Many times we get the same questions about repair and maintenance when people call on the phone. To save you time and give you some useful information, please review the questions and answers below. You may find the answer you are looking for.

Q: Why won’t my garage door open more than a few inches?

A: Usually, when this happens, the first thing to look at would be the springs. Torsion springs are generally centered above the door on a bar situated on the header (above the door). The springs are what helps lift the weight of the door upon opening. If you see a gap in the spring that means it is broken and should be replaced by an experienced technician.

Q: My garage door closes part of the way and reverses back up.

A: First make sure that nothing is in the way of the sensors, including cob webs, leaves, snow or dirt on the sensor light. If not, perhaps the sensor was knocked out of alignment and needs to be straightened or realigned. Obstruction of the sensors or misalignment will only affect closing the door. They do not interfere with opening the door. If the problem is with the sensors the door can be closed by holding your finger down on the wall button until the door is closed. This allows you to close the door until you get a chance to check out the sensors.

Michigan Garage Door Maintenance FAQS

Energy Efficiency

Did you know having the right type of garage door can help your home’s energy efficiency? Ask us about the different types of garage doors that we can install for you.

Q: My opener is making a strange sound (grinding or humming) and is not opening or closing the door. Why isn’t the chain moving?

A: When this happens, we often find that the gears are stripped in the garage door opener. In most cases, this can be repaired by replacing the gear – sprocket assembly unit.

Q: When I press the button on my garage door opener, it does not do anything. The lights do not go on and there is no sound whatsoever.

A: First make sure that the plug did not come loose from the wall socket that the opener is plugged into. If a loose plug is not the problem, then make sure that wall socket is getting electricity. You can do this by plugging in a small lamp or appliance to test it.

Q: One of our remote controls is not working . Can it be fixed?

A: Remote controls usually can be replaced, but not repaired. Try changing the battery in the remote control. If you do not know how to open the remote control, take it to a store that sells batteries and have their service tech change it for you.

Q: The outside keyless keypad is not working.

A: If the keypad still lights up, it is possible that the code was lost and that the unit must be reprogrammed to the opener. If there is no light, you might just need to replace the battery in the keypad.

Q: Both remote controls and outside keyless entry keypads don’t work. I can only open or close the door from the inside wall button.

A: Look closely at your wall button inside the garage. Some openers have a “Lock out” or “Vacation” button on them. Perhaps this button was pressed and the lock out feature is turned on. This feature is provided with some products so that you can render the remotes or keypad useless until you turn it off.