If you hear rattling or strange sounds while opening and closing your garage door, it could mean that parts are loose or lacking in lubrication. Retightening all exposed hardware should fix this problem.

A lack of sensitivity can also be solved by adjusting the screw on your motor unit or using white lithium lubricant. Dirty photo sensor eyes can also interfere with the system, so wipe them down and ensure they’re properly aligned.

Loud Noises

Garage doors open and close thousands of times a year. Therefore, they are prone to malfunctions from time to time. These problems may be as simple as a dead battery in the opener or something more complex like an unbalanced torsion spring. Nonetheless, they can easily be fixed.

Squeaking sounds can be due to the friction of different metallic parts rubbing together. The best way to prevent this is by lubricating the hinges, pulleys, rollers and bearings. However, it is advisable to use silicone or lithium grease because these are long-lasting.

When you raise or lower the door, a clunking sound is usually caused by the photo-eye sensor being blocked by something or not aligned properly. This can be resolved by hiring professionals in garage door repair Austin to remove the object or by realigning the sensor.

Unresponsive

Sometimes, your garage door won’t respond to the remote control or suddenly stop opening halfway through. A few different things could cause this.

It could be as simple as your opener isn’t getting power. Check the LED lights on the motor unit, safety sensors and wall panel to ensure they receive a clear signal. You may need to reset the circuit breaker that came with your garage door opener or unplug the motor and plug it back in again.

It could also be a problem with the photo eye, which hovers about 4 to 8 inches above the floor to detect objects and prevent your door from closing on pets or children. Wipe down the sensor and make sure nothing is blocking it. Lubricating the track with silicone or white lithium lubricant can also help.

The Door Won’t Close

If your garage door doesn’t close all the way, this could be a serious safety issue. It’s important to ensure the power is on and the sensors aren’t blocked or misaligned. Each sensor has a light that should be on, either the yellow sending or green receiving light. If one is off or blinking, the invisible beam is likely interrupted, and you must have them realigned.

If the lights aren’t blinking, you may need to adjust the sensitivity of the photo-eyes. Adjusting this varies and should be outlined in the owner’s manual. If that doesn’t work, the circuit breaker might have tripped, so try resetting it. If nothing else works, it’s time to call for service.

Broken Spring

Your garage door opens and closes thousands of times each year, which can cause the springs to wear out. When they break, the door will no longer move up or down and could trap you inside if you’re not strong enough to lift the door manually. Garage door springs can also break from rust or improper lubrication, so it’s important to ensure they’re properly maintained and inspected regularly.

You can often tell a spring has broken by hearing a loud popping sound or seeing slack on the cables. It’s best to have a professional service to do garage door spring replacement Austin. They will ensure the new springs are installed properly to distribute the door’s weight evenly. This will prevent the door from becoming crooked, which can be difficult to repair.

Dirty Sensors

Your garage door’s sensors are an essential line of communication between your garage door and the opener. Unfortunately, this system can be susceptible to damage from various sources. A quick kick from a foot or a stray ball can knock sensors out of alignment and cause them to incorrectly interpret what the door is doing, whether closing when an object is in the way or failing to stop after an obstacle has been detected.

As such, it’s important to include regular inspections of your sensor wiring and connections as part of a larger all-over garage door maintenance routine. It can also help to clean your sensor lenses to keep them unobstructed and functioning properly. Just be sure to dry them off thoroughly afterward!