There are any number of reasons that a garage door remote doesn’t work. Obviously, this is a situation that can cause a lot of frustration for homeowners. Maybe you solve it simply by disconnecting the door from the remote. That’s an okay solution until the first time it is pouring rain and your wife has to get out of the car to manually open the garage door.
After you’re out of the dog house, it’s time to find a better solution to the “automatic” garage door opener that isn’t working. Keep reading to learn about some of the possible common reasons your garage door remote doesn’t work.
Dead Batteries
If you spent the night in the dog house over dead batteries, you’ll probably feel silly. But it’s a fact that most people think when their garage door stops working it is because of some serious issue. But frequently, it’s an easy fix. It could be nothing more than the garage door remote in your car needs new batteries. First, test the opener in your garage. If it functions properly but isn’t receiving a signal from the remote, it’s probably a simple issue of a dead battery.
A dead battery in the garage remote is a simple fix for any homeowner.
Likewise, if your opener in your garage isn’t hardwired but is simply plugged in to an outlet, be sure it is still plugged in.
Your Photo Eye Is Out of Alignment
Any garage door opener installed since the early 1990s has a Photo Eye. This is a safety measure that prevents the garage door from closing if there is an obstruction underneath it.
These Photo Eyes are typically installed around ankle height on your garage door tracks. The Photo Eye can get dirty or get bumped and misaligned. A homeowner can visually inspect the Photo Eye. If it is dirty, you can clean it in the same way you would clean a camera lens, with a soft cloth and streak-free cleaner.
If cleaning the Photo Eye doesn’t work, then you should check the alignment. You should have two Photo Eyes at exactly the same level pointing directly at each other. If one of them has been bumped and is misaligned, the Photo Eyes won’t read each other. When they don’t read each other, they will react as if there is an obstruction to prevent the garage door from closing. You can realign them with a laser level or a regular level.
A good indicator to see if the Photo Eye is the problem is if the garage door will open using the remote but will not close.
The Springs Are Broken
If the garage door won’t open and you know the transmitters are working, it’s possible that you have a broken torsion spring. Depending on the type of door, you may have one or two torsion springs. If either spring is broken, this is the time to call a professional. Do not try to open the door until you have had a garage door repair professional inspect and replace the springs.
Your Track Is Out of Alignment
If your garage door track has somehow gotten out of alignment, this can be a serious issue. Once again, do not open or close the garage door without calling a repairman to inspect and repair the door.
A quick way to determine if the track is out of alignment is to look at the rails. If there is a gap between the rollers on the door and the rail, or if you can see bends in the rails, you have a problem. This could become a dangerous situation and should be resolved immediately.
Transmitters Are Not Functioning Properly
If you are using a universal remote, it is possible that the transmitters are not working properly. You should consult the owners manual on the universal remote. The manual will tell you how to reset your transmitter’s frequency to make sure it is still communicating with the opener inside the garage.
You might also want to check the antenna on the opener in the garage to see if it is being blocked.
Cables or Tension Springs are Broken
If you have broken tension springs this can be a very serious situation. Unfortunately, it will likely lead to your cables breaking. Do not park your car in the garage if you are worried that the tension springs are broken. If the cables snap they can cause significant cosmetic damage to your car. Likewise, you and your family should stay away from the cables. And, most importantly, you should get a garage door repairman to your home immediately.
Garage Door Repair & Maintenance
If the garage door remote or app isn’t getting your garage door to move, there are multiple reasons this could be happening. If you have eliminated the easy fixes, you should consult with a professional garage door repair service.
CSS Garage Doors has been in the business of installing and repairing garage doors throughout North Atlanta since 2009. You probably can’t create a problem that we haven’t solved. So, if your door won’t open or your remote doesn’t work, give us a call. We will get your garage door moving again.