Fix a Garage that Opens and Closes on its Own
Is your garage door behaving badly? Does it open and close on its own? Or immediately start rolling back up as soon as you have closed it? While it may seem like a ghost is interfering with your garage door, this is not the case. Garage doors can sometimes act up due to mechanisms in the garage door that become confused, as well as other reasons that are common.
If you are a homeowner and are experiencing a garage door that has a mind of its own, not only can this be frustrating, but it may prevent you from accomplishing what you need to in a day. Most homeowners will hesitate to leave their garage doors open unattended for any length of time. So, if your garage door is opening on its own, you will likely need to take care of it as soon as possible before doing anything else.
Luckily, fixing a garage door that opens or closes on its own can often be done by homeowners themselves. Know that this issue is common when it comes to garage doors and there are several steps you can take to try and address the problem yourself. The following article will give you a quick overview of some things you can try that will help you fix your garage door before you call an expert.
Why the Garage is Acting this Way
Before we go over the possible solutions for why you may be experiencing a faulty garage door, let’s discuss why this may be happening in the first place. There are several common reasons why you might suddenly have a garage door that rolls up and down on its own.
Most of the time, if your garage is moving up or down on its own, it is because the safety mechanism in the garage door is being triggered. All garage doors built after the early 1990s come equipped with a safety sensor that is able to detect when there is an object, person, or interference in the way of the garage door. When something is in the path of the garage door, this safety sensor will recognize it and force the garage door to stop and pause, or stop and reverse back up.
Another possible reason you may be having this issue is your garage door has a broken spring, cable, or track. Even if just one spring or cable on your garage is faulty, it can cause the entire garage door to act up.
Solutions to Try
Check for Any Interference
The first thing you will want to do to help fix this garage door issue to check for any objects, snow, dust, leaves, dirt, or debris build-up that may be anywhere near your garage door. Clear the pathway around the garage door and keep any objects in your garage as far from it as possible. Weather can cause garage doors to close or open on their own because leaves, snow, and other elements may make it seem like objects are in the way of the garage.
Do a visual check of all the part of your garage. Check to see if any springs, cables, tracks, or other parts or bent, broken, or out of alignment. If you do notice that one of these parts appears to be broken or out of place, contact a garage door expert right away. When it comes to these components of your garage, working with an expert is always recommended. Attempting to tackle garage door issues on your own can be risky, and this is especially true when it comes to garage door springs and tracks.
Check the Garage Photo Eyes
The photos eyes sit on either side of your garage door near the bottom. These are the sensors that are a part of the safety mechanism that all garages now have. When these photo eyes sense something in their path, they stop or reverse the garage door. If dirt collects on the lenses of the photo eyes, this can confuse the sensor, making it so it thinks an object is in the way. Be sure to clean the photo eyes of your garage to help ensure that a clear signal is captured by both eyes.
You may want to consider resetting the garage motor if all else has failed at this point. Resetting your garage motor can be done by following the instructions in your garage door owner’s manual. You might also be able to find instructions listed on the side of your motor that will guide you as to how your specific garage motor should be reset.
Call a Professional Garage Door Expert
Sometimes, you will have no choice but to contact a professional. When it comes to garage door problems of any sort, you do not want to risk your personal safety in order to try and make repairs yourself. Do not hesitate to call a local garage door technician in your area that can help you address your garage door issues safely, efficiently, and without you having to risk any sort of injury to yourself.