Why Is Your Garage Door Opening by Itself?

Of all the garage door problems that may be encountered by homeowners across the world, the mysterious self-opening door is certainly one of the more perplexing. Your door may have functioned normally for many years and then one day, out of the blue, it suddenly starts to open of its own accord. Without a button on the remote opener being pressed, it starts to move as if it has a mind of its own, and doesn’t stop until it is fully open.

If your garage door seems to be possessed and is opening of its own accord at random times of the day, take a look at the possible reasons listed below and see if you can identify the root cause of your problem. If you are unable to figure out what is causing it to open by itself or you need expert assistance to fix the problem, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We offer professional garage door repair in Parker, Denver and all other adjacent areas, at very competitive rates.

How to Fix Garage Door Opening Problems

If you approach the fault-finding process in a methodical manner, you will stand a better chance of solving the problem quickly and efficiently. Probably the easiest way to proceed, is to check the simplest possible causes first, and work your way down the list to the potentially more difficult issues.

• A Neighbor Using the Same Wireless Code – Although this is quite unlikely, it is possible that your neighbor has set his or her door opener to use the same wireless code that you use with your opener. Even though it is a long shot, it is by far the easiest fix, which is why we suggest checking in with your neighbors before you do anything else. If they are using the same code, all you need to do is to change yours and your problems will be over. Our team responsible for garage door repair in Parker, CO recommends that you always use a unique wireless code when setting up new garage door openers, in order to avoid this particular problem.
• Sticking Control Button – Another relatively simple issue to solve but far more common than duplicate wireless codes is a sticking control button. While you may use your remote to open your garage door most of the time, you should also have a control panel located inside your garage, most probably by the internal door that leads into your home. On this control panel will be a button that you can push to open and close your garage door, which after years of accumulated dirt and grime, may stick in the ‘on’ position. If this is the cause of your garage door opening by itself, it will be a constant issue rather than an intermittent one: your garage door will open and close continually until you either cut the power to the door opening mechanism or unstick the button. A good clean will normally solve this problem.
• Loose Wiring in the Control Panel – Our Parker garage door repair team has come across this problem a number of times and would be delighted to fix it for you if you ever experience the same issue. Over time, wiring inside your door opener control panel may work loose and occasionally touch the metal housing, causing an electrical short that activates the door opening mechanism. If you are handy with wiring and aware of the safety issues, you can fix this issue yourself but if you'd rather not mess about with wiring and you are in or close to Denver, just give us a call.
• Short Circuit in Control Wiring – Another potential trouble spot is the wiring that runs from the above-mentioned control panel to the door opener motor. Over time, the plastic sheath that protects the wiring may be worn away through rubbing against the wall or some other source of friction. If it wears away to the point where bare wires are exposed, these could make contact with the metal door tracks or another part of the opening apparatus, resulting in a short circuit that sends power to the opener motor. Any competent garage door repair company should be able to replace worn control wiring for you, at a reasonable price.
• Sensor Malfunction – If your garage door closes but then immediately opens again, this could be due to a sensor malfunction. One or both of the sensors at the bottom of the door frame could be malfunctioning and sending a signal to the door to open again because they sense the presence of an obstacle that doesn't really exist. In such cases, replacement is often the easiest fix: a fix that a specialist in garage door opener repair can easily complete in less than an hour.

Consulting a Garage Door Repair Specialist

If you cannot identify the problem that is causing your door to open of its own accord or you think it may be due to a faulty logic board (a strong possibility if your door also closes by itself at random times), your best course of action is to contact a local garage door repair expert and ask them to pay you a visit. An experienced engineer will be able to quickly diagnose the fault, recommend a suitable fix and perform the necessary work to restore your garage door to full working order. If you happen to live in Boulder, Denver or anywhere else in the vicinity, we will be happy to help.