This guide will help you determine the true cost of installing garage door openers. You’ll need to consider type, horsepower, and other factors.
Why Is My Garage Door Light Blinking and Not Opening? 3 Common Causes and Fixes
Fix the issue in the blink of an eye
Get quotes from garage door pros near you
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Get quotes from garage door pros near you
No obligation · 100% free
Need to Schedule Repairs? Connect With a Pro
A blinking garage door light with a door that won't open often indicates your safety lock feature is turned on, preventing remote access.
Typical garage door repair costs range from $160 to $380, so addressing sensor or wiring issues early helps you avoid higher expenses.
Your garage door sensors can malfunction when blocked by debris, covered in dirt, or knocked out of alignment during regular use.
Hiring a local garage door repair professional provides reliable help with sensor adjustments and wiring issues, keeping your home secure and accessible.
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At best, a garage door system that blinks and won’t open is inconvenient—but at worst, it’s a serious safety hazard. However, fixing the problem can be tricky if you aren’t sure why your garage door light is blinking and not opening. To help, we’ve listed three common causes of this problem, as well as next steps for fixing each one.
1. Door Is Locked
Many garage door openers have a manual locking feature, which won’t let you open the door with a remote. The purpose of this feature is to keep your home secure while you’re out of town. But if you accidentally activate it while you’re home, you might notice your garage door light blinking and not opening when you press the remote.
How to Fix It
With some garage doors, you can press and hold the wall button to release the safety lock. However, every garage door is different, so you’ll want to check your user manual for specific instructions on how to disengage this feature.
2. Blocked, Dirty, or Misaligned Sensors
Lost_in_the_Midwest/ Adobe Stock
Sensors—also called photo eyes—are another important garage door safety feature. Located close to the ground near the door panel, these devices detect if there’s anything in the door’s path while it’s closing. If so, the sensor will tell the motor to stop closing the door.
Garage door sensors can malfunction if there’s something obstructing their view. They can also get dirty or become misaligned. In either of these cases, your garage door light might blink repeatedly and fail to open or close.
How to Fix It
First, check if anything is blocking the sensors. If so, move the object out of the sensors’ view and try to open the garage door again. If that doesn’t do the trick, use a dry microfiber cloth to gently clean the sensors’ lenses.
If neither of those fixes works, you can try realigning your garage door sensors. Here’s how:
Turn off your garage door’s power at the wall outlet or breaker box.
Loosen the screws on each sensor’s mounting bracket.
Slide the sensors toward the ground. Try to get them as low as possible while remaining in their brackets.
Run a tight string between the sensors.
Use a level to see if the string is straight. If not, slide the brackets up slightly until the string is level.
Tighten the screws on the mounting brackets.
Confirm that the string (and sensors) are still level.
Turn the power back on.
Try to open or close the garage door to test the sensors.
3. Wiring Issues
Your garage door system consists of many different electrical components. Over time, the wiring connecting the various parts of your garage door can short out or wear down, potentially leading to a blinking, non-functioning garage door.
How to Fix It
It’s safest to call a professional for this type of problem. However, if you have experience with electrical work, you might be able to identify and fix the wiring issue yourself using your garage door’s wiring diagram.
When to Call a Pro
Some of these solutions are quick, easy, and DIY-friendly. For example, disabling your garage door’s safety lock or cleaning the sensors only takes a few minutes.
However, if you think there might be an electrical or mechanical issue, it’s best to contact a local garage door repair pro. If you’re inexperienced and try to work on a garage door’s electrical system, you could shock yourself or start a fire. Plus, since garage doors often weigh up to 400 pounds, you could get trapped and injured if one fell on you.
Fortunately, hiring a pro might not be as expensive as you think. On average, garage door repairs cost between $160 and $380, depending on the specific problem.
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Garage door services reviews from real Angi homeowners in Columbus, OH
4.6★ avg. • 33 total reviews
- Maggie M.
Jason has helped me with multiple household projects, with the most recent being new door installation. He has always showed up on time and organized and has done an incredible job! Jason is very professional and he's now my go-to for anything around my house that needs to be fixed or...
Huff Garage Rescue, LLC - Thomas S.
Company came to look at my garage door that was off track. They also said I needed a brace on the other garage door. They put the door back on track, and I paid to install the brace. The technician told me I needed a new garage door opener, and it would cost $1000. Red flags went off in...
Precision Overhead Garage Door Service - Lisa S.
On Sunday 2/26 I requested quotes via Angi from 4 refrigerator repair businesses. Northwest Appliance responded to me Monday morning (2/27) and my refrigerator was repaired by noon the same day. Great communication, they did everything they said they would. The technician had the parts on...
- Warren C.
Excellent customer service and knowledge. I was recommend to him from my neighbour. My front door and window came in great and were installed beautifully perfectly, I m very satisfied with their excellent work, so decided to order one more big bow window for my living room. I cant wait for...
Window Depot USA of Central Ohio - Matthew L.
Called ahead and worked quickly to install keyless locks on vintage wooden doors.
Expert Lock and Key, LLC - Lori M.
Scott did not get appropriate access to the property prior to the scheduled inspection which required us to come back later in the day to complete it. He also, unprofessionally, knocked on a neighbor?s door in his attempts to reach someone with access. His overall report was fine though the...
Security First Home Inspections - Matt J.
I highly recommend KTM construction! I will look no where else for anything that needs to be done, in or out side of our property. The level of craftsmanship is 5 star service across the board! The level of detail, knowledge and professionalism is 5 star service across the board! Ken is a...
KTM Construction, LLC - Gary K.
Door Depot was very responsive - they came out the day after my call to assess my needs, then returned at my convenience to complete the work. They arrived early, and the work was completed in a shorter period of time than estimated. Very pleased with the results. I would definitely use them...
Door Depot LLC - Jim L.
Replace garage doors: Fast response, competitive estimate, timely work done well.
Village Garage Door - Bruce B.
I would have given an "A" rating were it not for the devil being in the details. 1. The van rear doors, when open, expose the track area and that had not been cleaned. Noticeable only when you look for it and then it's obvious. 2. Was able to get 99.5% of the dog hair out of the cargo area...
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