Top Reasons Your Garage Door Isn’t Opening (& What to Do About It)

Picture one day coming home from a long day of work. Maybe the rain is pouring, and you got into a few incidents you deemed worthy of road rage. With plenty of reasons to explode internally, you finally arrive home before your last button is pressed. The only problem is, once you hit that switch to open your garage door, it simply — doesn’t open. 

One of the most frustrating moments in life is having a garage door that doesn’t listen to your commands. Who wants to spend the extra energy needed to manually lift a heavy door, especially in poor weather conditions? Not addressing the issue at all is worse than dealing with a poorly functioning door. Here are some of the top reasons your garage door isn’t opening and what you can do to restore full functionality in as little time as possible.

The Photo-Eye Is Out of Whack

The photo eye is the safety and security hub of the door. It searches for any objects in the way and prevents the door from closing on the item. When the door isn’t opening, a malfunctioning photo eye is one of the more common issues. Photo eyes often let off a clicking noise, or you’ll see flashing lights from the photo eye or the garage door opener, which indicate that it’s time for realignment.

The Door Springs Are Broken

Did you know that garage door springs can break? Homeowners often think certain parts last a lifetime, but garage springs run on cycles. After about 10,000 to 15,000 cycles, garage door springs break in half and require expensive repairs. Fortunately, calling your local spring repair company — like the experts at Rise and Shine Garage Doors — can restore torsion springs to their original condition and give you a fresh new set of cycles to work with.

Your Tracks Aren’t Aligned

Misaligned garage door tracks are like driving on a highway filled with giant potholes. You’d never want to drive on that road, much less keep up with the speed limit. When the tracks aren’t aligned, it makes it virtually impossible for the door to open up completely, and even if it does, it can take a tremendous toll on your opener, springs, or cables. To ensure the door opens and closes the right way, make sure your tracks are properly aligned. 

Your Remote Controller Is Broken

Sometimes the problem is as simple as a broken remote controller. Automatic openers use a remote controller to signal the door to open and close. When the garage door remote breaks or is malfunctioning, you won’t know unless the controller is reprogrammed or you evaluate the other parts of the door to ensure they’re working correctly. For some homeowners, it can be as simple as replacing the battery! Either way, a broken remote can go a long way to explaining malfunctioning doors. 

The Cables Have Snapped

Cables are attached to the bottom of the door and work together to effectively open and close the door. When springs snap, cables usually go with them, making opening the door impossible because of the amount of weight the cables and springs hold. If your door suddenly becomes stiff or feels extremely heavy, it might be because of snapped cables. 

The Limit Settings Are Wrong

We all have a limit to what we can take, and so does your garage door. When pushed to the limit, your door won’t tolerate it, but what if the limit is much higher than it needs to be? With garage doors, the limit settings tell the door how far it can go relative to the ground proximity. When the limit setting is wrong, the door might think your floor is closer or further away than it is and confuse it for an obstacle.

So What Do I Do About it?

Now that you know the problems, what are the possible solutions? When it comes to fixing the door, many solutions exist. While smaller problems can be solved with a few DIY skills, we recommend turning to the pros when in doubt. Garage doors can reach up to 350 pounds, and that weight can be extremely dangerous for many people. Additionally, parts like springs and cables are very delicate, and a few wrong moves can lead to major injuries. Some effective solutions for these garage door issues include: 

• Clean Your Photo Eye and Remove any Obstructions
• Replace the Garage Springs and Cables
• Gently Adjust the Track Yourself, or Call on Garage Door Professionals
• Replace the Remote Battery, or Check for Reprogramming Instructions
• Adjust the Limit Settings Manually, or Ask the Pros

Need Professional Help? Rise and Shine Garage Doors Can Make Your Garage Door Open!

Is it time to call a professional? Garage door problems aren’t all simple and easy to fix. There are various reasons a door might not open or close, and the last thing you want to do is address the problem yourself but make things worse. Instead of manual solutions, why not get professional help from the experts at Rise and Shine Garage Doors? If you need help fixing garage doors, whether due to faulty openers, or misaligned tracks, get professional help from our expert contractors. Contact us today and explore Minneapolis’ highest-quality garage flooring company today!