An attached garage can be very beneficial for protecting your not-so-often-used belongings and the overall aesthetics of your vehicle. It also protects your vehicle from rain, snow, and humidity, which causes oxidation. Unfortunately, you may experience issues with your garage door from time to time.
Be sure to hire a garage door expert from Lewis Door Service when doing any work on the electrical aspect of the system. If you are uncomfortable with troubleshooting your garage door keypad, it’s best to contact a qualified garage door technician. If you’re dealing with a keypad issue, we will reveal some of our best tips for handling this situation.
1. Replace Its Batteries
The most obvious problem you might overlook due to frustration is a dead battery. Most garage door keypads use a 9—or 12-volt battery. It’s a good idea to have at least one spare battery on hand so you can fix this issue in a pinch.
2. Check for Frayed Wiring
Frayed wiring is one of the most common problems homeowners experience with their garage door keypad. Each button is connected to a wire for the keypad circuit board. Any wires frayed or loose could prevent an appropriate connection between the circuit board and the button, preventing your garage from working.
It’s simple to remove the cover of the keypad and look at the wiring. It’s important to know that the wiring for your garage door’s keypad is very low-voltage and won’t harm you. If you notice some frayed wires, you’ll want to completely detach and spin them together before reattaching the wiring to the button.
Be sure you take a photo of all the wiring before removing it so you remember to put it back in the appropriate position. A professional can also perform this service if this DIY project concerns you.
3. Dirty Screen, Buttons, and Housing
Sometimes, a simple issue with your keypad can be that it’s just overly dirty. When too much grime gets built up behind the buttons, it can cause them to stick and not work correctly. Wiping off the outside of your garage door pin pad with an appliance cleaner rag can be beneficial.
Be sure to open the keypad’s cover to clean it inside adequately. Avoid using abrasive cleaners or excessive moisture, as it could lead to corrosion of the internal wiring. Dry rag-based cleaning is best in this case.
4. Try Resetting Your PIN
Depending on the specific model of your garage door keypad, it can automatically lock when there have been too many wrong key combinations. This is meant to be a safety mechanism to protect your home. Typically, you’ll notice this problem when you can’t open the door from the outside keypad but can do so from the inside.
It’s also important to note that some keypads will put an expiration date on your PIN, so you have to reset it routinely. Resetting your PIN is relatively easy if you follow your garage door owner’s manual instructions. Your manual should include a four-digit unlocking code that overrides the locking mechanism.
Typically, you must insert this unique unlocking code and wait for your garage door opener to blink. Then, you can input your new PIN.
5. Reboot the Garage Door Opener
If the above steps don’t seem to work, it may be time to consider rebooting your garage door opener. This is a lot easier than it may sound. Unplug the opener from its receptacle and wait 5 to 10 minutes. This will give the opener enough time to erase any previous data in its memory and reboot successfully.
Next, you’ll want to plug it back in and go through the PIN resetting procedure.
How Long Do Garage Door Keypads Last?
Generally, most garage door keypads are rated to last 10 to 15 years. However, many factors can shorten or extend the lifespan of your keypad. For example, if you live in a climate with extreme weather conditions, likely, your garage door keypad isn’t going to last as long.
However, if your keypad remains in the shade and you don’t use your garage door often, it may last you over 15 years.
Do You Have To Buy a New Opener To Replace Your Keypad?
When you think about replacing the keypad for your garage door, you may believe you need to purchase a new opener for the whole system to work. This isn’t the case. Many universal garage door keypads are proven to work with any existing garage door opener.
Common Signs Your Garage Door Opener Needs Replaced
As with most components, some key indicators will tell you it’s likely time to invest in a new garage door keypad for your home. The most obvious signs you will see are cracking of the housing or physical damage to the unit itself. If it’s missing or the existing buttons are worn, then it’s time to consider replacement.
This scenario tends to happen to many people who continually use the same pin. This continued use will prematurely wear out just the buttons they use for their pin while leaving all the other buttons looking brand new. This is a big security problem for any homeowner.
Quick Tips for Choosing a New Keypad for Your Garage Door
If you’re in the market for a new garage door keypad, some features are especially desirable. First and foremost, you want to ensure that it’s fairly weather-resistant. This way, it can withstand varying weather conditions and has a long and reliable lifespan.
Another must-have feature is Bluetooth connectivity, which allows you to control your garage door from the convenience of your smartphone. This can be particularly helpful when granting entry to other people when you’re not physically there. Consider getting a fingerprint reader to help prevent security threats.
Some keypads even come with more robust features, like advanced encryption, that help further deter unauthorized access into your garage. One feature that is commonly overlooked is backlighting. You should ensure that your new keypad has light-up keys or a light-up fingerprint pad so that you can see it during the nighttime hours.
One other feature you want to look for is a low-battery indicator light. This will alert you to change your batteries before they completely die. If you want to step it up a notch, you may want to invest in a more expensive keypad with a built-in camera. This can alert you when someone attempts to put in a pin, so you have direct knowledge if someone tries to break into your garage.
Reliable Garage Door Repair Service
Lewis Door Service offers reliable garage door repair services for people throughout the entire Louisville, KY area. We can also assist with all your emergency garage door repair, maintenance, installation, replacement, commercial, and overhead door needs. Simply call our office today and book your next service appointment for garage door opener repair with one of our garage door professionals.
