Garage Door Opener FAQs

Garage door openers have been a fixture of modern life for decades now. They’ve become so much a part of the cultural/domestic landscape that most folks tend to take them for granted. That is, until it comes time to either purchase one or call for garage door service in Northglenn. We get a lot of questions from homeowners concerning garage door openers and it’s understandable. Because even though the basic concept of the automatic garage door has remained pretty much the same since they were first introduced the details have changed in a big way: to the point where you can now operate your garage door or check on the state of your garage door springs in Broomfield from your beach chair in Thailand.

Common Garage Door Opener Questions Answered

Below we’re going to address some of the most common questions we get asked about garage door openers. We hope this information will help you make an informed decision when it comes to garage door service in Broomfield or Northglenn. Let’s get started.

Why does the remote only seem to work when I’m close to the opener?

We get this question fairly often and the answer has to do with radio frequency interference. If you have motion detectors in your home, say as part of a security system, the radio frequency they emit can interfere with the signal from your remote to the opener. So can the signal from wireless computer game consoles. If you have a flexible antenna on your opener you may be able to adjust it to fix the problem. If not an antenna extension attached to the exterior of your home should clear it up.

Will my opener work during a power outage?

A standard garage door opener will not work during a power outage, unless you install a battery backup. Battery backups are available for most garage door openers today. Typically you install them just above the opener and plug them into the opener. If the power goes out the battery kicks in and if you need to enter or exit the house the opener works like it always does. When the power comes back on the opener reverts to the standard power source.

Why does the opener reverse before the door is closed?

Every modern garage door opener comes with auto reverse capability. If anything breaks the sensor beam that runs across the inside of the door at knee height while the door is closing the door will automatically reverse in order not to hurt people or pets. Sometimes however this sensor beam can become misaligned or dirt on the sensor can create false readings causing the door to reverse. Clean the sensor and check the alignment to fix the problem.

What’s the difference between chain, belt and screw drive openers?

• Chain drive openers are the most popular type of opener because they tend to be the most affordable. They’re also however the noisiest of the three types of openers.
• Belt drive openers are just as strong as chain drives but typically a lot quieter.
• Screw drive openers provide fast, quiet, powerful performance that makes them perfect for large, very heavy doors.

Are there any advantages to DC powered openers?

With a DC powered garage door opener your opener will be capable of variable speed operation. This will enable silky smooth starts and stops and generally create less wear and tear on the garage door.

Why do people typically replace their opener?

The most common reasons for replacing the opener are:

• Noise - As openers get old they tend to get louder, particularly chain drive openers.
• Safety - Some legacy garage door openers don’t have the auto-reverse function.
• Convenience - New garage door openers are high tech devices that can be added to the Internet of things and controlled via smartphone apps.
• Security - Many older garage door openers are still using static passcodes. New openers generate a new code every time the door is opened making the door less susceptible to hacks.

If my garage door springs break, will it harm the opener?

When a torsion spring breaks it can put enormous pressure on the opener. However modern openers should be able to withstand the shock. If you need to replace your garage door springs in Northglenn, give A Better Garage Door a call.

How big should the motor be in my opener?

For a single car garage door ½ horsepower should be sufficient. For a heavier door you’ll want something more powerful like a ¾ horsepower motor. Try a screw drive opener for heavier doors as well if you have the option.

Visit our garage door openers page to browse the Liftmaster models we currently offer..

A Rundown of Some of the Most Common Garage Door Opener Remote Issues That You Can Fix Yourself

If you are experiencing problems with your garage door that have you baffled it may be because the problem isn’t actually with your garage door at all. Before you call the garage door repair company stop for a moment and consider the possibility that the problem is actually with the garage door remote. The remote is an often overlooked component in the garage door equation but it shouldn’t be. It’s crucial to both the design and execution of the garage door concept and without it you’re back to getting out of your car in the driving rain or snow and opening the door by hand. Below we’re going to take a look at some common problems associated with the garage door remote.

Not Every Problem Calls for Garage Door Repair

When the garage door doesn’t open for some reason, people tend to whip out the phone and call for garage door repairs from professionals. While that’s understandable, there’s also a decent chance the problem is not with the garage door at all, but rather with the remote. Here is the rundown on some basic garage door remote malfunctions.

Limited Range Syndrome

If it seems as though the door doesn’t want to open until you are practically right on top of it the problem may stem from some other device in your home that is interfering with the radio frequency of your remote. What will make the offending device devilishly difficult to find is that it will probably show no signs of malfunctioning itself, even though it’s giving your garage door remote fits. Potential troublemakers include surge protectors, battery chargers, cable amplifiers, alarm systems or anything that relies on or otherwise utilizes a timer. If the problem comes and goes it’s safe to assume that whatever is causing the interference is not on all the time, but rather being turned on and off. If you are unable to find the culprit you may, unfortunately, have to replace your remote.

Dirty Eyes

The IR unit on your remote is covered by a piece of clear plastic known as an eye. The eye allows the signal to pass through to the opener. If this eye is dirty it might be interfering with the operation of the remote. Clean the eye using a soft damp cloth so as not to scratch it and then try again. If your problem is a dirty eye chances are this will be sufficient to fix it. If this doesn’t do the trick you may have to call for garage door opener repair or you may have to replace the remote.

Dead Batteries

Without a doubt the most common of all garage door remote problems is dead batteries. We get quite a few calls each year from people who believe they need garage door repair in Commerce City, CO when in fact all they need to do is put new batteries in the remote. Before you pick up the phone and call us to come fix the garage door take the batteries out of your garage door remote and put them in another device to see if they work. If the other device fails as well you know what the problem is.

Dirty Battery Contacts

Sometimes something will get spilled on the remote or it will become soiled in some other way. The result is that the battery contacts inside become dirty and lose their ability to effectively transmit power from the battery to the circuit board of the remote. If you are sure the batteries are okay take a look at the battery contacts. If they are worn, wet or somehow soiled take a clean cloth and wipe them down until they are nice and clean then try the remote again. If the problem is a stubborn stain you may have to polish the contacts with a super fine sandpaper (400 grit) or steel wool.

General Malfunctions and Resetting

If you can’t put your finger on exactly what the problem is but you are reasonably sure the opener is the source of your difficulties you may have to reset it. If yours if a fairly new system resetting is not that big a deal. Simply look for the button on the motor that says either “learn” or “home”. Hit this button and then aim the remote at the opener and hit “open”. This should reset the system. If you have an older system resetting is a more involved process and may vary from opener to opener. Check your owner’s manual for specific instructions.

If you are having trouble opening your garage door check your remote before calling for Commerce City garage door repair. While it’s not certain the problem is related to the remote there is a good chance it might be.

The 5 Most Common Issues Experienced with Garage Door Openers That Need Professional Repair

Now that we have addressed the questions its time to dive into the common issues people experience with their garage door opener. Today’s garage doors are marvels of efficiency, environmental responsibility and beauty. What they aren’t is indestructible, so even the best is going to require the attention of a garage door repair company from time to time. When you call for garage door repair services it’s often helpful if you can give the technician some indication of what the problem is. That way they have some idea what to expect when they arrive and can hit the ground running. In an effort to help you identify what might be wrong with your door we’ve compiled this short list of the most common garage door opener problems.

Common Problems That Require Garage Door Opener Repair

The door fails to close all the way

There may be times when the door simply won’t close the entire way, or when it closes and then starts to open again. This is a serious issue that needs to be resolved asap because you can’t run the risk that you might accidentally leave the door open after you leave the house. So what could it be? If the door closes part way and then opens again, it could be something blocking the auto reverse sensor. This device shines a beam of light across the door opening. If that beam is broken while the door is open the motor automatically reverses to prevent anyone getting hurt. Check to see if something is blocking this sensor. If the sensor is clear but the door still stops part way down the problem is something else. If the light on the opener is flashing it could indicate a specific problem. Check with the owner’s manual. If you still aren’t sure call A Better Garage Door.

The door doesn’t open at all

If you send the open command to the opener and nothing happens it’s likely an issue with the power source. Make certain no one has unplugged the motor by mistake. If it’s plugged in then check the circuit breaker. If the door is battery operated you might want to try replacing the battery. If none of these things prove to be the problem it may be that the batteries in the remote have died. Try them in another device and see if it works. If it does then the problem is not the batteries. Take one more look at the motor and make sure the antenna is hanging down so that it’s able to pick up the signal from the remote. If that doesn’t fix the problem call us for Commerce City, Loveland or Broomfield garage door repair.

The motor won’t shut off

If after the door closes the motor simply won’t shut down you’ll need to get to the bottom of the problem quickly or your motor will burn out. In this case the limit switch might need adjustment. The limit switch tells the motor at what point the door is considered either open or closed. If the limits are set improperly the motor will keep running; in effect, spinning its wheels. A quick check of the owner’s manual should tell you what the ideal limits are and how to set them.

The door doesn’t open when the weather gets cold

Sometimes when the weather in Boulder, Loveland, Commerce City or Broomfield gets really cold in winter time a door will simply refuse to open. If this happens to you run through the check list of potential power source problems in #2 (above). If none of them are the issue there’s one more thing that could be causing the problem. If the rollers are frozen the motor may be sensing resistance and refusing to open the door. There should be a screw on the motor itself that will allow you to adjust the sensitivity of the opener.

The door opens unevenly and stutters as it rises and falls

It may be that the motor itself is burning out. But it’s more likely that either one of your springs has snapped or that there is dirt, debris or some form of obstruction in one or both of the tracks. Look for the broken spring first and if they both look fine take a few minutes and inspect the tracks. All that may be required is a quick cleaning.

There are myriad things that could go wrong with your garage door opener. If you haven’t been able to discern the problem or you need help to fix your garage door, give the pros at A Better Garage Door a call. We’ll be there in a jiffy to get your door back up and running.