Checks you can do without tools
If the motor runs but the door barely moves, disconnect the opener with the red release handle. Lift the door by hand. If it feels like a sack of concrete, the springs failed. The opener is doing a job it was not built for. Stop and see garage door won't open.
If the door goes down a few inches and comes back up, look at the two photo-eye sensors near the floor. The LEDs should be steady. Wipe the lenses. Make sure nothing in the track is blocking the beam. Sun glare on west-facing Orange County garages fools sensors in the late afternoon. Shade the eye or slide it a half inch.
Remotes: replace the battery first. If the wall button still works, the motor is fine. If nothing works, check that the opener has power and the lock switch on the wall console is not on.
A grinding opener with a door that still lifts usually means a worn gear kit inside a chain-drive head. That is a parts job, not a new machine, if the rail and motor are sound. Same-day repair: opener repair in Orange County and door won't close.
- Motor runs, door heavy: check springs first
- Door reverses at the floor: clean and aim photo eyes
- Remote dead, wall button works: battery or learn button
- Click or grind from the head: gear kit, not always a new opener
Common questions
Why does my garage door opener click but not move?
Often a stripped gear or a door the springs can no longer lift. Do not keep hitting the button. Call (949) 539-0009.
How do I know if the sensors are the problem?
The door starts down, then reverses, and one sensor LED is out or blinking. Clean the lenses and realign them so they face each other. If that fails, call (949) 539-0009.
Can I replace a garage door opener myself?
You can hang a new unit if the door is balanced. If the door is heavy on the release cord, fix the springs first. We install and set limits the same visit. Call (949) 539-0009.