Is your apartment garage door opener suddenly stuck? Such a situation is frustrating and annoying, especially when you are in a rush. You might be looking for a way to get rid of the problem but don’t know what to do.
In such cases, the first thing you will need to do is to troubleshoot the opener. This will help you find the root cause. Broken torsion springs, locked doors, tripped sensors, lack of lubrication, etc., are some of the common reasons.
This troubleshooting guide will help you solve the problem. Continue reading.
Why is My Apartment Garage Door Opener Jammed?
An apartment garage door opener can jam or get stuck without notice. Here are the most common reasons for this complication.
1. Locked Garage Door
A locking mechanism is available in almost every garage door. If your door also has this feature, check whether it is engaged.
Some garage opener models’ lock feature activates when you press the open or close button for several seconds. While the lock option is activated, the door may jam while opening or closing. Pressing the remote controls button is one of many things you can do. Unlocking the door by holding down the specified button is the only solution.
Other models have manual locks that can be operated with a handle. This lock is usually positioned on the garage door’s outside. If a kid or someone pushes the handle unintentionally, the door will be locked. You can unlock the door by turning the handle down.
2. Tripped Sensor
Photo eyes are a crucial safety feature of a garage door. They efficiently detect a pet, person, or other objects in the door’s path. The tripped sensor is a common problem if nothing is in the doorway. If dirt and dust accumulate in the laser beam, it can occur.
Cleaning the sensor will be the first thing to eliminate the tripped sensor.
Second, a misaligned photo eye can also cause this problem. So, check the alignment and adjust it accordingly. Loosen the screws and turn them gently. Then tighten the screws again. A laser leveler can also be beneficial.
3. Lack of Lubrication
Rollers or tracks of garage doors require regular lubricating. The door can stick or get jammed if you fail to lubricate them periodically.
Use garage door lubricant to grease those parts. Consider it as a home maintenance routine and ensure lubrication every several months.
4. Dirty Tracks
The garage door can stick or jam when dirt or dust builds up in the tracks. So, cleaning the tracks is a must every 1 month.
An uneven track can be another culprit to the jammed apartment garage door error. You can repair it yourself by using a hammer. Place a thick piece of cloth and hit the uneven area. Check between the hits and continue until the uneven tracks are leveled. Also, you can call a garage door technician to get the job done.
5. Busted Springs
All garage doors use 2 types of springs to open and close: a cluster of extension springs and a single torsion spring.
The lifespan of the single torsion spring is around 15,000 cycles. On the other hand, the cluster of extension springs has a service life of 10,000 cycles.
Check the condition of the torsion springs by looking at the gaps between the springs. They are large and horizontally hang across the garage door top. Call an expert if there is any damage or breakage in the spring. Avoid handling the problem yourself for safety purposes.
In the case of snapped extension springs, uncoiled metal pieces will be hung from the garage door. The length of the extension rings is a few ft., and you will find it at either area of the garage door.
Garage door springs are designed with extreme tension. So, avoid replacing or repairing them yourself, as extreme tension can cause severe injury.
How to Open a Jammed Apartment Garage Door Opener?
Manual opening of the jammed garage opener can be done following a few methods. Here I shared the process that you need to follow under different circumstances.
The Door is Jammed when Closing
Avoid panicking when you are inside the garage door, which suddenly gets stuck when closing. You can easily open it manually. Follow the below guide.
- Locate for latches or locks in your opener mechanism and unlock them. By doing so, opening the door manually will be convenient.
- Unplug the opener to disconnect it from the electricity.
- Every garage door opener comes with an emergency release cord; find it out. After finding it, pull down. Generally, the emergency release handle is red-colored and located in the door track’s center. Avoid pulling the handle until the door is fully closed.
- Then lift the door manually once it stops moving. Avoid lifting when the door is moving. If the door malfunctions again and closes rapidly, an accident may occur.
The Door is Jammed when Opening
The garage door opener can cause severe injury while opening. Follow the guidelines mentioned above to solve it. You will have to follow a few factors.
- Check the torsion springs for breakage or damage. If the condition is ok, trigger the emergency release.
- The door may fall rapidly after pulling the handle down. Thus, the door may damage itself and whatever is beneath it. In order to avoid injuries or damage, place a log under the door. As a result, it will stop falling into the ground.
The Door is Jammed when on One Side
A garage door stuck on one side can happen for a wide range of reasons which are,
- Insufficient lubrication
- Damaged torsion springs
- The door goes off track
- Jammed emergency release
The Door is Jammed Halfway or Going Up
Your garage door opener can stop halfway or jam up. To get rid of the issue, close the garage door completely. Then try opening the door again by pulling the emergency release handle.
If you can open the door fully, the problem lies with the garage door opener. But if the whole opening of the door is not possible, the error is with the door.
FAQ
How do you open a stuck garage door opener?
If your garage door is jammed, stuck, try to open or close it manually. For this, follow the below steps,
* Locate the emergency release cord and pull it
* This way, the door will disengage
* Then lift or close the door
Why does my apartment garage door not open from the outside?
It happens because of broken springs. Carefully look at the springs of your garage door. If it is broken, call a professional for replacement.
Can all remotes open the garage door opener of an apartment?
No, all garage door opener remote controls are universal. The compatibility of a garage door opener depends on a few factors, like the frequency of the remote.
Final Words
Dealing with a jammed apartment garage door opener is straightforward. Find out the root cause when you experience a stuck garage opener.
Some reasons can easily be fixed, like uneven or dirty tracks, tripped sensors, etc. In comparison, causes like broken springs need to be solved by calling a professional garage door mechanic.
A malfunctioning garage door opener increases the risks to your home security. So, solve any problems related to the garage door promptly.
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