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Over the last 30- or 40-years garage doors that open automatically have taken over the market. Nowadays there are so many garage doors that open automatically, you would be hard-pressed to find a garage door that still opens manually. Automatic garage doors are not without their problems though. One strange thing that sometimes happens to them is they may start to open or close by themselves when their switch has been activated. But before you go calling your local poltergeist investigation team, it is probably best to follow the advice in this article. We will talk about various causes of garage door ‘ghost openings’ and how to resolve them.
Here are some of the most common problems that cause garage doors to open and close on their own:
It’s no secret that garage door remotes can act a little mischievous at times as if they have a mind of their own. More than one garage door owner has found a remote control wedged in between car seats in a position where there was slight pressure on its sensor buttons. Garage door remote controls may also start to act a little crazy if the batteries inside of them get low. As a matter of fact, this is one of the first things you should check if you start experience garage door ghost openings and closings. You should also inspect your garage door remote for sticking buttons. If the buttons on your remote seem to be sticking or not functioning properly, then give your remote a thorough cleaning with a damp cloth and a cotton swab that will be used to clean hard to reach areas.
This one is actually a common problem in housing developments where the homes are built quite close together. What may seem like a garage door ghost opening or closing may actually be a common garage door frequency that a close-by neighbor is using too. That means that every time they go to open and close their garage door, your garage door stands a good chance of opening and closing too. Fortunately, there is a pretty easy fix for this. All you have to do is change the remote frequency selection on your garage door system. The instructions on how to do this will be found in your owner’s manual. If you can’t figure it out call a garage door professional to come and help you reprogram your remote’s frequency.
When you were a kid did you play a game in your garage that involved jumping over your garage door safety sensors when that garage door was closing? If you did, then you know when you did not get your leg high enough on a jump it triggered the garage door safety sensor to stop the garage door from going down any further. Garage door safety sensors are highly sensitive. They work by transmitting a beam from sensor to sensor and when that beam is broken the door stops moving. If these sensors are misaligned or not working properly, they may cause your garage door to partially open or close intermittently.
You may not realize it but there is much electrical circuitry found throughout your garage door system. It’s in everything from your opener mechanism to wall-mounted and remote controls. All it takes is one little glitch in any part of your garage door’s electrical circuitry to cause it to open or close on its own. This can be something virtually undetectable like a burned spot on a wall control circuit board or something more pronounced like a short in your garage door opening mechanism. No matter what the case, this is something you will most likely not be able to solve on your own and will need the assistance of a garage repair professional.
We already mentioned that it is possible for your garage door remote control to have sticking buttons that can possibly cause ghost openings or closings. The same can be true for your wall-mounted control. Although its buttons are usually bigger than those found on remotes, they can still get stuck in a position where they are making contact with the door opening and closing switch. Once again, the solution here is giving your wall-mounted control a thorough cleaning.
If you can’t prevent your garage door from opening and closing on its own, then you will need some professional help for sure. The best person to call for that is an experienced garage door technician. When you call a garage door professional you know you are calling someone that specializes in all phases of garage door operations. Garage door techs have the knowledge and equipment to solve any garage door ghost opening or other problem that you are having. Most garage door professionals will even come to your home and do an emergency garage door repair after hours if you have a true garage door emergency.
Another way to prevent your garage door from ever opening and closing on its own is to have periodic maintenance and inspections done on your garage door. Garage door companies such as Sandy Springs Garage Door, LLC out of Sandy Springs Georgia offer complete garage door 25-point safety inspections.
During these comprehensive inspections a garage door tech will check these garage door features for safety and proper operation:
At this time, it is also a good idea to have your garage door company do preventative maintenance too. This includes lubrication of rollers, tracks, and pulleys and adjusting the spring tension on your garage door. During routine maintenance garage door can often catch and repair small problems long before they would have become bigger and more expensive repairs.
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