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SANTA CLARA — If your garage door is malfunctioning, it’s likely due to one of four possible causes. The first two are issues you can fix yourself, whereas the second two require the assistance of a professional.
1. Disengaged emergency release
Marked by a conspicuous red cord, the emergency release lets you disconnect your garage door from its motor and operate it manually, which can come in handy during a power outage or if the motor is malfunctioning. In some instances, however, the emergency release may disengage without you knowing it, leading you to think there’s a problem. To rule out this possibility, pull the emergency release cord and run the motor until it reconnects to the door, then try the door opener again.
2. Misaligned safety sensors
Every garage door has a pair of safety sensors situated on either side of the doorway: one that transmits a signal and one that receives it. In order for this transmission to take place, these sensors need to be in alignment and the doorway must be clear of obstructions.
When properly aligned, the light on the transmitting sensor will be solid; if it’s blinking, there’s either a blockage or the alignment is out. Clear any objects that could be blocking the signal (even something as small as a spider web). If that doesn’t work, try readjusting the position of the sensors until they’re in alignment.
3. Loose cables
In some instances, the garage door itself can become misaligned, which typically occurs when one of the cables goes off of the pulley or drum. You’ll need a professional to repair this problem.
4. Broken spring
Every garage door system has a pair of torsion springs, which do most of the heavy lifting when opening the door. If one of these springs breaks, your door may cease to lift all the way up, and it may not open at all. Torsion springs are dangerous to work with, so be sure to call a professional to handle the replacement.