Your garage door opener might be one of the most important pieces of equipment in your home. Not only does it keep you safe from the weather outside, but it can also help you get into your car or house if you’re having trouble retrieving something. If it’s time to update your garage door opener, or if you just need to reprogram it for the first time, follow these simple steps.
What is a garage door opener?
Garage door openers allow you to open and close your garage door from a distance using an electric motor. The opener typically has a control panel on the wall near the door, and you use buttons or a remote to operate it.
A garage door opener can be reprogrammed in a few simple steps.
- Step One:
Locate the equipment that is attached to the opener. This includes the control panel, wires and power supply.
- Step Two:
Disconnect all of the wires from the control panel. Make sure that you label each wire as you go so that you can reconnect it in the correct order later.
- Step Three:
Strip 1/2 inch of insulation off of each wire and twist each wire around a screwdriver handle three times. This will help to prevent them from becoming tangled while you are programming the opener.
- Step Four:
Connect one end of each wire to the terminals on the control panel. The other end of each wire should now be attached to something heavy, like an ironing board, so that the wires won’t come loose while you are programming the opener.
- Step Five:
Program the opener by pressing any of the buttons or using the remote. The instructions that come with the opener will usually include diagrams and step-by-step instructions.
How do garage door openers work?
Almost every garage door opener comes with a keypad. This is where you input the code to open your garage door. Programming your garage door opener is a very easy process – just follow these steps:
- Step 1: Lift the garage door arm and hold it in the up position
- Step 2: Push and hold down the button on the keypad until the green LED light turns on
- Step 3: Type in the code that came with your garage door opener into the keypad
- Step 4: Release the button on the keypad and lift the arm back to its down position
Your garage door should now be programmed and ready to use!
How to reprogram a garage door opener
If your garage door opener is not responding or does not open or close properly, it may be time to reprogram it. This guide will show you how to do this on most models.
Before starting, be sure to have the following:
- A Phillips head screwdriver
- An Allen wrench
- An unplugged power cord for the opener
- A paper clip or a similar thin object
First, disconnect the power cord from the opener. Next, remove the two screws that hold down the top cover of the opener. Finally, fold back the top cover and remove it.
Next, locate the main controller board in the opener. On most models, this board is mounted on one of two sides of the board. To find it, first disconnect all of the wires connected to it with an Allen wrench. Next, use a paper clip or a thin object to short out one of the three pins on each side of the board. (Be careful not to short out any other wires.)
Now you can replace the old controller with a new one. Be sure to connect all of the wires back up before replacing the board. Once replaced,replace the top cover and screws, and plug in the power cord.
What to do if your garage door opener doesn’t work
If your garage door opener isn’t working, there are a few things you can do to try and fix the issue.
First, make sure that the power to the opener is turned on and that the batteries are properly installed. Next, check to see if there is something blocking the motion sensor or the belt drive. If there is nothing blocking the sensor or belt drive, you may need to reprogram the opener.
Summary
If you’ve lost your garage door opener remote control, there are a few things you can do to get it working again. You can try searching for the remote in the vicinity and programming it if it’s not already programmed, or you can reprogram the garage door opener if it’s within its manufacturer’s warranty.
