Common Garage Door Problems

Many homeowners rely on their garage doors as the main entrance to their homes. Most days, this system performs dependably and safely without much consideration — but one morning when leaving for work, you notice your door isn’t operating as smoothly as it did before. What could be causing your garage door problems, and can the issue be easily fixed?

With regular daily use, it’s common for homeowners to experience problems with their garage doors, especially if the system isn’t receiving routine annual maintenance. When you notice your garage door not working correctly, inspect the possible cause of the problem right away — some issues may be fixed with a minor hardware adjustment or replacement, while others might require immediate attention to prevent severe injury or property damage.

Reasons Why Your Garage Door Won’t Work

If your home’s garage door isn’t opening and closing properly, note the source of the issue and what could be causing the problem. The following are common causes for why your garage door won’t work:

• Broken garage door spring system: The torsion or extension springs of your garage door counter-balance the door’s weight, allowing it to raise and lower smoothly. To determine the quality of your spring system, perform a visual check for damaged hardware, a broken spring will be very visible. Avoid using the garage door until the springs have been replaced — continuing to use the door could cause it to become off track.
• Damaged garage door cables: If your door is on an angle, one of your garage door cables has broken and needs to be replaced. It is most common to replace both cables as they wear at similar times.
• Dead remote batteries: When you click your transmitter remote, does the garage door operator light turn or make any noise? If so, then the batteries in your remote are likely dead and need to be replaced.
• Misaligned photo eye sensors: As your garage door closes, does it nearly reach the bottom then reverse direction? When the photo eye sensors at the base of your garage door track become misaligned, the invisible beam spanning the width of your garage door is broken, triggering the door to open. Check if any object is in the path of the sensors, check and realign the sensors if needed, or contact a local repair company to inspect your system.
• Power outage: If you come home and your garage door isn’t responding to commands — and the system has recently been inspected and found in good condition — then there’s likely a power outage in your neighbourhood. If you need to access your garage quickly, release the emergency cord connecting your door to the opener, then manually lift the door.

To best troubleshoot the problem with your garage door and ensure the system is repaired correctly, contact a professional garage door specialist to thoroughly inspect your door and perform repairs using the proper tools and equipment.

Benefits of Having a Professional Garage Door Repairman Perform Fixes

While many garage door repairs may seem like a simple task, it’s imperative to contact an experienced and trained professional to perform safe and lasting repairs with the correct tools for the job. By trusting a professional garage door company to perform repairs, you can expect:

• Repairs to be completed safely, minimizing homeowner injuries
• Professional experience and expertise to quickly identify the issue and recommend quality solutions
• Time and cost savings
• Proper tools and equipment for lasting, reliable repairs
• Parts and workmanship backed by warranties

Garage Door Not Working Properly? Trust Upper Canada Garage Doors

For help troubleshooting your garage door, contact the skilled and experienced professionals at Upper Canada Garage Doors. All of our garage door repair technicians are highly trained and respond promptly to your request, quickly identifying the issue and creating a personalized, effective repair solution. We happily provide garage door and maintenance service for homeowners throughout the Oakville, Burlington, and Milton communities.

To schedule garage door repair services, call us today at 905-267-2700 or complete our online scheduling form.