When your overhead garage door is stuck in the open or closed position do not let the frustration get to you! More often than not, the problem is pretty easy to resolve. With minimal effort you can troubleshoot your overhead garage door controls or safety, and you can keep the repair person away, saving money in the process. Here are some tips to get you started:
Ensure the Door Isn’t on Lock Mode
Although this may sound a little silly, some people are not aware of the fact that overhead garage door remotes may have a ‘Lock’ feature. This is mainly used to increase security when you are away from your property for extended periods, and once it is activated, your remote control will not respond from the outside. In this mode your overhead garage door can only be opened from the push-button control station on the interior of the building. De-activate the ‘Lock’ feature and you will be able to use your remote activator.
Check/Replace the Batteries
Walk into your garage or building, press a button on the remote, and take a close look at the indicator light blinking on the garage door operator. If the overhead garage door opens as you come close to the operator, but does not open as you back away, it is an indication that the batteries are low and need replacement. If the indicator light on the remote is not lighting up at all, this is because batteries are dead. If the batteries are fine, though, the problem is not here and exists somewhere else.
Clean & Align the Door’s Photo-Eyes
On the outside of the door track, you will find two small boxes about 6” to 12” off of the ground, which point a beam across the floor towards each other. The door won’t close if the beam is not aligned or is interrupted. Using a clean cloth wipe both electric eyes. If your overhead garage door still will not budge, chances are that the eyes are misaligned. Remember, both the eyes must be pointing at each other directly, so bend them a little with your fingers and until the door finally closes.
Give the System a Reset
Overhead garage door remotes and openers are just like small computers, and sometimes they may need to reboot their circuit boards. So, give your system a reset and see whether your overhead garage door is responding. Resetting your remote is simple. All you need to do is remove the batteries and re-install them after 30 seconds. When it comes to the receiver, unplug the unit from the socket, and then rep-plug it again after 30 seconds.
If the problem persists, you probably are in need of overhead garage door opener repair or replacement. In this scenario, get in touch with your overhead garage door professional at Authority Dock and Door, as they will be able to help you determine the problem. But more than likely, a stuck overhead garage door is something you can fix yourself!