The garage door worked all summer perfectly, and now that winter comes, it stops working. This common problem has a very easy fix.
What happens to the garage door opener when temperatures change is that the grease was nice in the summertime; now the grease gets harder and grungier in the winter.
The garage door will have a problem on the down cycle or upstroke because it needs more pressure or force.
Force and Limit Adjustment Controls
There are typically two sets of controls on a garage door opener: limit controls and force adjustments. These adjustments are located on the back or on the side of the garage door opener.
Common Garage Door Problems We Solve
- Screwdriver Adjustments: Use a screwdriver to turn the tension control or force adjustment. Give it a little more tension by turning right or clockwise.
- Cold Weather Setting: Next time it gets cold, give a little more tension if the door stops midway. Do not give too much tension, because the door needs to stop if it hits an object or car.
- Limit Controls: If the garage door does not go completely up or completely down to the ground, use the limit controls to make sure that it completely gets to the ground or completely gets up.
- Installer Setup: People install garage door openers in the summertime when grease is soft, but in wintertime when grease gets thicker, it stops working. Before calling an expensive technician, give it a try with a screwdriver.
Emergency Release Cord and Disconnected Chain
A garage door opener appears to be disconnected and not functioning when the motor functions and pulls the chain, but the door itself is not connected.
The most common thing that happens is people or kids pull the emergency cord.
- Look at the plastic piece attached to the trolley mechanism.
- When this plastic piece is situated flush, turn it sideways to reset it.
- Push the button on the wall or remote. The chain will connect and become operational again.
Engaged Manual Lock and Power Issues
When pushing the button, the garage door kind of opens slightly, moves about an inch, and stops. This happens when someone has engaged the manual lock.
The motor is feeling the tension and saying it will not pull because it is going to break something. To fix this problem:
- Let off the tension.
- Pull the lock out from the track.
- Push the button again to open the door.
Another issue that prevents the garage door opener from working is when the unit is unplugged up there. Check that the power cord is properly reconnected to the outlet.
Obstructions and Lubrication
When the garage door goes up about one foot and then stops, or flashes and beeps five times, several components need inspection.
Check for Obstructions
Check both sides of the door and the top of the door on both the inside and the outside. Also check for any obstructions on the garage door opener and the main drive rail between the garage door opener and the garage door.
Reset the Door Opener
Unplug the door opener, wait a couple of seconds, then reconnect the power.
Lubricate Moving Parts
If the door is binding, the wheels or the wheel track on either side of the door need proper lubrication:
- Apply aerosol spray lubricant on all moving parts of each wheel.
- Take general-purpose grease and apply it to the outer wheel surface of each wheel.
Broken Springs and Damaged Cables
Inspect Cables
Cables run from the top of the door to the bottom of the door on each side. To properly inspect the cables, inspect them with the door closed and be sure both cables have tension on them.
Inspect Springs
If the garage door is 16 feet or wider, it has two separate heavy-duty springs. The purpose of these heavy-duty springs is to store mechanical energy, which helps lift the door.
To properly inspect the springs, inspect them with the door closed. A broken door spring shows a clear split in the coil.
The average garage door spring should last about 10,000 cycles of opening and closing, or around 14 years. If there is more than one spring and one of them breaks, then they both need to be replaced at the same time.
Replacing a garage door spring is not only difficult, but it can also be incredibly dangerous. People have been seriously injured trying to replace garage door springs. Trying to do this job yourself to save a few bucks is a bad idea. Instead, hire a professional who has the necessary knowledge, skill, and special tools.
