What to Do When Your Garage Opens By Itself

Most homeowners open and close their garage at least twice a day, if not more. Over time, they may not function smoothly or worse, can stop working altogether. This is a big problem because a garage provides an additional sense of safety and is a big part of your home’s overall look and functionality. We often forget that a garage door is a mechanism with many complex parts and that even if one small component stops working or fails in any way, it can stop your garage door from opening and closing. 

A common problem that many people encounter is the garage opening on its own, which is a very obvious sign that there is an issue. If you are experiencing this problem, it could be because of a few different reasons, including:

• Frequency interference. This occurs when two separate garage doors are programmed to the same channel. This happens amongst neighbours and homes that are on the same street as you. This means that when the other household uses their remote to open or close their garage, it can cause yours to open and close too. The good news is that a frequency issue is very easy to fix. You simply have to reprogram the openers to your garage door.
• Sensor interference can also cause a garage to open on its own. Electric garage doors have safety features to prevent anything dangerous from happening. This includes sensors that are placed near the ground to make sure that there’s nothing under the door when it closes. If your garage door is opening on its own after you’ve closed it, it can be because something is stuck underneath, so make sure that there is nothing blocking it. If you do come across any debris, it is likely that the sensor was picking that up and causing the garage door to open. Remove whatever it was that was in the way to stop your garage from opening on its own.
• Always check your remote opener to make sure that it is not dirty and that the batteries aren’t faulty. If the batteries are not positioned right, try placing them correctly and see if it makes a difference. If your garage door is still opening on its own, change the batteries completely and this should solve the problem.

If you try these tricks and your garage door continues to act strange, it’s time to call in a professional. Sam’s Garage Doors can assist you with repairs and have your garage functioning properly again in no time!