Problem
Garage doorwon't open
Listen when you press the button. Silence points to power or the controls. A hum or click with no movement points to a door that's stuck or too heavy. If you heard a loud bang earlier, skip the checks and call.
Checks, in order
Safe to do
- Try the wall button. If it works, change the remote's battery.
- Look for a lock button on the wall control. On many openers it shuts off the remotes.
- Check that the cord is plugged in and the outlet works, using a lamp.
- Check that nobody has slid a manual lock on the door.
- With the door fully down, pull the release handle and lift by hand.
Leave alone
- Don't keep pressing the button against a door that hums and stays put.
- Don't pull the release handle with the door raised.
- Don't touch springs, cables or the brackets at the bottom corners.
- Don't take the cover off the opener.
If the door lifts easily and stays when you stop it halfway, the spring is fine and the opener or its controls are the likely fault. If it feels very heavy, lower it and stop.
When it's the door
A broken spring is a common reason a door won't open. See what a loud bang means. If the door is crooked or a cable is slack, see off-track repair and don't run the opener.
Ready to talk to a contractor?
Your call goes to an independent contractor who works in this area. Say what the door is doing, ask what the price covers, and ask for license details before you agree to anything.