Is Your Garage Door Stuck? Six Ways to Set It Free

If you’ve ever been in a rush to get to work in the morning, get the kids off to school or to another destination and your garage door suddenly stops working, it can add an extra layer of stress to your day. Like any other electrical device in your home, a garage door may sometimes stop functioning for no apparent reason. In more extreme instances, the door itself might be older and in need of a replacement. If your current garage door is stuck and has you singing the blues, here are some common denominators that might give you some closure (pun intended).

If you use your garage door clicker, and it suddenly halts the door from opening or closing, you might want to check the batteries to make sure they’re in working order. It may sound like an easy fix, and it can be. If your clicker no longer lights up when you press the button, it might be time to switch out the batteries.

It’s possible that there might be an obstruction (like your vehicle) on or near your garage floor that is not allowing for the sensor eye to connect with its counterpart and give the go-ahead for the door to open. From a safety standpoint, if there does appear to be an obstruction, the sensor will likely force your garage door into emergency mode and not allow it to raise or lower in case something is caught. Make sure that the sensor areas on both sides of the door are clear, and this may solve the issue.

Another important tip is to check the garage door wall switch to see if ‘lock’ mode is engaged. This is an important feature to have for your garage in case you go on vacation and don’t want anyone to have access to your garage door. It’s easy to bump the lock button, especially if you’re entering your dark garage trying to feel for the light switch.

If your garage door opener suddenly loses power due to an electrical issue, this may force your garage door into safety mode and cause it to become immobile. You can still open the door by pulling the red emergency release cord located overhead if you need to open the door immediately. If the door isn’t stuck due to a power outage, you’ll want to go ahead and check to make sure that the door opener is still plugged into the wall outlet and the circuit breaker is still in ‘ON’ position.

In case you do have an older garage door or one that hasn’t been maintained regularly, it’s possible that the metal components and rollers may need some lubrication. If you’re hearing a lot of creaks when opening or closing the door, it’s definitely a good time to purchase a simple lubrication kit. This type of maintenance can also be scheduled regularly by your trusted garage door repair company if you don’t want to do it yourself.

Garage doors operate on a track system with rollers and springs (either torsion or extension). If there is any obstruction within the garage door track, or if a spring is broken, the door will not operate as it’s meant to. You’ll want to check the entire length of the track along with the rollers and the springs themselves to see if something isn’t lining up correctly. If you do see something such as a gap or other obstruction within the springs that no longer allows it to close properly when the door is moving, you’ll likely need to have the spring replaced. A word of caution: garage door springs can be very dangerous, as they are supporting hundreds of pounds from the weight of the garage door. It’s very important to not try and fix a broken spring yourself, because you could be severely injured or even killed by the weight of the door if the repair isn’t done correctly. You should consult with your trusted garage door repair company as soon as possible, as they should have the proper experience to deal with more complicated repairs like these.

Hopefully this post shed some light on the most common garage door closure issues. If you ever get into a sticky situation with your door, don’t hesitate to give us a call! We’re here to help, 24/7.

The Up & Up Garage Doors is a family-owned company in Austin, Texas. We are fully committed to providing the best customer care possible, offering more than a decade of experience in garage door repair and installation. Our company is also fully-licensed, insured, and bonded with an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and many positive testimonials from past customers. We offer 24-hour emergency service, so we are always available, whenever you need us.