Common Reasons Why a Garage Door Is Not Opening Properly

Common Reasons Why a Garage Door Is Not Opening Properly

Opening your garage door can take you minutes if it’s not operating correctly. This could easily throw you off your schedule. To prevent this from happening, you should determine the source of the problem and fix it immediately. Here are the common causes of a garage door that is not opening properly and their solutions.

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Power Source

Your opener won’t work if there is a power outage or if your garage door opener is not connected to a power source. No matter how hard you press the remote or wall switch, your garage door will not budge. To address the issue, you should check if your garage door opener is correctly plugged in.  If it still won’t work after that, try plugging it into another outlet. If your garage door finally moves, then that means that the initial outlet lacks a power supply.

Why Does My Garage Door Only Open Halfway?

Garage owners often experience a garage door that won’t open all the way. Listed below are the reasons why this happens and ways to remedy the situation.

The garage door can be operated manually

If you’re having difficulty getting your garage door to open fully, then its automatic feature may be broken. In that case, you have no other choice but to operate your door manually. To shift to manual operation, simply pull the red emergency release cord hanging from the door opener trolley. This step will disconnect the garage door opener, allowing you to manually move your door to open or close.

Blocked sensors

Another common reason why your door is not opening completely is blocked sensors. Dirt and debris blocking the photo eye sensors will cause the sensors to function erratically.

Inevitably, your garage door won’t operate the way it should.

Get a sponge and dish soap to clean the sensors and restore the operation of your garage door.

My Garage Door Only Open Halfway

Misaligned sensors

Similarly, having misaligned sensors can prevent your garage door from opening and closing smoothly.

Luckily, you can simply reposition the photo eye sensors to ensure their alignment and proper functioning.

Weather Effects

External weather conditions could lead to corrosion, which could impair your garage door’s movement.If there is visible rusting on the door tracks and other hardware parts, then you should consider replacing them. You should also lubricate them to ensure the smooth movement of your garage door.

Omega Garage Door Repair is your reliable garage door repair company. If none of the solutions we mentioned work, you can contact us for a garage door repair service.

Your Garage Door Torsion Springs Are Broken

broken garage door spring repair

When your springs break, you will hear a loud unusual thud. That sound results from the high-tension springs snapping.  In that event, you should stop operating your garage door. Never attempt to replace the springs yourself as it could be deadly. Instead, contact your garage door spring repair specialists for assistance.

Your Cables Have Snapped or Popped Off

When your springs break, the garage door cables will take all the burden of carrying the weight of your door. And because they cannot handle that, the cables will snap after some time. If you have broken cables, call your local garage door cable repair specialists right away to perform cable replacement. 

Your Remote Control Is Malfunctioning

Sometimes, the remote is to blame if your garage door won’t open with the remote. 

It could be because you’re out of range or you have an obstructed or damaged antenna. Try operating the remote near the door for better signal strength. You can also relocate the antenna or install an extension so that it can receive signals better.

Apart from this, dead remote batteries might also cause a malfunctioning remote. In this case, you should go to a hardware store to buy a battery replacement. 

If all of these solutions are ineffective, you should reset or reprogram your remote.

The Garage Door Is off the Track

If your garage door rollers go out of their tracks, your door will not move smoothly. This could even cause your door to stick. Additionally, off-track doors could also lead to more damages and injuries.  So, you should immediately reposition your garage door back on the tracks. Call a professional technician who can promptly fix the issue.

The Garage Door Motor is Running But You Cannot Open the Garage Door

Misaligned sensors and loose cables can cause your garage door motor to run but the door still won’t open. 

In the event that your garage door won’t move even though the motor is working, try adjusting and cleaning the photo-eye sensors. Call your technician as well to check and replace your cables.

The Garage Door Wall Switch Is Not Working

If your garage door won’t open when you use the wall switch, the problem might be coming from the outlet. You would notice that this is the case from the LED light.

If that is the situation, you should try plugging the switch correctly or plugging it somewhere with a supply of power.

Locked Door

Any door that is locked on the inside cannot be opened externally. So, if a family member accidentally locked your garage door, that’s probably the reason why you can’t open it. 

Unlock your garage door with your key or ask someone to open the door for you.

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