Excess noise
Though it's normal for your garage door motor to make noise during operation, if it's noticeably louder than usual, it could be a sign that something's wrong. Essentially, the sound your garage door motor makes during operation is from the motor generating force to open or close your garage door. When that noise is louder than usual, it typically means one of two things. Firstly, it could be that the amount of force it needs to generate has increased. Rather than an issue with the motor, this is usually caused by faults elsewhere, such as damaged torsion springs. Secondly, it could be that your garage door opener is working harder than usual to generate the same amount of force. This, on the other hand, is indicative of issues with your garage door motor. Worn-down gears are one example of a potential issue, but it could have any number of possible causes. Thankfully, you don't need to determine the cause yourself. Regardless of whether the fault lies with the garage door or not, the fact remains that your garage door should be inspected. Even if you don't end up needing garage door motor repair, an inspection ensures that your garage door gets the repairs it needs.
Slow operation
Slow operation is another sign that you may need garage door motor repair. Slow operation refers not just to the speed at which your garage door opens or closes but also to the time it takes to respond. In the case of the latter, you should try opening the garage door directly rather than remotely. The fault may lie with either the remote or the receiver. Otherwise, similar to excessive noise, slow operation indicates that your garage door motor is struggling to open or close your garage door.
Overheating
The third sign that you need garage door motor repair is that your garage door motor is overheating. Like everything else on this list, overheating indicates that your garage door motor is struggling to open and close your garage door. As a byproduct of generating kinetic energy, garage door motors produce heat. This happens even when your garage door motor is working properly. The problem is that, as the faulty motor works harder to compensate, it generates more heat. You can check if your garage door motor is overheating by placing your hand on the exterior casing after it's been used. If the motor is overheating, the casing should be noticeably hot to the touch.
Shaking
When everything is working as intended, your garage door should open and close smoothly. If your garage door is shaking when you open or close it, it could be a sign you need garage door motor repair. A shaky garage door indicates that the motor is struggling to maintain consistent output, resulting in unstable movement.
Need garage door motor repair? Homeline has great deals on a range of garage door services including garage door installation, maintenance, motor repair, and more.