Whether your home’s garage door opens by itself randomly or retracts halfway through closing, these types of functional issues can quickly become a headache for you and your family. Understanding some of the common causes of garage doors operating on their own can help you determine which issues you’re dealing with and whether emergency repairs are necessary.
When a garage door opens or closes on its own, it can pose a number of different dangers, including:
If your garage door opens at random, it could create a significant security risk to your home. Someone could access, vandalize or steal from your garage.
Your garage door is important in keeping your home safe against outside threats. Addressing these issues promptly will ensure your space remains more adequately protected.
Another serious risk of having a malfunctioning garage door is safety. A door that shuts on its own can cause serious harm to anyone or anything in the way. In addition to being a potential physical threat to your family, an unexpected closure could cause costly damage to your vehicle.
If your garage door is functioning spontaneously, it’s best to avoid using it until you schedule repairs.
You need your garage doors to open and shut on your schedule. A malfunctioning door can be a huge inconvenience to your daily life. Whether you have to spend time manually opening and closing the door or you can’t get out of your garage on time for work, a problem door can be a massive inconvenience for you and your family.
A garage door opening or closing randomly can happen for a few reasons:
Your garage door’s electrical circuits can become damaged over time from various factors, including daily wear and tear, moisture exposure, and power surges. If the electrical circuit is broken in any way, it may send incorrect signals to your garage door opener, causing erratic opening and closing.
Often, garage door openers can have operational problems that lead to garage door issues. Some of the telltale signs that your opener is malfunctioning include the door opening or closing slowly, getting stuck during operation, or inconsistently responding to the remote control.
A garage door opening and closing on its own may also be due to signal interference impacting the remote control and garage door opener. Common causes include cross-over signals from neighboring devices with similar frequencies, such as radios, remote controls or other wireless devices. In some cases, your neighbor may even have the same garage door opener set to the same wireless code — garage door openers aren’t totally unique.
Something as simple as a stuck remote opener button can cause your garage door to operate incorrectly. The buttons may become jammed from dirt and debris or accidental damage. If you notice one of the buttons on your remote is sticking, try gently cleaning it. If the button still sticks, it may be time to replace your remote.
Your garage door’s safety sensors are key for proper operation and safety — they help ensure your door doesn’t close on people or objects in its path. If the sensors aren’t adequately aligned, the door can’t function properly.
If you suspect the sensors are the issue, first make sure they aren’t dirty or blocked. If nothing is interfering with their operation, but your garage door closes by itself and then opens, they may be misaligned.
If your garage door keeps opening when trying to close, it may be caused by a blocked safety sensor. Dirt, dust, debris or another obstruction can signal to the sensor that there’s an obstruction in the door’s path, causing it not to close.
Other common causes of unpredictable garage door operation include overly worn or broken components within the system. Weak or damaged garage door springs, for example, can cause the door to reverse when closing because they can’t adequately support the door’s weight.
When you’re experiencing an issue with your garage door, it’s always best to turn to a professional for help. Skip the dangers of do-it-yourself repairs and contact an expert garage door technician who can provide reliable, cost-effective service.
When you work with a professional for garage door maintenance and repairs. you receive:
Viking Overhead makes fixing issues with your home’s garage doors easy. We’re a veteran-owned, full-service company and offer same-day garage door repairs to ensure your family is never inconvenienced by a malfunctioning door for too long. Our team has been fixing and installing doors for businesses and residences across 45 cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for over 30 years.
Our experts work around the clock to offer 24-hour emergency garage door repairs, so you can rely on us no matter when a malfunction occurs. With same-day repair services, you’re never left with an unsafe or unsecured garage door. Our team is dedicated to working quickly and diligently so your garage space is back to being functional as soon as possible.
If your garage doors need more than maintenance and repair services, consider upgrading to a brand-new garage door from Viking Overhead. Our team can handle the installation process to ensure your space is functional and looks great. If you’re not sure whether your garage door needs a few repairs or a complete replacement, we can help guide you through the decision, too.
Contact us at Viking Overhead to request garage door repair services or upgrades today!
