Why is My Garage Door Remote Not Working
Life is so much easier when you have an automatic garage door opener system. With just a push of a button, you can quickly open or close your garage door. But what happens when you push that button and nothing happens?
Let's take a look at what could be the cause of your garage door remote not working.
Common Reasons Your Garage Remote Isn't Working
Garage door remotes can stop working for a number of reasons. Everything from a drained battery to a complete system malfunction could prevent your garage door remote, and therefore your entire garage door opener system, from operating properly.
Some of the issues that may cause your garage door remote to not work properly are relatively easy to fix, while other issues are more complex and should be handled by the experienced garage door technicians at Uplift Garage.
At Uplift Garage, your safety is important to us. We believe by taking a closer look at some of the most common reasons why a garage door remote stops working, we can help you determine if the issue is something you can fix on your own or if it would be better - and safer - to call the professionals at Uplift Garage.
Battery Depletion
All garage door opener remotes are battery operated. Unfortunately, those batteries don't last forever. They only last approximately two years. Once the batteries are drained, the remote will no longer work. Luckily, this issue is extremely easy to fix.
To fix this issue, all you have to do is replace the batteries in the remote.
A way to determine if the batteries are causing your remote to not work is to use the control panel that is located on the wall of the garage. If the garage door system works when you use the wall-mounted control panel, then the issue is more than likely caused by the batteries in the remote. Removing the old batteries and replacing them with new ones should correct the problem.
Misaligned Sensors
Garage door opener systems use sensors to help determine if it is safe to open or close the door. These sensors are placed in such a way that an "invisible" line is created. If an object blocks the sensors and prevents them from creating a full line, the system will not allow the door to open or close.
If the sensors are not properly aligned, it could cause them to believe something is in the way and prevent you from opening/closing the garage door with the remote. No matter how many times you push the remote, the door will not open or close.
To correct this issue, you will need to realign the sensors. To realign the sensor, you will move it until the red blinking light (which is located on the sensor) turns a solid red. This means that the sensor is in its proper place.
Signal Interference and Range Limitation
When you push the button on the remote, it sends out a signal that is received by the sensors.Once the signal is received by the sensors, the system determines that it is safe to open or close the garage door. If it is safe and nothing is in the way, the system will automatically raise or lower the garage door.
Unfortunately, if the system is unable to receive the signal that is sent out from the remote, it doesn't know that you want to open/close the door. This means you can push the button on the remote and nothing happens.
There are a few things you can do to determine if signal interference is causing your remote to not work properly. Some things you can do include:
Making sure you are within 20 ft. of the garage door system - Garage door opener systems are only designed to be able to receive a signal from the remote if it is within 20 ft. If the remote is any further away, the system may not be able to receive the signal and, therefore, it won't work when you push the button on the remote.
- Check the sensors for obstruction - Check to make sure that there is nothing obstructing the sensors.
- Clean the sensors - Something as simple as a little dirt or dust that has accumulated on the sensor can cause it to be unable to receive the signal from the remote. Cleaning the sensors with a damp cloth and some mild soap can help remove any dirt, dust or debris that may be causing signal interference.
- Realign the sensors - A misaligned sensor may not be in a position where it can properly receive the signal from.
Damaged
Any damage to the garage door remote can cause it to stop working. Something as simple as dropping it can cause a small, unseen crack to appear that could prevent the remote from operating properly.
Some examples of damage that can occur to your garage door remote include:
- Dropping the remote
- General wear and tear - An old garage door remote easily crack or damage just from simple use
- Weather-related damage - Leaving the remote outside where it is exposed to rain, snow, or extreme temperatures can damage it
- Water damage
- Leaving it in the car - Leaving the garage door remote in the car can expose it to extreme temperatures that can damage not only the outer covering of the remote, but the internal wiring
Once a remote is damaged, the only way to fix the problem is to replace the remote. Some garage door opener systems allow you to purchase a new remote that can be used with your current system. However, if you have an older garage door opener system, you may not be able to find a replacement remote and you may need to replace the entire garage door opener system.
An experienced technician at Uplift Garage can help you find a replacement remote for your garage door opener system. If a replacement remote cannot be found, our experienced technicians can help you with finding a new garage door opener system.
Malfunctioning Opener
Power surges, wiring issues, and other electrical problems can cause the entire garage door opener system to malfunction. If the entire system isn't operating properly, the remote won't work.
Troubleshooting a malfunctioning garage door opener system to determine what is causing it to not work properly can be dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. It is best to let the professional technicians at Uplift Garage handle the situation.
Our technicians at Uplift Garage will conduct a thorough and complete inspection of the system. Upon completion of the inspection, our technicians will be able to provide you with recommendations on how to correct the problem. Our technicians can help you determine if a simple system repair is enough to correct the issue or if a new garage door opener system is needed.
Let Uplift Garage Help You Get Your Garage Door Remote Working
Experiencing problems with your garage door remote? Uplift Garage is there to help you. Give us a call. Many times, we may be able to troubleshoot the problem over the phone and get your remote working in no time.
If we are unable to help you over the phone or you don't feel comfortable troubleshooting the problem yourself, we can gladly schedule an appointment to have an experienced technician come and inspect your garage door opener system.
Give us a call today and speak with an experienced technician. We look forward to helping you!
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