Maybe you’ve just bought a new home (or a new-to-you home) with an electric garage door opener. Perhaps you’ve been living in the same home for several years but have finally cleared out the garage and can now officially make use of it. While you’ve certainly learned a lot from watching Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix and using the KonMari Method to clean your garage, there are things you need to do to ensure your safety.
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Whether your home has a used electric garage door opener, or it’s been some time since you’ve used yours, it’s time for a little bit of TLC. This blog could literally save your life. At the very least, it will make sure that your opener works reliably for much longer.
1. Check the Manufacture Date
Here are the main models of LiftMaster garage door openers with their sticker locations and the information you can find on them.
Check your garage door opener. What you’re looking for is a label with a lot of information on it. This should include the model number, as well as the serial number. Your manufacturing date will also be included. Use the image above to find the label on your specific garage door opener. You’ll need this information when you call a garage door specialist for maintenance or replacement.
Why are you worried about the MFG date? That’s the date when your opener was manufactured, and it’s important information for many reasons.
If you have a Chamberlain garage door opener manufactured by a company other than LiftMaster, make sure to explore this FAQ for further information.
Manufactured Prior to 1993
If your garage door opener was made before 1993, maintenance and repair are the least of your concerns. It’s beyond time to replace that thing. It’s not just about having a modern garage door opener, either. It’s about safety for your family.
Why does it matter?
1993 marked a turning point in garage door opener design. Since that point, all openers installed in the United States and Canada have had to have two reversal systems installed for user safety. These are as follows:
● Mechanical Protection: If the garage door is closing and the bottom edge of the door encounters an obstacle, the opener will immediately reverse direction and open the door.
● Photoelectric Protection: The second system consists of two eyes, one on each side of the door. An infrared beam is projected from one side to the receiver on the other. If something breaks that beam while the door is closing, the door will reverse automatically.
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So, what happens if your garage door opener was manufactured long after 1993? Are you in the clear? Only if it was manufactured after 2012.
2012 marked the point when Chamberlain began using the company’s Security+ 2.0 system. This involves the use of rolling code technology to help defeat garage pirates.
Not familiar with that particular issue? People used to drive around neighborhoods and try out different garage door openers. Because old-style openers sometimes shared frequencies, and those frequencies were static, the thieves were able to enter homes and rob them without having to break in.
To prevent this from happening, the new technology “rolled” the code. In other words, it would change regularly, so that thieves could not just waltz right into a home through an open garage door.
Need to ensure you’re protected? Make sure your garage door opener uses rolling code technology. Check for this label on your LiftMaster/Chamberlain garage door opener.
The new technology offers a lot of protection and peace of mind. Thanks to it, a code can never be used more than one time, so stolen codes don’t work.
So, now you know the importance of making sure you have an up-to-date garage door opener. Now it’s time to dig a little deeper into how to conduct a garage door opener checkup.
2. Test the Reverse System
● Set a 2x4 across the garage door threshold.
● Use the remote to close the door.
● When the door touches the board, it should immediately reverse direction. If it does not, you need to contact your local garage door and opener specialist to have the system repaired.
3. Test the Photo Eyes
Test the photo eyes on either side of the garage door. Make sure they’re no more than six inches off the floor and in good condition.
How do you check the photo eyes?
● The point here is simple: to make sure that your garage door opener rises when it encounters something blocking its downward path.
● You can use almost anything here, but we recommend a large stuffed animal. Make sure it’s one that you’re not overly fond of, as there’s always the potential for damage if the door does close on it.
● Put the stuffed animal right in the path of the beam and try to close the door. It shouldn’t activate. If it does, you need repairs.
4. Inspect the Wall Panel
Not sure where to find your wall control panel? It’s usually installed next to the garage access door. Sometimes you’ll find it beside the garage door, though.
● Does the open/close button work properly?
● Does the light button control the garage lights?
5. Remote and Keypad of Your Garage Door Opener
● When was the last time the batteries were changed in either the remote or the keypad? If you don’t know or it’s been some time, it’s best to test them.
● Here’s how to test them: Press the open or close button on your remote. Does the LED light up? Does the door operate? If not, chances are good it’s time to have your batteries replaced.
● If you replace the batteries and the opener still doesn’t work the door, it’s probably time to reprogram it. Doing so is simple – just use our guide that shows how to program many LiftMaster accessories.
● If you’ve tried to reprogram it and it is still not working, there may be a deeper problem. We recommend that you read up about remote controls, 3-button mini remotes, and universal remote compatibility.
● Verify the antenna is present: There should be an antenna wire that comes out of the garage door opener. It should hang downward. If it is damaged or bent upward, it may not work correctly or at all.
6. Emergency Rope and Handle
Modern garage doors have an emergency release cord and handle. This is a safeguard to allow you to get out of the garage in the event of a power outage or if the opener malfunctions.
How to check if your emergency release cord/handle is actually working:
● Pull the Cord
The first step is to pull the cord. This should disconnect the trolley from the opener, allowing you to manually open and close the door.
● Lift the Door
Find the handle on your garage door and raise it. Most doors have the handle installed at the bottom, but yours may be midway up. If the door comes up, then the release did its job. If not (and the door isn’t locked) then you need to dig deeper into the system.
Note that if the door is well-balanced, you should be able to open it with just one hand and with virtually no effort.
Does the door feel heavy? Is it not moving? Stop what you’re doing.
Close the door with care and then call in the experts. Do not use the door until you’ve had it repaired.
Why the worry? It’s all about tension. Garage door springs are under an incredible amount of tension, and if the system isn’t balanced, they can break and injure you.
Remember – the garage door springs actually do the heavy lifting. The opener is only part of the equation.
7. Your Opener’s Trolley and Rail Maintenance
Ready for the next step in your opener checkup? It’s simple and we’re almost finished with this process. It’s finally time to do a little bit of maintenance.
The installer is checking if the garage door opener trolley slides well on the rail
● Watch the door open/close. Does the trolley slide smoothly along the rail?
● Clean debris and rust from the rail with a clean, dry cloth.
● Use a petroleum-based lubricant and lube the rail.
● While You’re at It: Now is a great time to clean and lubricate the garage door track, the hinges, and the springs. You’ve already got all the equipment out.
You’re all done now. You’ve checked the opener and even lubricated the rail. Now, make sure you repeat this process every spring and fall to help keep your garage door opener from becoming a safety hazard.
Don’t Want to Bother? Need Expert Help? Here’s What to Do
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Give us a call at 402-477-4474.
We’re happy to offer maintenance, repair, or installation for garage doors and garage door openers. With decades of experience, they’re our passion.
Thinking about upgrading your garage door opener or buying a new garage door?
At ACS Door Services of Lincoln, we have the expertise and experience needed to help you make an informed decision. Just give us a little bit of basic information and we’ll go to work finding amazing products and styles that will augment your home’s aesthetic.
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We would be happy to offer a quotation by email.
Need a bit more inspiration?
Take a spin through our residential photo gallery. Or, if you want something that’s a bit more personalized, take some photos of your existing garage door with your smartphone. Next, log into our Design Centre. It lest you build your garage door and then “try it on” virtually. It’s the next best thing to having one installed.
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