How to Repair Automatic Garage Doors?

If you have come this far, it is because you are asking yourself this question: My garage door does not work well or is broken, what can I do, keep reading if you want to find a simple solution.
We recommend that repairs are carried out by a qualified professional, but some of the breakdowns are simply repairable, as long as we do not endanger our integrity when carrying out the repair.

How to Repair Garage Doors

With this article we want you to be able to easily identify the breakdown of the door. We leave you some tips to correct the most common breakdowns of automatic garage doors, and you can also see the problem to solve it in the simplest and most effective way.

How to repair a garage door

We leave you two sections of the typical breakdowns:
  1. Garage door in the general or common breakdown of all garage doors.
  2. Breakdowns by type of door in which we delve a little deeper into the breakdowns of each type of door.
Some of the breakdowns produced are usually common in all types of doors, especially the breakdowns concerning the motors or security systems, you can see in this article how to install and check that a security photocell is working properly.

Common breakdowns in automatic garage doors

Some of the most common malfunctions of automatic garage doors are easily detectable, we leave you a list with some of them that are easily detectable.

The automatic garage door does not open or close

  • It does not have electric current, check that current arrives at the motor of the door, and check that all the magnetothermics of the general panel are raised up.
  • If The push button does not work, disassemble the push button and join the wires, when jumpering the wires if it works, the only thing to do is to replace the push button with another one with the same characteristics.
  • If The remote control does not work, check that it has the battery and that the LED lights up, to rule out other faults, caused by the malfunction of the remote control.
  • The first thing we can do is to check the current input fuse, in case it is OK, the best alternative should be that the repair can be done by a technician trained to do so.
  • Electrical connections, check the installation and wiring connected to the board, due to vibrations may cause some wires to disconnect or may make bad contact, tighten all the clamps to see that this can not be the problem.
  • Motor force, check the motor force regulation as it may be that it is low and can not move the door.
  • Capacitor, if we see that the door makes noise but does not move we can try replacing the capacitor.
  • Limit switches, and check that they are correct and that none of them are cut.
  • Unlock the door and try to move the door manually, to check that the problem is in the motor and not in the door.

The garage door does not close

  • Security systems, check that the security systems are working properly security photocell, security strip, etc...
  • Push button, it may be in bad condition causing the failure, disconnect the wires from the electronic board to check if it works correctly by removing them, if it starts to work properly, we must look for the fault may be wrong the push button or the external key if it is installed.
  • Observe that it does not have any impediment so that the door can close correctly.

Strange noises in the garage door

  • Check that the door does not rub when making the movement, in case of rubbing in some of the components, if it is well and the rubbing is natural to add grease to lubricate so that the friction is reduced. Otherwise, remove or repair the area affected by the friction.

Types of automatic garage doors

The installed door can depend a lot on the type of entrance of the garage we are going to leave you the main garage doors and their simplest usual repairs.
The first thing we are going to take into account is the type of garage door that we have installed in our garage, for this, we leave you the main doors that are usually installed. We must know that all or almost all the garage doors can be automated.

Garage Door Types

  • Sectional doors
  • Automatic up-and-over spring-loaded doors
  • Automatic sliding doors
  • Automatic roll-up doors
  • Automatic sectional doors
Also known as panel doors, as they have many mechanisms, wheels, springs, guides, motors, etc... Let's start with some practical tips for repairs for this type of door.

Step-by-step guide on how to repair a garage door

Step Description Time
1 Identify the issue: Check if the door is properly aligned or if there is any damage to the panels or tracks. 10 minutes
2 Gather tools: You will need a ladder, pliers, a drill, and screws or nuts and bolts to repair the door. 5 minutes
3 Remove any debris: Clear the tracks and surrounding areas of any dirt, leaves, or other debris that may be hindering the door's movement. 5 minutes
4 Realign the door: If the door is not properly aligned, use the pliers to realign the door and tighten any loose screws or bolts. 15 minutes
5 Repair or replace damaged panels: If there is any damage to the panels, use screws or nuts and bolts to reattach them or replace them if they are beyond repair. 30 minutes to 1 hour
6 Test the door: Open and close the door to ensure it moves smoothly and is properly aligned. Make any necessary adjustments. 5 minutes