It's 6 o'clock in the morning. You've dragged yourself out of bed, thrown on work clothes, and your mind is set on one thing: getting to the coffee shop. But your need for coffee is quickly trumped by your garage door holding you hostage!

A garage door can appear to have a mind of its own. It's not magic, nor is it the universe saying no to that needed cup of caffeine. It's actually your garage door sending out an SOS.

The Most Common Garage Door Problems

The garage door refusing to open or close is one of the most common repair problems. If your door operates with an electric opener, the first thing to do is check the keypad to see if it's working. It could need some reprogramming.

If the keypad checks out, then the issue might be the door itself. Springs are one of the most common parts to break on garage doors, but they're also a fairly affordable fix. 

The Haunted Door

If you notice your garage door randomly opening and closing, it can be a tad unsettling. Rest assured, your garage is not haunted and the door doesn't really have a mind of its own. The random action is likely an indication of a transmitter issue.

Check the transmitter's batteries. If their juice is low, it can cause delayed or random door action. While you're at it, ensure nothing is pressing against the transmitter and it's not stuck or semi-stuck. A random object mistakably pressing the control mechanism is a leading cause of the garage door appearing sentient.

If your door closes and then opens again, it's likely a symptom of the limit settings on the garage door opener being off. Limit settings tell the door opener how far the door should move before it is completely closed. When set too high, the opener will think the door hasn't fully closed, assume something is blocking it, and automatically open the door to prevent crushing the phantom block.

The Big Bang

Does your garage door close quickly with a big bang? It's possible a tension spring, or the cables connecting the tension spring to the doors, are broken. If this is the case, you'll want to call a pro for assistance. Tension springs and cables are dangerous to work on without knowledge and experience.  

When your garage door starts acting like it has a mind of its own, it's time for maintenance and repair. Be discerning between a safe DIY fix and the need to contact a garage door repair pro.

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