back up instead of staying in the closed position. This issue usually arises with brand new garage doors that were just installed or older models that may need to be reset. If this happens, the most likely culprit is the open and close limit settings of your garage door opener.

This limit range tells the garage door opener how far the door should move before it’s fully closed. If your settings are too high, the door will hit the ground before the opener thinks it should and assume the door is hitting something in its path. It will then automatically reverse to prevent crushing whatever is beneath it.

There are knobs or dials located somewhere on your garage door motor that you can use to adjust the limit settings. The exact location and resetting procedures will vary depending on the brand and model of garage door you have. Your owner’s manual should have more specific information on how to adjust your limits. You may need to experiment with a few adjustments before finally getting the correct setting. If you find that adjusting the limit settings isn’t working, it might be time to call a technician to come and help get your garage door to stay closed.

8. The Disconnect Switch Was Enabled

If you can hear your garage door motor running for what seems like the full amount of time it normally would take to open or close the door, but the door doesn’t move, chances are the disconnect switch has been enabled. Every garage door opener comes with a disconnect switch in case you lose power. This allows you to open or close the door manually so your car isn’t stuck in the garage until the power comes back on.

This switch is usually attached to a rope that can be pulled or a knob that can be turned to disconnect. Sometimes, this switch can accidentally come unhooked causing the door to be disconnected from the motor.

However, if you lose power and use the disconnect switch, you’ll need to reattach it to use your garage door motor to open and close your door again. Open the door all the way and then reattach this hook. Then try opening or closing the door again with your transmitter, and you should be all set. It will be easiest to reattach this hook when your car is not in the garage, as you’ll need to place a step ladder underneath the motor to reach it.

9. The Door Was Manually Locked

If your garage door doesn’t open, but the opener motor runs for just a few seconds and then shuts off, the garage door itself may have manually been locked. If you’ve checked the door springs and the track for obstacles, and those things appear to be fine, check to see if the lock on the door is engaged.

Quite a few garage doors come with manual locks, especially older models, for added security for your house. These typically look like a knob or handle in the middle of your door with two bars running horizontally from each side. There may be a small button on the top or side of the handle that you can press to slide the bars across the doors, thus locking the garage door from the inside. It can be somewhat easy to accidentally hit that button, especially if you’re getting large objects out of the trunk of your car near the door.

To manually unlock your garage door, simply turn the handle until you hear a clicking sound. This will move the horizontal bars away from the edges and secure the handle in the open position.

10. The Tension Springs or Cables Are Broken

Garage doors have tension springs and cables that help to slowly and safely lower your door while closing. If these tension springs or cables break, you might find that your garage door closes really fast, often with a loud bang when it hits the ground. This is very dangerous as there is nothing preventing the garage door from crushing something that might be below it. It’s best to call a garage door professional as soon as you can to have them come out and repair these cables or springs.

Once the springs break, quite a bit of tension is put on the door cables, and they will often break next. When these cables break, they will snap and forcibly fly out like a broken rubber band. Think about how much it hurts to be snapped by a broken rubber band, and then multiply it by a hundred to account for the size and weight of the garage door cables.

Refrain from parking your car in the garage until the garage door is repaired. Additionally, try not to open and close the door while it’s in this condition. With that amount of possible force coming from the springs or cables, they could potentially damage your vehicle or other property in the garage as well as cause serious injury. It’s especially important that you and your family stay away from these cables or springs until everything is repaired.

At Custom Door & Gate we’ve been installing and repairing garage doors since 1989. We know the ins-and-outs of residential garage door repair, and we can help you diagnose your garage door issues if you’re uncertain what the problem is. We handle everything from automatic garage door repair to garage door replacement. We provide repairs and service to customers in the North Carolina area. Call us today to answer your garage door questions or to schedule a repair with our skilled garage door technicians.