6 Signs it May be Time to Replace the Opener on Your Garage Door
The modern garage door is a composite mechanism that utilizes age-old technology, high efficiency electronics and state-of-the-art digital features. Everything on the modern garage door needs to work together in perfect harmony for it to operate as intended. But just because one part breaks down doesn’t necessarily mean you need complete garage door replacement. In fact, garage door springs, the rollers, the hinges, the opener and more can be expected to wear out and need replacement at different times. When it comes to the garage door opener, in particular you need to keep your eyes open to the warning signs that it’s time to replace it.
Garage Door Replacement May Not be Necessary
Garage door openers are tough little devices but they don’t last forever. If yours is exhibiting any of the following symptoms you likely don’t need to replace the garage door but you may need to call A Better Garage Door and have one of our techs install a new opener for you.
- Inconsistency - If you’ve begun to notice that you need to hit the “open” or “close” button more than once to get the garage door opener to respond it’s a sign that something is amiss. It could be something as simple as the batteries, so you should definitely go there first. But if changing the batteries doesn’t fix it then you likely have a problem with the opener itself. Give the pros at A Better Garage Door a call. We’ll come take a look. If it can be fixed in a way that is cost-effective for you we’ll fix it. If it needs to be replaced we’ll tell you so and provide you a range of options regarding which opener you should consider installing.
- A mind of its own - If your garage door has gotten into the habit of opening and closing on its own something is obviously not right. The problem may be as minor as a single part that is malfunctioning or it may be symptomatic of a larger issue that requires the opener as a whole to be replaced. What it probably doesn’t indicate is that you’ll need to replace the entire door. So relax and call the replacement garage doors specialists at A Better Garage Door. We’ll send someone around to check out the opener and let you know what needs to be done.
- The door doesn’t close all the way - It’s not uncommon for older garage doors to shut down before the door is completely closed. In some cases it’s a matter of a roller encountering debris in the track and it other cases there might be a problem with a cable or spring. Unfortunately, if the problem is in the opener itself, and that opener is old, it will probably cost more to try and fix it then it would to simply replace it with a brand new opener with a fresh warranty.
- Nothing happens - If you get in your car and hit “open” and nothing happens it’s more than just an inconvenience. Unless you have reason to think the door may be frozen shut or the batteries in the remote are dead then an unresponsive door means there is something seriously wrong with the opener. If ice isn’t the problem and replacing the batteries in the remote doesn’t fix it you’ll need to call for help. While you probably won’t have to replace the garage door you may well need to replace the garage door opener. In the meantime you can disengage the motor and let yourself out of the garage manually so you can get to work.
- Strange noises - Garage doors are not known for being quiet as a church mouse. Even the quietest generate their fair share of decibels. The thing is, the noises that emanate from your garage door should be predictable and familiar. If you begin hearing noises you’ve never heard before it’s a good indication that something is wrong. Don’t ignore such noises. It may turn out that they’re the result of obstructions in the track or a poorly lubricated spring. But if the sounds have a mechanical air about them it may be an indication the opener is on its last legs. Even so you won’t need replacement garage doors, just a replacement opener.
- The door shuts part way and then reopens - If, after commanding the door to close it reverses itself part way down it may be an indication that something is amiss inside the opener. Then again it may indicate that something is obstructing the auto-reverse mechanism. Or that sunlight is interfering with the functioning of the auto-reverse. The best thing to do is call the garage door replacement techs at A Better Garage Door and have us in for a look. We’ll get to the heart of the matter quickly and if the problem is with the opener we’ll provide you a full range of options, including professional repair (if possible) and replacement.
Garage door openers do yeoman's work making sure we have easy, unfettered access to our homes regardless of the weather or time of day. But they’re not indestructible. At some point they’re going to start wearing down and wearing out. Keep your eyes open for any of the above signs of trouble and if you encounter any give the pros at A Better Garage Door a call before you decide to replace the garage door.