Seven Likely Reasons Why Your Garage Door Won't Close
Overhead garage doors that are fitted with electric openers are generally very reliable, especially the more recent models that are available in Broomfield and elsewhere in the country. However, much like any other electrically operated equipment, they can sometimes develop faults that are hard to diagnose. One of the problems that our garage door repair team is asked to diagnose and fix on a fairly regular basis is that of an overhead door that will not close completely, no matter how many times the remote is pressed. Sometimes the solution is a simple one that the homeowner could have tried themselves if they only knew what to look for. Other times, it requires the attention of an experienced technician to get the door working as intended again.
For those cases when the solution is actually very simple, all the average homeowner normally needs is a little advice from a professional to point them in the right direction. With this in mind, we have put together a short guide that will hopefully help some people to fix their own garage door when it refuses to close completely. Of course, if you check everything we have listed below and you still cannot solve the problem, or you’d rather leave it to a professional in the first place, you are more than welcome to call and book a visit from one of our overhead door repair experts.
Seven Common Garage Door Repair Issues You Can Check
If you would like to have a go at fixing your garage door before you call in a professional, we recommend checking for the following issues:
Faulty Sensors
One of the most common reasons for a garage door to refuse to close completely is a faulty sensor. The sensors fitted to the bottom of your garage door frame are there to make sure there is nothing in the way when your garage door starts to close. If they detect an obstacle, they will send a signal to the control panel, which will tell the motor to stop and reverse, opening your door again. The only solution for this particular fault is to install new sensors, which is something that an overhead door repair technician can easily do for you if you don’t fancy tackling the job yourself.
Misaligned Sensors
Sometimes the sensors themselves may be working perfectly but something has knocked them out of alignment so they are not seeing a clear beam from one to the other, which would indicate an absence of any obstacles. Because of this, they are telling the door to open again every time you try to close it. If you notice that one or both sensors is not pointing in the right direction, you may be able to move them back into position and solve your problem without calling a local professional to help.
A Genuine Obstacle
While it is unlikely you would not have already noticed, it would be silly not to check whether there is actually something in the way that is preventing your garage door from closing.
Wrong Setting for Door Travel Limit
If you have only recently had a new door installed or perhaps a local engineer has recently fixed a stuck garage door for you, it is possible that the door travel limit has been set too low. If this is the case, the door opener will think that the door has reached the bottom of its travel when really it is still a few inches away. You may be able to fix this yourself by reading the manual but if not, just search online for ‘garage door repair near me’ or call us if you happen to live nearby.
Worn or Broken Garage Door Springs
This is a fault that is more likely to be found on older garage door installations but it could happen to any door at any time if you are unlucky. A quick visual inspection of the torsion and extension springs should clue you in as to whether they need to be replaced.
Broken Lifting, Retaining or Emergency Release Cable
The cables that control your garage door as it is lowered can sometimes break too, resulting in a door that either won’t move at all or that does still move but not to the full extent of its normal travel. Again, a visual inspection is all it will normally take to uncover this particular fault but we do not recommend trying to fix it on your own as it could be very dangerous if you are not a trained technician.
Bent or Broken Garage Door Tracks
If the tracks along which your garage door runs are bent, or damaged in some other way, this could cause the door to stop before it has opened completely. Get yourself a good flashlight and inspect the tracks carefully if you suspect that this might be the cause of your problem. In some cases, you may find the tracks are still in good condition but there is something blocking them. If this turns out to be the case you can simply remove the item in question and your door should now open and close normally.
No Matter The Issue, Call Our Parker Garage Door Team
As we mentioned earlier, if you would rather let a qualified technician diagnose and fix your problem, please feel free to call our Broomfield or Parker garage door repair team to make an appointment.