Your garage door is an unsung staple of your daily life. You expect it to work consistently and predictably — any deviation from the norm can interfere with your schedule. One rare issue that can occur is your garage door opening at random. There are a few reasons why a garage door might open on its own, many of which involve the opening mechanism’s physical condition or a possible obstruction.
Reasons for a Garage Door Opening by Itself
An irregularity within the garage door opener, controller or sensors could be why your garage door opens by itself in the middle of the night or other times of day. Here are some common reasons for a garage door opening by itself and how you can resolve each issue.
Faulty Circuit Board
Professional service required? Yes
The garage door opener features a circuit board that controls its electronic signals. The circuit board can suffer damage as a result of another electrical problem in your home. If your home experiences a power surge, excess electricity could flood your opener’s circuit board and activate the motor.
There are additional circuit boards in your garage door controllers. Problems like cracks and water damage can cause various issues, including random opener activation.
Contact your local garage door repair company if you suspect a faulty circuit board is the source of the problem. A professional has the tools and equipment needed to protect themselves and your equipment while working with a circuit board.
Storms
Professional service required? Yes
Storms can cause your garage door to open on its own, especially those involving lighting. A lighting strike could cause a power surge that activates your garage door opener or damages the circuit board to a degree that unpredictable behavior occurs.
The operational irregularity that the storm causes could be an isolated event, but it may also persist. Monitor your garage door opener for unpredictable behavior or physical damage after a storm to determine whether there is a lasting problem. Your local garage door professionals can further assess your opener and make the requisite repairs.
Stuck Button
Professional service required? No
The garage door may open on its own if the button on the fixed or remote controller jams. Your controller may accumulate various dirt, grime and debris over time. These foreign particles may lodge themselves between the opener’s exterior buttons and the interior mechanisms you engage by pressing them. Your remote control is more likely to stick due to increased exposure to dirt and sticky substances.
You may be able to repair a stuck button on your own by cleaning the controller. Use a disinfectant wipe to clean the controller’s exterior. To address dirt and debris inside the opener, open it using a small screwdriver or the disassembly method the manufacturer recommends. Wipe the components around the bottom clean. Only open and clean your controller if you are confident in your ability to put it back together correctly. Otherwise, seek professional assistance.
Interference From Another Remote
Professional service required? No
A garage door opener sends a wireless signal that connects it to your remote control. A nearby remote control could intercept the signal in some situations.
If you and your neighbor have the same garage door opener, they likely send an identical signal to the remote. Programming your remotes at the same time could cause one of you to connect to the other’s opener accidentally. While accidental interceptions are more common in older openers, the issue may still occur in modern models.
If you suspect your neighbor may be activating your garage door, ask them to test their remote. Have your neighbor activate their opener while you monitor yours to confirm or rule out the issue. You will need to reprogram your remote if you determine an accidental interception occurred.
Sensor Issues
Professional service required? No
One of the most common times a garage door will open by itself is immediately after you attempt to close it. The door will reach a certain point in its descent, then suddenly reverse its motion. The sensor is likely the reason for the opener’s operational switch.
As a safety mechanism, the sensor detects objects under the door to prevent damage — this is how your door knows not to close on you or your vehicle. For the sensor to work properly, there must be a clear path for the laser to travel from the device on one side of the door to the other.
Assess the area beneath your garage door to ensure there is nothing for the laser to detect. If the door still reverses during operation, the sensors may be dirty or misaligned.
Dirt covering the laser emitter or receiver will trick the sensor into thinking something is in the way. Similarly, knocking one of the devices off its axis will disrupt the connection between the devices and cause the door to reopen by itself.
To fix the issue, start by wiping the sensors clean. Then, if the door continues to reverse, adjust each sensor’s physical positioning until the laser and receiver meet again. Many sensors feature a small light that indicates proper alignment.
Damaged Wires
Professional service required? Yes
Garage door opening systems feature numerous wires that connect devices to the opener. Both the sensors and in-garage controller feature a hardwired connection. Damaging these wires could cause an array of issues, including unprompted opener activation.
The garage door’s various wires are thin, leaving them susceptible to damage. Gradual wear can damage the connection between devices. Alternatively, a single incident could sever a wire or disconnect it from either end of the device.
Call a garage door repair specialist to repair damaged wires in your garage to avoid danger or further damage.
Garage Door Repair Experts in Bakersfield, California
At King Door Company, Inc., we help homeowners and business owners understand and fix unusual garage door behavior, such as unprompted opening. Our experienced professionals are available for same-day service so that you can resume using your garage door as a dependable feature. We work with the pride of a lion, going to great lengths to ensure customer satisfaction.
Please contact us online for more on our garage door maintenance and repair services.