My Garage Door Doesn’t Open All the Way, What Do I Do?

There are few things as inconvenient as your garage door not opening all the way. Not only does it prevent you from entering and exiting your garage, but it also makes it harder for you to access anything else you have stored In there. Nevertheless, it’s not the end of the world and here’s what to do if your garage door doesn’t open.

Check Your Garage Door Remote

Oftentimes, it’s the little things that cause us the most grief. So, if you’re clicking your garage door remote and nothing happens, it’s always a good idea to start from there. Something as simple as a dead battery could prevent you from opening your garage door. Moreover, you may be out of range, the signal could be blocked, other devices could be interfering, or the antenna might be damaged. Test your garage door with a fresh battery, and make sure your antenna is clearly visible and does not appear damaged.

Some garage door remotes can even be reset or reprogrammed electronically, so follow your garage door opener’s manual to find out how to do this. Also, if you installed any new wireless devices in your home or around your garage door opener, try turning them off to ensure they’re not interfering with your garage door opener’s signal. Some LED light bulbs can create interference so try unscrewing or changing the bulb to see if it helps.

Check for Broken Torsion Springs

Broken garage door torsion springs are one of the most common reasons garage door repair companies are called out.  Take a look at the springs to see if one of them is broken (split in two pieces).  On most doors you can see the springs about a foot above the door in the centre.  If the spring is broken, you will need to call a professional for replacement.  Springs are under extreme tension and are very dangerous to work with without the proper tools and knowledge.  Broken torsion springs are not something to be taken lightly, and you should never attempt to fix or replace them alone. Always get in touch with a professional for any repairs involving springs or lift cables as they are under extreme tension.

Check Your Garage Door Balance

If your spring is not broken and your garage door won’t open all the way, it may not be balanced properly. Checking the garage door balance is relatively simple.  All you need to do is pull the emergency release cord to disconnect it from the garage door opener. Once disconnected, gently try and lift the garage door by hand, lift it all the way and gently lower it.  The door should lift and lower easily without much effort.  If it is very difficult to lift or lower, it’s usually a sign the door will need a spring adjustment or that the door is binding.  In either case it’s best to call a pro.

Check and Adjust Limit Sensitivity

Your garage door’s limit settings determine how far your garage door opener moves the door and how much force is used to fully open and close your garage door. If your garage door sensitivity is set too low, it could cause your garage door to malfunction and not work as it should. Despite this being a regular maintenance item, your garage door sensitivity may need the occasional tune-up between services.

Before adjusting anything on the opener be sure to follow the instructions above on checking for a broken spring and checking the garage door balance.  Do not adjust the sensitivity on the electric opener if the door is poorly balanced.  While doing this might get the door working, a poorly balanced door can strip out the gears in electric openers within days or weeks.  If the door is balanced, see your garage door manual for more information on how to set the sensitivity and adjust your door’s travel or force limit. If you’re not confident in adjusting these settings yourself, reach out to a qualified garage door professional.

 

Reach Out to Calgary’s Garage Door Specialists

If you’ve followed all the above steps and still haven’t managed to get your garage door to open all the way, or simply need a bit of extra help to get your garage door back into ship shape, get in touch with The Door House today at 403-543-6900 or contact us online for a free quote on any of our services.