The light goes on but your Northern Illinois garage door doesn’t move

It’s frustrating when you press the button on your remote control but the garage door on your Northern Illinois garage doesn't go up or down. It just sits there. There is more than one potential issue causing this problem.

The Wall Station can cause garage door opener problems

Pushing the button and nothing happens at all - no light, no sound - typically means that there is a short in either the button or the wiring between the wall station (the control panel on the wall) and the garage door opener. No signal is getting through.

When the light does come on, but you don’t hear any noises from the garage door opener, it suggests that power isn’t reaching the motor. This could be the result of a broken wire or a blown computer board.

You can also have a problem where you push the wall station button and your garage door opener lights up and makes noise but the door doesn't move. This could mean several things. A gear may have worn enough that its teeth are bad. The same may happen to the carriage assembly. These prevent the garage door opener from moving the garage door even though the motor is turning. You could also have a bad capacitor.

In all of these situations, the best bet is to call a garage door professional to resolve your problem. There are some garage door and garage door opener repairs you may want to try yourself, if you are handy. But can you risk severe electrical injury as well as severe injury from the excessive force created by the springs that help to raise and lower the garage door?

The Remote is another possible garage door opener culprit

If you have a problem with the door not raising when you push the button on your remote, it basically involves two potential problems. The first thing to do is to check the battery in the remote. This is a quick and easy fix. If it's bad, replace it.

If the battery in the remote is good or new, then, chances are, you need a new remote control for your garage door opener. Universal remotes typically work well with most brands and models of garage door openers and replacement is probably your best move.

Homeowners in Northern Illinois can find help with garage door openers that don’t work by calling a trusted garage door professional.

What are the effects of power outages on your Northern Illinois Garage Door Opener

The weather in Northern Illinois can, invariably, cause a power outage. You can count on it happening. It's just a matter of when. When Mother Nature overpowers Com Ed, what does that mean for your garage door opener?


Obviously, your garage door opener needs power to operate: no electricity and the garage door opener can't work. But, just because the utility can’t provide power doesn't mean you have to go without.


Consider the following options:

• Link your garage door opener to your home’s back-up generator
• Install a garage door opener with a dedicated battery back-up system

The best solution is to have a back-up generator that kicks in when the big storm hits and lines go down. Typically, these are set to operate vital appliances, such as a fridge full of groceries you just bought, when a storm hits. Most people don't think to include their garage door opener in this loop.

Since the garage door opener is a relatively low-wattage consumer, and it only uses that electricity when raising and lowering your garage door, it doesn’t steal significant and vital energy from other appliances. Tying the garage door opener to the back-up generator will go a long way to keeping you operational in a blackout.


Another solution is to get a garage door opener that has its own battery back-up for just such an emergency. Most newer models come with this feature. If you are in the marker for a new garage door opener in Northern Illinois, whether you are upgrading, or your garage door opener is part of a new-construction project, consider getting this option.


If you have a garage door opener that lacks this feature, don't worry. You can retrofit most garage door openers with this option. Ask your garage door service provider to install this for you and you will be ready for the fury of Northern Illinois storms.


No Back Up Power Source

In the instances that your back-up device fails or you just don't have one, you can still use your garage door. All garage door openers feature a manual release latch, on the inside of the garage, so that you can operate your door without power (if you’re stuck outside, this is a problem).

You have to do the lifting yourself, but you can get your car in and out of the garage. When you get your power back, you just reconnect the release to let your garage door opener do the work for you again. If you have problems reconnecting, call your garage door professional for guidance on how to do this with your particular model.


Problems Caused by Outages

A power surge or power outage from a storm can damage your garage door and garage door opener. Manually raising and lowering your garage door puts more wear on the hardware than having the garage door opener do the work. The computer board in your garage door opener makes this process happen in a smooth and constant fashion that increases the lifespan of your garage door hardware.


A big surge can affect the electronics in your garage door opener. That may mean that the lights on the sensors may burn out, or the overhead light. This can cause inconvenience and a malfunction. A big enough surge could take out the computer board in the garage door opener, preventing it from working. Call your garage door professional if this occurs.


Can't Get In

The last thing to consider when the power goes out is how you can get in your house if the garage door opener fails to work? Most homeowners in Northern Illinois enter and exit their homes only through their garage door. That can be a problem if you don’t carry a key for another door.


Mother Nature can rage all she wants, but you and your garage door opener can withstand her worst if you plan to keep your garage door opener working when the power goes out. And then you’ll always have a way to get yourself in when the power is out.