Broken Garage Door Motors

Broken Garage Door Motors is a common issue when working on Garage doors.

The garage door motor is an integral part of the garage door system. It aids in the door opening and closing garage door opener. It also helps lock the door when not in use.

Motors tend to be the longest-lasting part of the garage door system. A motor replacement typically consists of a remote, the safety eyes, and the wall button as well as the rail depending on if you have an 8Ft door or a 7 Ft door. The rails are then attached to the header and secured in place with the angle iron at the center of the ceiling. We always suggest a belt drive because they are much easier to maintain and very quiet.

Chain motors are reliable as well but are louder than the belt. Screw-drive Garage door motors are still around, but not commonly installed in customers' homes because they are outdated and extremely loud. The most common Garage Door Motor is currently a belt motor, as it is much quieter and more reliable than the other types.

The motor is often overlooked for maintenance by many homeowners. We've been asked by customers to fix motors that are nearly two decades old and many times, repairing a motor that old is simply not a good investment of your money. As a consumer, it is important to decide if you want to invest more money into an old unit that could fail again for other reasons, or purchase a new motor that will last for a long time.

There are many brands of garage door motors available. Most are well-made and pretty reliable. Some examples of quality brands include Liftmaster, Genie, Chamberlain, etc. You have accessory or add-on options such as a battery backup in case the power goes out, which will allow you to still be able to enter and exit with the opener. (Bear in mind that you can still enter and exit with a normal motor. You will just need to use the emergency release cord and the motor will detach from the traveler so you can operate the garage door manually.)

When it comes to installing a motor in your home, you'll want to consider your priorities for the purchase. Are you wanting something that is simply reliable and budget-friendly, or do you want a system with features like a camera, motion detection, and/or a battery backup? You should also think about whether your garage door sensors have had a motor installed previously or if this is a fresh install. A fresh install required the tech to fabricate metal so the motor could be held firmly in position.

If you purchased a newly built home and it did not come with a motor, this is considered a fresh install. You should be aware that there is more work to do for the tech in a fresh install than with a regular motor replacement and this will be reflected in the final cost.

When do you know your motor is failing?

If your existing motor is serviceable and salvageable, homeowners depend on the honesty of garage door companies to offer a repair option. At Trusty Garage Doors, we try our best to do garage door repair service that the consumer has that is worth saving.

However, we do not recommend working on broken springs or A Broken Garage Door motor older than 5 years as it can pose a significant safety threat to our technicians. Broken Garage Door Motors are at times repairable and will have to be replaced if broken beyond repair and old age.

If you hear a humming noise but see no movement, this is most likely due to an internal part malfunctioning. Feel free to call us to diagnose this problem.
Garage door issues you may experience are no sound or movement. This most often means that the opener is dead. Sometimes power surges or thunderstorms in the area could take out circuit boards in some electronics in the home, and in this case, the motor will also need replacement.

The garage door opener motor guides the garage door up. They do not pull the door up. The springs do most of the work in aiding the motor in bringing the door up. Without the springs, the motor would not have sufficient strength.

Avoiding Broken Garage Door Motors

If you maintain other parts of your door properly, your garage door remote could last a long time. Often, a failing garage door motor is the result of worn garage door parts such as bad rollers or bearings that cause wear and tear on motors.

In some instances, we have seen electrical issues with motors after thunderstorms. Most of the time, electrical components fail before mechanical parts, so be sure to keep that in mind if you are not getting any response from your new garage door motor.

To have your opener inspected or have one installed, call us today we so can make sure your needs are taken care of affordably, reliably, and promptly!