There are many telltale signs that your garage door opener is starting to fail, whether it reverses when opening or closing, or it stalls and gets stuck. You may take your opener for granted, relying on it to work day in and day out. It’s common, though, for openers to break down over time and with frequent use.
It’s important to replace your garage door opener in the interest of security, safety, convenience, efficiency and comfort. This will also give you a chance to check out new models with fancy features such as smart technology. Check out these signs that your garage door opener is on the way out.
1. Garage Door Won’t Open or Close
This is an obvious sign of opener failure, but before you make a diagnosis, make sure an object isn’t blocking the track or making the door stick. Next, replace the batteries in the remote. If that’s not the problem, there may be a connection issue. In any case, a professional inspection will be needed.
2. Garage Door Reverses Upon Opening and Closing
Does your door go back up suddenly as it’s opening, or vice versa? The safety sensor or a malfunctioning opener could be to blame. The emergency reversal system is in place to prevent injury or damage from a garage door that closes on an object in its path. If you see no obstructions, the reversal system will need to be replaced or repaired.
Take a look and see that the safety sensors are aligned. If so, your next step will be to call in a professional who can diagnose faulty wiring or electrical components, for example.
3. Random Functioning
A garage door opener that is inconsistent in its operation probably has a faulty wire or two. Maybe it doesn’t work when you want it to, or works when you don’t need it to. Whatever the case, address this safety concern immediately before it breaks down completely.
4. You Hear Noises
You may think that a noisy garage door is perfectly normal, but it’s not. It should be fairly quiet in actuality. Grinding, scraping, rattling, and screeching all signal a problem. Your aging opener may have something to do with it.
5. Stalling and Sticking
This is another sign of a malfunctioning or defective opener. If you can’t trust your door to open as it should, you should get this serious safety hazard checked out. It can also cause property damage, translating to costly repairs.
In the end, if you are having any issues with your garage door opener that you can’t reasonably troubleshoot on your own, it’s time to call in the professionals. They have the tools and training to properly diagnose a failing garage door opener.
Contact M&M Garage Doors
Our technicians can troubleshoot, diagnose, fix and repair your misaligned and warped tracks. Contact us today at (586) 610-5434 to schedule your consultation.
