A garage door motor is an integral part of your garage door system. It’s responsible for powering the opening and closing of the garage door, so when it begins to malfunction or stops working altogether, you know you have a problem with your hands. You also may wonder “how do I know if my garage door motor is bad”?
But how do you know if the issue lies with the motor itself or with something else in your garage door system? This blog post will explain the signs indicating it may be time to replace your garage door motor.
Garage Door Openers Are Not the Only Villians in This Story.
If you find that your garage door isn’t opening or closing, there’s a good chance that the first thing you’re going to do is mess with the remote control. But you slid open that garage door opener just to discover the remote control battery is alive and where it should be. So now what?
After the remotes have been checked, it’s time to look at the motor unit. While this may seem intimidating and pricey, it’s important to remember that buying a new motor can save you from buying an entirely new system.
If this is the case with your own garage door, then Rainier Garage Door has plenty of motor replacement options that can work perfectly with whatever type of garage door system you have installed.
Step 1: Check the Power Source
The first thing you should do when diagnosing a garage door motor is to check the power source. It may seem silly, but sometimes something as simple as getting accidentally unplugged can ensure a garage door opener won’t function properly.
Outlets, Breakers, and Wires, Oh My!
You should also check that all of the circuit breakers in your home are in the “on” position and that none have tripped. If any circuit breakers have tripped, reset them safely and test your garage door opener again to see if it works correctly.
When making these observations of your garage door opener motor, it may become clear that some wires are not where they should be. While it may appear to be an easy fix, it is imperative that you leave the interior electrical components to the professionals. You don’t want to add an emergency room trip to your garage door opener’s problems.
Step 2: Look for Obstructions
Another common cause of malfunctioning garage doors is obstructions in the tracks or along the garage door safety sensors. Most automatic garage door openers rely on these door sensors to ensure that the door does not close on a person, pet, or important item.
Ensure that no objects are blocking the two sensors, as this can interfere with their operation and cause issues with your garage door opener. Also, check for debris or dirt buildup on both the sensors and tracks, as this can create issues. If you find any obstructions or debris buildup, remove them before testing your garage door opener again.
Step 3: Listen for Noises
If you suspect something might be wrong with your garage door motor but aren’t sure what it is, try listening for any unusual noises from the system while it operates. Do you hear anything out of the ordinary, such as grinding or squealing? If so, it should be inspected by an experienced professional right away.
These noises are usually caused by common garage door problems, such as worn-out gears or bearings within the motor that can be easily fixed. Letting this issue linger can cause more damage over time and potentially lead to the total failure of the entire unit. The last thing you want is to fork out a lot of money for a total replacement when all you needed was a repair.
Step 4: Consider the Timeline
Finally, another warning sign that something might be wrong with your existing motor is if its performance has decreased over time. For example, is it taking longer than usual for the garage door to respond to the door openers when pressed?
When garage doors begin to open or close slowly or incompletely, this could indicate that one of its components needs repair or replacement.
Step 5: Call the Garage Door Opener Experts
Knowing when it’s time to replace a faulty garage door motor can save homeowners and business owners a lot of headaches down the line. If any of these warning signs appear on your unit, don’t hesitate to contact us at Rainier Garage Door immediately so we can quickly take care of your garage door repair.
After all, a properly working garage door matters as much to us as it does to you.
