Garage doors in Rancho Cordova, CA should open and close smoothly every time. So, if you hear unusual noises, notice worn components or the door begins struggling all of a sudden, you must take the time to troubleshoot. Ignore problems and you could end up with a broken door or a serious injury.
Below are five reasons why your garage door is struggling or failing to properly open or close:
- Something is blocking the photo eye: Is your garage door 15, 20, 25 years old? If so, the door likely has a photo eye that watches for things in its way. It can detect if a person, animal, vehicle or object is blocking the door from lowering all the way. In most doors, the photo eye can be found about 4 to 6 inches off the ground—the eye is the size of a single pea. It sends out a laser from one side of the garage across to the other. If the laser is interrupted, it cuts off the signal to stop the door from opening or shutting.
- There’s a disruption in the power source: The reason your garage door is not working could be a simple one—the garage door opener may not be getting any power. You or someone else may have unplugged the power source and forgotten to plug it back in. If this is the case, then the problem is due to human error, not mechanics or power. Check that your door opener is plugged into a working outlet (and that the circuit breaker hasn’t flipped) and try it again.
- Broken torsion springs: Garage doors in Rancho Cordova, CA may be struggling to open and close because the torsion springs are about to break. And once they break, you’ll know it! It’ll be extremely loud, like a gunshot or firecracker going off. Torsion springs can last through many cycles, but they are typically the first things to break in your garage door setup. Broken torsion springs are the number one reason customers call garage door repair companies, which is the best choice to avoid bodily harm.
- Snapped or popped cables: The cables on your garage door can become disengaged, often popping of snapping off when a torsion spring breaks. There’s so much force behind a snapped cable that this event can damage vehicles, walls and other things that are nearby, and may even harm people or pets. Call a garage door repair professional immediately.
- Sensitivity is too high or low: Is you garage door not opening? The sensitivity may be out of whack. It’s more common to find the sensitivity set too high or low in newly installed garage doors, although this could be a problem with older doors as well. To fix this problem, simply look up the manufacturer’s directions to reset and adjust the sensitivity. Hire a pro if resetting does not work.
If the problem is not a malfunctioning garage remote and you notice any of the above, contact Action Door Service. We know garage doors in Rancho Cordova, CA like the backs of our hands. Reach out to us anytime!