Repairing a Garage Door Opener

There are times when you will be able to do garage door opener repair yourself, but there are also times when you may need the services of a professional. For example, the garage door going up but not coming down properly is a common problem for garage owners. This could be a problem with the safety sensors on each end of the garage door near the floor. The red light may be flashing on one side, while the other signals green that everything is okay. You need to check to make sure that the sensors are aligned and pointed at each other and that there is no obstruction in the way. If everything seems to be normal, you may have to purchase a replacement kit for the sensors.

If the garage door seems to open by itself, you may have a problem with the remote control. You don’t need to do anything with the door opener, but you need to take the remote apart by removing the screw in the back. When you have it apart, you should look for the small narrow strip on the circuit board. This is located just above the battery. If the contact strip is pressing against the brass contact, then this is the source of the problem and you will have to replace the remote.

If you have a carriage door and there is a loud grinding noise, this is a symptom that the carriage is wearing. To repair the problem, you will need to replace the metal track that engages to the screw of the opener. The track is softer than the screw and will wear out after many uses. Garage door openers that are noisy all the time need to be lubricated to provide a quieter operation.

When the door opener operates, but the screw doesn’t turn, you may need to replace the small plastic coupler that connects the screw assembly to the main power head. To inspect and replace that part, you have to remove the two screws holding the rail to the main power head. Remove the coupler from the motor shaft using pliers and replace it with a new coupler.

All of the replacement parts you need can easily be picked up at a hardware store or from your local door opener dealer.