It’s happened to all of us. We go to our garage to get something, and the door doesn’t open fully. We push the button on our garage door opener, and nothing happens or it only half works.
Why does this always seem to happen when we’re in a hurry? Is there anything we can do about it?
In most cases, the answer is yes! Several things can cause your garage door opener to work intermittently, but most of them are easy to fix.
Keep reading for some tips on how to troubleshoot and fix your garage door opener.
Top Reasons Why Your Garage Door Opener Works Intermittently
There are a few different reasons why your garage door opener might not be working correctly. Here are some of the most common causes:
Remote Batteries Are Dead or Dying
One of the most common reasons why your garage door opener stops working is because the batteries in your remote are dead or dying. If you have a remote with batteries, make sure to check them regularly and replace them as needed.
You can usually tell if your batteries are dying if your garage door opener starts to work intermittently or if the light on your garage door remote is dim.
If you have a remote that uses a 9-volt battery, we recommend checking it every few months. If you have a remote that uses AA batteries, we recommend checking it every few weeks.
It’s also a good idea to keep extras on hand inside your glove compartment or in the car so you can replace them as needed.
Interference with Signal from Garage Door Remote
Another common reason why your garage door opener may work intermittently is because of interference with the signal from your garage door remote. This can be caused by several things, including:
- A weak battery in your garage door remote
- Metal objects near your garage door opener
- Thick walls or doors between your garage door opener and your remote
- Other electronic devices near your garage door opener
To fix this problem, start by replacing the batteries in your garage door remote. If that doesn’t work, try moving any metal objects away from your garage door opener. If you have thick walls or doors between your opener and remote, you may need to get a new remote that has a stronger signal.
If you have other electronic devices near your garage door opener, such as a microwave or WiFi router, try moving them away from your opener or turning them off when you’re not using them.
Dirty Sensor Eyes
The sensor eyes are located on either side of your garage door, about six inches off the ground. They emit an infrared beam that tells the garage door opener when something is in the way of the door.
If your sensor eyes are dirty or blocked, it can cause your garage door opener to work intermittently or not at all. To fix this problem, start by cleaning the sensor eyes with a cloth.
If your garage door opener still isn’t working correctly, you may need to replace the sensor eyes.
Photo Eyes Are Out Of Alignment or Malfunctioning
If your photo eyes are out of alignment or malfunctioning, it can cause your garage door opener to work intermittently or not at all.
To fix this problem, start by realigning the photo eyes. If that doesn’t work, you may need to replace the photo eyes.
Photo eyes differ from brand to brand but in general, they include indicator lights to tell you when they are aligned properly.
You may also need a laser level to assist with the procedure. A laser level will emit a red dot from one side to the other, allowing you to align the photo eyes.
Worn-Out Gears
If your garage door opener is more than 15 years old, the gears inside the opener are likely worn out. When the gears start to wear out, they can cause the opener to work intermittently or not at all.
If your garage door opener is more than 15 years old, we recommend replacing it.
Programming Issues with Your Garage Door Remote
If your garage door remote isn’t working, there could be a programming issue. Sometimes, when the battery is dying, the remote will lose its pairing with the opener.
If this happens, simply follow your unit’s instructions to pair the remote with your opener again.
Wiring Issues with Garage Door
If you’re having issues with your garage door, it could be due to a wiring issue. First, check the wires connecting to the photo eyes. Sometimes these can get damaged or disconnected since they’re on the floor of the garage.
Next, check the wire connecting the push-button garage door opener on the wall. This can also get easily knocked or damaged since it’s in a high-traffic area.
Finally, check the wire from the wall going into the garage door opener unit on the ceiling. If any of these wires are damaged or not connected properly, that could be causing your garage door problems.
If you find they’re disconnected you may need to solder or reconnect the wires.
Follow these quick steps:
- disconnect the power to the opener and remote the remote batteries.
- Solder of connecting broken wires
- Reconnect power to the opener and put the batteries back in the remote.
- Clear the opener’s memory
- Reconnect all remotes to the opener
- Test the remote and wall buttons.
The steps above will vary from brand to brand but the idea remains the same.
Lock Button Stuck
If your garage door opener has a “lock” button, and that button is stuck it can cause your garage door opener to work intermittently or not at all.
What Is the Lock Button on A Garage Door Opener?
The lock button is a safety feature that locks the garage door opener, so it can’t be used by other remotes to open the door. This prevents someone from breaking into your home through the garage.
If you’re having trouble with your garage door opener and you think the lock button might be stuck, try pressing and holding the button for 10 seconds.
If that doesn’t work, you may need to replace the remote.
Frequent Power Outages
If you live in an area with frequent power outages, that could be the reason your garage door opener is working intermittently or not at all.
When the power goes out, it can disrupt the communication between the garage door opener and the remote.
To fix this problem, we recommend getting a backup battery for your garage door opener. That way, if the power does go out, your opener will still be able to operate.
Blown Fuse
Another reason your garage door opener may not be working is because of a blown fuse.
Garage door openers have a built-in safety feature that kicks in when there’s too much power going to the unit. This safety feature is a fuse; when it blows, it cuts off the power to the unit.
To check if this is the problem, locate the fuse on the garage door opener unit and see if it’s blown. If it is, you’ll need to reset or replace it with a new one.
Once you’ve replaced the fuse, try operating the garage door opener again. If it still doesn’t work, there could be another issue causing the problem.
Garage Door Track Is Out Of Alignment
Sometimes if the door tracks get bent or damage the entire door will get out of alignment. This may cause undue stress on the opener and in return, cause it to work intermittently or not at all.
How to Check If the Door Track Is Out Of Alignment?
To check if the door track is out of alignment, open the door and look at the rollers. The rollers should be in a straight line with each other. If they’re not, then the tracks are out of alignment.
To fix this problem, you’ll need to realign the tracks. This can be a difficult task and we recommend getting a professional to do it for you.
Conclusion
There are many reasons why your garage door opener may be working intermittently or not at all. We’ve listed some of the most common reasons and how to fix them.
If you’ve tried all of the troubleshooting steps and your garage door opener still isn’t working, we recommend getting a professional to take a look at it.