Garage Door Motor Service & Repair

The safety sensors are a component of the motor that is installed as a safety precaution to prevent the garage door from being closed automatically on any object or person. As of 1993 all garage door motors are required to have this safety feature. The sensors are normally clipped on to the bottom of the track about 6in of the ground. One sensor sends a beam, and the other sensors receives the beam. If there is ever a break in the beam during the closing process, the motor will automatically reverse to prevent harm to any person, object, or the door itself. The are several potential reasons that may cause this part to fail which may include wiring, wiring connection, faulty part due to age, alignment issue, or even a logic board issue.

How to Diagnose

Many customers call us for help with diagnosing a garage door that won’t close. The usual suspect is those pesky but important safety sensors down by the track of the garage in the corners. Here are some questions you can ask to help you diagnose the issue.

• Does the garage open fine, but it won’t close?
• When you try to close the door, the door simply reverses and comes back to fully open position?
• On the safety sensors do you see an orange light (sends the beam) & a green light? Are either of these lights off or flicking?
• Do you notice the above is happening when the sensors are in direct sunlight?

Things to Try Before Calling Us

If you are experiencing these issues, we recommend you try these steps 1st as it may be a simple fix.

• Clean the lens with your finger
• Make sure the sensors are well aligned (reference video for instructions)
• Make sure there are no obstructions in the beam (objects, boxes, vehicle bumper, etc.)
• If there are no obstructions, you can push & hold the wall button and the door should close

After you tried to address the issue and the problem persists than we’d be happy to come take a look for you.

The gear & sprocket is an essential component of the garage door motor that either raises or lowers your garage door. The part consists of several smaller components that work together to move the garage door. This is what the chain or belt rides on to move the garage door. If a garage door is not properly maintained this results in extra stress on this part. If left unaddressed for a long time eventually the strain can cause this part to bend &/or eventually brake

How to Diagnose & Repair

This one can be a little tricky to diagnose without a trained professional eye. But here are some common tells that you can look for when you suspect this issue.

• Is the belt or chain sagging more than it used to?
• If you tighten the belt or chain, does it eventually go back? (Not recommended – can make it worse)
• Does the belt or chain slap against the rail when 1st started?
• If you look at the top of the motor, do you see any black shavings near the gear

In some cases, the belt or chain may even come off completely. While this is rare, inspect the belt or chain for any damage to determine the cause. Once it starts to fail there is no way to reinforce it since it is a moving part. The only solution is to either replace the gear & sprocket or to replace the entire unit if desired.

The logic board, or circuit board, is the brain of the motor. It can learn the remotes that have been programmed. It remembers the programming of where to stop the door for both up & down positions. It also routes power to the necessary components. Without a properly functioning logic board the motor simply cannot operate.

How to Diagnose & Repair

This one can also be a little tricky to diagnose without a trained professional eye. But here are some common tells that you can look for when you suspect this issue.

• Did your remotes &/or keypad just stop working but the wall button still works?
• Is your motor getting power but when you try use it does nothing or clicks once?
• Are other lights or electrical circuits in the garage working? If not check the outlet and make sure it is getting power.
• Did your local area recently have a storm and you verified the motor is getting power?
• Does your garage door open on its own?
• Does your garage door stop in random spots?

A logic board is hard to diagnose as it can have multiple failure points that all manifest in different ways. It is best to have a technician come on site and do a full inspection to determine the source of the problem. If a replacement is needed, we can determine the year, make, model of the unit and inquire with our suppliers if they have a replacement logic board in stock.