Yes, you heard that right. We're here to talk about something so common you just wouldn't believe it.
Garage door opener outages. Believe it or not, after big storms (like the one that came through yesterday in Spartanburg and the whole surrounding area) we often get calls from customers complaining that their garage door opener won't open.
This can be due to either a power outage--which is a simple fix--just pull the red string on your garage door opener as seen in the video below:
How to Disconnect your Garage Door from the Garage Door Opener:
Once your power is back on, you can reconnect the opener and voila! Your opener should be functioning normally again. Keep this trick handy and it will save you time and money and a little peace of mind.
If your garage door won't go up after you pull the red string, this could indicate a broken spring. The door will be extremely heavy and you probably wouldn't be able to lift the door manually with a broken spring. In this instance, it's best to call an expert! You know a guy, right? (cough cough)
The second most common issue we get calls about after a bad thunderstorm or lightning storm is when the customer has power, but the garage door opener is not responding. This could indicate a bad circuit board.
Thunderstorms, with their dramatic lightning strikes, can be as damaging as they are impressive. The electricity discharged by a lightning strike can start a fire and fry any number of electrical objects in a house. The power will surge from the ground through water and into electrical wiring. A direct hit is not necessary for a lightning strike to damage household equipment.
Signs to look for after a storm:
One very vulnerable item is the electric garage door opener. After a lightning storm, there are three signs to look for to determine if a garage door opener was damaged by lightning.
- The opener acts haphazardly. It may open suddenly without a person pushing the button or it may stop half-way open. The electrical circuits can be harmed by a power surge from a nearby lightning strike.
- Remote controls and/or keypads stop working. The circuits that detect the remote signals could be damaged. Change the batteries in case those happened to die out at the same time. If new batteries do not help, it’s most likely the result of a lightning power surge.
- Lights on the unit are acting up or will not turn on. Most units have a light on the back of the opener that flashes if there is an object in the way of the door or other issues. If that light is flashing for no reason, there is probably damage.
Most homeowners do not think of protecting the opener with a surge protector. Most units are attached to a ceiling so it is tricky to add a surge protector. But, it can save a homeowner hundreds for replacement dollars.
If you suspect that your garage door opener may have been affected by a thunderstorm or lightning, give us a call. Circuit boards can run about $100 per board, which is not cheap! But it's less expensive than replacing the entire unit.
Give John a call at 864-506-6735 if you suspect that you need a new circuit board.