Your garage door opener has the big job of powering your automatic garage door as it opens and closes. If you start to hear strange noises when your garage door opener is running, this could be a sign of trouble. When the door moves slowly, this can indicate your motor is starting to fail. A number of problems could be leading to strain on your garage door opener, and it's important to get any problems investigated further by a repair specialist. Always check to see if you have power going to the opener if it won't engage, and double-check your remote batteries when the motor won't turn on.

Strange Noises Coming from Your Garage Door Opener

Strange noises can indicate your opener needs to be lubricated, or it is straining too hard to open up your garage door. Always investigate new noises coming from your garage door system. Look to see if there are any obvious signs of debris in the tracks and the wheels of your garage door. The noise may not be coming from your opener, but from something in the tracks instead.

Your Opener Goes Very Slowly

A garage door motor that is beginning to fail may open your door slowly. You can also have a problem with your tension springs, which are responsible for holding most of the weight of the door as the opener engages. If the tension springs are loose, the opener motor will strain to get your garage door open. Get your door into the fully open position, and see if it stays there. If your door closes more than a few inches from the open position, you will need to have your tension springs checked too.

Your Opener Malfunctions Frequently

If you have been having consistent problems with your garage door opener, you may need to have a new opener installed. Garage door motors only last so long, and it is not worth it to keep having your opener repaired. When you need to call for a garage door motor repair a few times in a short period, it's time for a replacement instead.

Your garage door motor can give you years of service with routine maintenance. For any problems with your opener, get the system inspected to make sure it's working properly. Tension springs may need to be adjusted, and it is not safe for you to adjust the springs on your own.

Contact a company that offers garage door opener repair to learn more.