Garage Door FAQs
If your garage door and opener appear to be in good condition but are still causing issues such as excessive noise, difficulty opening or closing fully, or struggling to stay open in the halfway position, there are several DIY solutions you can try to fix the problem.
Table of Contents
Garage Door installation
A new garage door prices will vary due to many different features and sizes
– a double garage (16’ x 7’) will obviously cost more than a single garage door
(9’ x 7’). Other features like the level of insulation, windows and even custom
color can change the price, hence we recommend contacting us for a free
estimate.
We will go over catalogs and options to make sure you get the door
your wanted.
Identifying your garage door size is easy – if it can fit two vehicles than you
have a double garage door. Standard size for a double door is 16 x 7 as
oppose to a single door which is 9 x 7.
Any other size will be considered
custom but is not as rare as you may think.
Different suppliers will offer different level of insulation, but the common
ranking for an insulation will be the amount and the density of the insulation
material which most of the time will be either Polystyrene or Polyurethane.
Mostly come in 3-6 different levels (depends on the manufacturer).
Local garage repair companies may offer new garage doors.
Representative
will come to take measurements and may provide a catalog to choose from.
Some big-box stores may offer as well but most of the time it will not include
installation. Just remember, that you always best to go with a professional.
Installing a garage door takes specialty tools and knowledge.
The installation
includes dangerous components such as: high tension springs and cables.
Installing the door by yourself is not recommended.
If your garage door is made of wood and is having often issues opening or
closing, you can tell it is an old door.
Now days doors are made of steel with
different layers of insulation. Before spending money on any repair, you
should ask yourself if is more cost-affective to get a new door, as it comes
with all new components.
Garage Door Openers
Sometimes there comes a time you will need to erase your garage door openers memory. These can result from the following:
- There is another remote activating the opener.
- You find that your remote opens multiple doors.
- You lost, or the remote got stolen.
- You invested in new property and want to set the remote back to its factory default.
Note: An important thing to remember is that when you erase the memory, it will clear the keyless entry codes from your GDO.
First, locate the LEARN switch on the motor unit’s side or the back. We recommend looking at the side of the antenna wire. There is a chance the light lens cover needs to be removed to access the control panel. The button can be yellow, orange, green, red, or purple. Alongside the button, you will find an LED light.
When you erase the memory, it will remove any keyless to working remote access. You will have to reprogram them again.
Erasing The Keyless Entries and Remote Controls
Garage door opening systems with a yellow, orange, green, red, or purple LEARN button:
- Press the LEARN button for about six seconds until the LED light goes out. This will erase all the information of keyless to remote control entries.
Erasing the Keyless Entries and Remote Controls to the Myq Devices
- Press the LEARN button for six seconds until the LED light goes out.
- Then immediately again press the LEARN button until you see the LED light go out.
All the codes will now be erased for you to reprogram as needed.
Your Premium Liftmaster has Wi-Fi connectivity with battery backup and a buzzer alert that beeps.
The beeping sound alerts you that a function has been performed successfully.
If any issues arise, you can also hear the beep sound. It all depends on the GDO and the beeping sounds you hear.
Garage Door Opener With Battery Backup:
There is a beep every two seconds
- It means your units work only on battery power, and the LED light will display orange.
- Make sure to restore the power and that it works throughout the home. Once power is repaired, and the LED remains orange, you need to test the electrical outlet, plugging it into another outlet.
There is a beep every 30 sec
- If you see the LED battery light flashes orange, the battery is low, while a red light indicates the battery is dead and is not recharging.
- You can test the outlet for an orange indication by plugging it into another outlet. If power is present and the LED color does not change or flash green, the battery needs changing and applies to a flashing red light.
Note: If you want to stop the annoying beep sound temporarily while wanting to replace the battery, you must disconnect the unit or the battery. After you disconnect the battery, plug the unit back in, and you will not have the beeping sound.
Backup Battery Useful Information
The battery can run up to 20 cycles when fully charged, equating to two days of everyday use. If power is not restored by that time, you need to disconnect the battery from the motor. If not disconnected, it drains the battery, will not restore, and will need replacing when:
- A battery weighs 4.5 lbs. or a 12V rechargeable one with 4.5 amp hours.
- You use the battery as a backup accessory with a year’s guarantee from the date of purchase.
Sec+2.0 Garage Door Opener
- When the garage door openers are placed into a force or limit Learn mode, you will hear one beep. You will hear another beep when you press the arrows up/down.
- If it constantly keeps beeping, the doors are closing unattended.
- For garage door openers with a time-to-close control panel, you will hear eight seconds of beeping before it closes and will continue until the door closes.
The Garage Door Opener Work With Wi-Fi
Furthermore, to the Sec+2.0 garage door opener beeping sound, it will also beep with Wi-Fi connectivity with a:
- One beep when placing the garage door opener into Wi-Fi Mode.
- One continuous beep while in Wi-Fi Mode, and the opener attempts to connect to a router.
- Two beeps while in Wi-Fi mode, and the opener attempts to connect to the myQ Server.
- Three slow beeps in Wi-Fi mode, and the opener connects to the network.
- Six fast beeps when it fails to connect to the server.
- Three fast beeps to confirm the erase of Wi-Fi connectivity from the garage door opener.
A battery backup unit connected to your garage door opener functions normally in a power outage. But if it does not, you can open the door manually. You can disconnect the door from the opener with the emergency release handle (ERH).
You will then be able to open and close your door manually. You find the handle at the end of a red rope hanging from the GDO rail near the top of the door.
Note: If you have a residential jackshaft opener, you will find the emergency release handle at the bottom of the motor unit.
NOTE OF WARNING: To prevent DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY from a falling garage door, you can use the emergency release handle to disengage the trolley. But this can only be done when the doors are closed.
We recommend checking the door springs or an unbalanced door regularly to prevent it from falling unexpectedly.
We do not recommend using the emergency release lever handle if the doorway is not clear of obstruction.
Never use that handle to pull your door open/close, as the rope knot can become untied, and the door can fall.
Disconnecting a Square Rail
If the GDO has a square rail, you can pull down the emergency release handles to let the trolley release arm snap into a vertical position. This locks out the trolley allowing the door to raise and lower manually as needed.
Disconnecting a T-Rail
Pull the red rope down, and for locking the trolley, pull it straight down and pull it towards the opener. You can then raise/lower the door manually.
Disconnecting a Residential Jackshaft Opener
You first need to disengage the door lock, and it needs to be fully closed. Then pull the emergency release handle to hear a click to lift the door manually.
Reconnecting The Door To The Opener
- Square Rail: Pull the ERH back to the opener, so the trolley release arm stands horizontal. It will reconnect when used again manually or using the door activator.
- T-Rail: All you need to do is pull the handle down, and the trolley reconnects when the doors are activated the next time.
- Residential Jackshaft Opener: Pull the ERH down for a second time to hear the click sound. You will then reconnect it when using it the next time.
The garage door opener’s overall length is the door height plus 3 feet and needs a minimum space of 2 ½ inches above the highest point the door travels.
If you have a LiftMaster residential jackshaft operator, it does not need a back room, and you can install it with only ½ inch of side room available.
In many cases, you will find out that a simple adjustment of your sensors will
fix the problem.
Holding the button on the control panel is a by-pass of the
sensor’s response.
In other cases, a specialist may find out wiring issues and
unfortunately just a regular wear and tear of an old unit.
Garage door opener is harder to identify as oppose to visible snapped cables
or broken springs. A specialist can determine if the opener is to old to
function or just needs adjustments.
Many of them will last about 10-15 years before they start acting up. Just like
any other components in your garage door, they depend on the amount of
use and frequency.
Many brands are out there, and their openers can come with different
features.
You should first ask yourself what is it that you are looking in a
garage door opener. You may find out you like the newest versions, or you
may just need a simple operation without all the bells and whistles.
Lift-Master, Chamberlain and Linear are only some of the brand out there.
Some openers will have the option to connect to manufacturer’s application
and you will be able to control your garage door from your phone.
Connecting it to the house’s wi-fi will have the instructions on the app and it
will guide you through this process step=by-step easily.
Your garage door can come in different horse-power levels and does not
need to be extraordinarily strong. You need to remember that your garage
door opener is not the force that is lifting the door – it is the springs.
A small button on most garage door openers will say “learn”. If you push
this button and hold it until it blinks, you will be able to click on your
remote control and re-connect it to the opener.
Yes, you can, if they have a compatible signal. You will press the “Learn”
button and click on your new remote. This way you can add as many remotes
as you want.
Installing a garage door takes specialty tools and knowledge. The installation
includes dangerous components such as: electricity, connection to the
garage door, climbing on the ladder while stabling the unit. Installing the
door by yourself is not recommended.
Garage Door Repair
Broken Springs – Springs Replacement
Springs size should be determined by a professional with our specialty tools
due to their different shapes and sizes. But another way is to find the formula
that calculates the weight that such spring can lift by knowing its length,
thickness, and diameter.
Yes, in many cases you can, but you may damage other components.
Depending how heavy your door is, in some cases you can try to open it
manually, especially if there is still one more spring working.
Yes. Highly recommended. Both springs have the same life cycle, so you can
understand that the “good one” is a bout to break soon anyway. You might
as well save time and money and replace them both. The old spring can many
times affect the new one from functioning properly.
Springs cost can vary based on the size and weight of the door. A specialist
can determine that once arriving to the site. Although the concept of
replacing the springs is similar, the same job can get complicated in different
doors due to their condition.
Replacing your garage door springs takes specialty tools and knowledge. The
replacement of springs includes high tension of the springs and cables.
Installing the springs by yourself is not recommended.
Cables snap – Cables Replacement
If you live in a cold place, you will see the accumulation of water and snow
in the bottom sides of the door. It is highly recommended to clear them out
and make sure they will not get to the tracks and brackets. Other cases will
just be old doors and regular ware and tare of the door.
Replacing your garage door cables takes specialty tools and knowledge. The
replacement of cables includes high tension of the springs and cables.
Installing the cables by yourself is not recommended.
Cables cost can vary based on the size and weight of the door. A specialist
can determine that once arriving to the site. Although the concept of
replacing the cables is similar, the same job can get complicated in different
doors due to their condition.
Yes. Highly recommended. Both cables have the same life cycle, so you can
understand that the “good one” is about to snap soon anyway. You might as
well save time and money and replace them both. Aligning the door properly
should be done with a set of new cables.
Due to the heavy weight of garage doors, the cables are made of steel.
Yes. In most cases only one cables will snap, which means the door will fall
partially and will look crooked. If you are having a bad day and both cables
snap while the door is open – the door will fall. This is the reason why you
should always call a specialist once something happens to you garage door.
Any garage door repair company should carry them. Some big-box stores
may carry them as well but necessarily in the same equality. You should
always consult with a specialist if purchasing parts and especially if a repair
is needed.
No. Opening the door while one cable has snapped may cause severe
damages and sometimes for the second cables to snap as well and for the
door to fall. A snapped cable is extremely dangerous situation, especially if
the door is partially open. You should call a specialist immediately and stay
away from the door.
Common Problems
There are few reasons for a garage door not to open – start from a broken
spring above the door, to snapped cables or even malfunction of the opener.
You should call a specialist to resolve the issue in a professional manner.
This case describing a classic case of a broken spring (or 2) as the opener is
too weak to lift the door by itself. It will try bringing the door up but fail and
stop or even go back down. If this indeed is the case, you will need to call a
specialist and replace both springs.
There are a few potential reasons why your garage door may be opening slowly. One possibility is that the springs on the door are worn or damaged. Another possibility is that the opener’s motor or belt drive may be malfunctioning or in need of repair or replacement. Additionally, if the tracks or rollers on the door are misaligned, this can also cause the door to open slowly.
