A garage door system can work great one minute, but no longer open the next time you try to use your garage door. It is important to check the power supply to your garage door opener before you do anything else. If you have lost power, the garage door opener won't be able to turn on. Once you know that you have power going to the unit, an opener that won't engage could mean a number of things. A garage door that only opens part-way or changes direction, will also need to be inspected to see what repairs are needed. If you hear strange noises or notice a problem with how your door opens and closes, it's time to call for service. 

Your Door Changes Direction While Opening or Closing

If your garage door changes direction, this can be a simple pebble or piece of debris in your track. Look at your tracks to make sure nothing is in the way. If your tracks are not parallel, this can cause your door to change direction. This tends to occur if a bracket has become loose or fallen off. Make sure nothing is in the way of your door closing, and that the two photo sensors are facing one another. Your door may not close all the way if the sensors are dirty, or not able to send a signal to each other.

You Hear Loud Noises When the Door Opens or Closes

Loud noises could indicate a problem with your opener, or with another component of your garage door. Squealing noises can mean the wheels on your garage door need to be lubricated. If the noise is new, call for a garage door repair service to figure out what is going on.

When Your Tension Springs are Failing

A number of signs show that your tension springs need to be adjusted or replaced. Your tension springs are responsible for holding the heavy weight of your door as it opens and closes. If the opener appears to be struggling, or your garage door won't stay in the open position, the tension springs may be too loose. This is another reason to call a garage door repair service, as it's not safe to try to adjust the springs yourself.

If your garage door is malfunctioning, get the repair services you need to keep it working. Make sure you have power and look to see if your tracks are clear of debris.

Contact a garage door service to learn more.