When a garage door opens by itself, the reason may be less supernatural than you think. Garage doors are electrical systems and rely on wires, sensors and circuits to make your life easier. When something occurs in the system, it can send signals to your operator telling it to open or close your garage door. These systems are susceptible to damage, interference and more, but in many cases, the cause is something you can likely take care of yourself.
Why Your Garage Door Randomly Opens or Closes by Itself
Here are some possible reasons why your garage door opens by itself randomly:
Blocked Sensors
All garage doors manufactured after 1993 have safety sensors mounted close to the floor or at the base of the tracks. These sensors detect the presence of objects in the path of a closing garage door, and then send invisible signals to reverse the motion and prevent the door from crushing whatever’s there. While sensors are an excellent and essential feature, they can be a problem because they can’t distinguish between large objects and smaller debris like sticks, stones or even dirt.
Misaligned Sensors
Most garage doors have two sensors located on both sides of the door opening. When the sensors get misaligned, it often indicates that an object is obstructing them, which would immediately trigger the safety reverse mechanism.
Damaged Electrical Circuit
Electrical surges or power outages caused by extreme weather conditions may cause damage to your garage door’s electrical circuit. If you suspect that the problem with your garage door began after a power surge, it could be a sign that your electrical circuits are damaged.
Broken Door Springs
The sole purpose of the springs on your garage door is to ensure it opens easily and doesn’t damage or hurt any object or person nearby. When they break, the door won’t operate properly.
Limit Settings
Garage doors usually have limit settings that tell them how far up or down they can go when completely open or closed. So, if your set limits are a little off, you may notice that the garage door goes back up partway after reaching the ground or comes back down a little when you open it.
Wheels Binding in Their Tracks
Sometimes, the tracks guiding your garage door up and down can bend or shift out of place, especially when accidentally hit by something large and heavy like a vehicle, a garbage can or a lawn mower. When this happens, the door’s wheels could bind in their tracks, causing problems when opening and closing.
Identical Garage Door Opener Frequency
The openers of older garage doors transmit signals at a specific frequency and use specific codes to program. If, by a slight chance, your neighbor also has an older garage door model that uses the same opener frequency as yours, your door will open when your neighbor opens theirs.
How Do I Stop My Garage Door From Opening by Itself?
In the best case, a garage door opening by itself can be annoying. In more serious circumstances, it can place your property at risk for theft, expose your home to the elements or lead to injuries and liability concerns. If your garage door acts like it has a mind of its own, check to see if the answer is something simple. To try fixing the issue yourself, follow these steps:
- Check your sensors: Check for alignment, and sweep your garage free of any debris.
- Check your opener: Clean all the buttons on your opener using alcohol, and open the housing to clean the connections. Be sure to inspect your wiring for any loose connections, exposed wires or damage. One of your neighbors may use the same frequency as yours, but with today’s technology, such an issue is unlikely.
- Check the motor: If you have access to a multimeter, you can use it to test the voltage in and out of these components to see if they’re in working condition or hold the answer to your mystery.
- Adjust the limit settings: Review your manual to see where the limit switch is. Typically, you’ll turn a screw for about every 2 inches the door needs to travel to open and close the right amount.
- Realign the door tracks: inspect the guide track for damage and then realign the bent tracks. If they are severely damaged, contact an expert to fix or replace them.
Other issues, like broken garage door springs, are best left to the professionals.
While the reason for your garage door not closing could be as simple as a stick in the tracks, it could be something more complicated. If you notice any signs of serious damage, such as a broken spring or damaged cables, it’s time to call in the professionals. At EXL Garage Doors, we recognize the importance of your garage door and offer top-of-the-line repair services to keep yours looking and performing its best. We leverage decades of unique industry experience, dedicated training and advanced equipment to supply effective repair and maintenance solutions to restore proper function and ensure you have the peace of mind you deserve in a garage that can close.
Still wondering why your garage door won’t close? Contact our team online to schedule an appointment or request a detailed estimate with our Nashville or Gallatin professionals today.