Garage doors have built-in safety controls. A garage door stuck in the closed position may tempt you to crash on through, but don't let frustration get the better of you. Take a few minutes to troubleshoot some built-in safeties in your door that may prevent it from opening. Typical hotspots are the battery, the wiring and the electric eye that prevents your door closing on pets -- it can also prevent your door from opening. These simple checks can keep the repairman away and save you big bucks. Ensure the door isn't in "Vacation" or "Lock" mode when it won't respond to the remote from the outside. When in one of these modes it may open once using the remote, then must be unlocked from the wall control inside the garage. Check the battery in your remote operator by walking into the garage holding it in your hand. Press the button as you observe a small blinking red light on the box where the chain enters and exits. If the door opens as you get very close to the box, but fails to open as you back away, the battery is low and needs to be replaced.
When you can't see any blinking red light at all on top the box, the battery is dead. Click the remote as you are standing under the box but can still see the top. If you can see that the red light on top is blinking, it means that the battery is fine and that the problem exists somewhere else in the system. Locate the fine wires that run away from the control box on the ceiling. There are several inspection points, two run from the box to the manual switch on the wall -- most likely by the walk-in door, and four running from the back of the box to the electric eye locations on both sides of the door a few inches off the floor. Hold the remote in one hand. Grab the wires a few inches back from their connection points with the other hand. Wiggle the wires one by one while pressing the remote switch with the other hand. If one of the wires is loose, when you wiggle it, it will cause the door to open. Shut off the power to the garage door opener. Use a screwdriver to tighten the wire. Turn the power back on and the door should open and close normally.
Check the door's electric eye. This feature normally only fails when the door is already open and won't close, but some models won't work either way. Just a few inches off the floor on one side of the track, there are two small boxes that aim a beam across the floor at each other. If the beam is interrupted or won't align, the door may not work at all. Use a tissue to clean both electric eyes. The most often cause of this problem is a spider making a home in the eye, so if you're afraid of spiders, you might want to use something else to get him out of there. If you've cleaned the eyes but the door still won't budge, the eyes may be misaligned. The two eyes should be pointing directly at each other. They are typically mounted on thin piece of metal that can be accidentally bent. If it is misaligned, you should be able to see this. You can't see the beam, but if you take the small box with your fingers, you can bend it. Bend it a little at a time, while clicking the remote until the door opens.
Things You Will Need Ladder Spider removal tools Tip Warning References Mount Garage Doors: Troubleshooting Photo Credits Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionWhy does my garage door opener hum but the door does not move? Why does my garage door opener hum but the door does not move? There are several potential reasons for the garage door opener to hum and the door does not move. The trolley may be stuck on the stop bolt or stop tab. There may be stripped gears, a stripped rack, a bad capacitor, or motor. To prevent possible SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH from electrocution, disconnect ALL electric and battery power (if your opener has the EverCharge standby power) BEFORE performing ANY service or maintenance. To resolve humming issues for a chain or belt drive If the garage door opener hums twice: Check the trolley and ensure it is not stuck on the stop bolt or stop tab. See How do I get the trolley off the stop bolt or stop tab? Remove the metal cover and inspect the capacitor.
Look for oil or swelling, these are telltale signs of a failed capacitor. If the capacitor is replaced and the humming has not been resolved, replace the motor. If the garage door opener hums for about 30 seconds: Ensure the door is connected to the garage door opener. Use the emergency release handle to reconnect the door. See How can I disconnect the garage door opener to manually open or close my garage door? Check the belt or chain to be sure it has not fallen off the sprocket. After re-installing the chain or belt back on to the sprocket, ensure to check your owners manual on setting the tension to the chain or belt. If the belt/chain is connected properly, remove the metal coverto inspect the gears. If you see white plastic shavings inside the unit, or the gears appear to be worn or stripped, replace the gears. If the garage door opener is a screw drive, check for a stripped rack. It is a small black piece that runs up and down the screw. If it appears to be worn out even a little, replace the rack.
If the garage door opener hums until unplugged, the receiver logic board is damaged and must be replaced. If this is a new installation, verify that the correct bolts are used to mount the rail to the chassis. If longer bolts are used, they will interfere with the operation of the motor. Make sure you are using the bolts that came already installed on the chassis. The bolts are black in color, not silver. To resolve humming issues for jackshaft operators (3800/8500) If motor hums for 1 to 2 seconds, the door may be disengaged. Pull on the red emergency cord, then try opening door manually. If motor hums for more than 2 seconds, the collar may be slipping on the jackshaft. Tighten all 6 screws on the collar then try operating the door again. For further assistance on the 3800/8500, check the LED indicator light for diagnostic codes. How do I get the trolley off the stop bolt or stop tab? Belt and Chain Drive Gear and Sprocket Kit Replacement Instructions