Garage Door Won't Close? Here's What You Can Do About It

Posted on: 8 March 2016

Imagine leaving for work or somewhere important only to discover that your garage door won't close. It's a surprisingly common problem that tends to strike at the worst possible moment. Well, what goes up must eventually come down, so here are a few steps you can take to fix your garage door troubles.

Check Those Buttons First

If you normally use your garage door opener remote and it can open the door but it's no longer closing the door, then you may want to give the wall button a try. If the wall button works, then you'll need to check the control panel and make sure the opener's "vacation mode" hasn't been activated. The vacation mode setting prevents thieves from spoofing your remote's frequency in an effort to break into your garage while you're away.

Find your garage door opener's control panel and check the settings. If it's set to vacation or lock-out mode, change the settings and try the door with your remote again. If you still can't get your garage door to close, then take a look at the other solutions listed below.

Keep an Eye on Those Photo Eyes

The photoelectric sensors located along the bottom of your garage door prevent the door from closing whenever there is an obstruction within the doorway. If the doorway is clear and you're still unable to close your garage door, then there's a good chance that something is wrong with the sensors. There are several photo eye-related issues that can prevent your garage door from closing:

  • The sensors can be knocked out of alignment, breaking the infrared connection between them and fooling the sensors into thinking there's an obstruction present.
  • Dirt and grime accumulation can block the sensor lenses from sensing their infrared connection.
  • Corroded wiring or loose connections can also cause malfunctions.

It's a good idea to wipe the photo eye lenses with a soft microfiber cloth and check the sensors for any loose, damaged, or corroded wiring. If you're still having problems from your photo eye sensor, you may need to realign the sensors so that the infrared beam makes a solid connection between the two sensors. Most photo eye sensors will feature an LED light that flickers or goes out when the infrared connection is lost and stays solid when there's a connection present.

Rule Out the Garage Door Opener and Check the Tracks

To rule out any problems with the garage door opener itself, you'll want to disconnect the actual garage door from the opener and attempt to manually close the garage door. Simply locate the emergency release cord located above your head near the center of the garage door. Pull the cord to disconnect the opener trolley from the garage door and then carefully lower the door until it's closed.

If the garage door successfully closes, then you may want to have a technician take a closer look at your garage door opener. Otherwise, carefully examine the garage door tracks for any debris that could be interfering with the rollers. You should also check the rollers themselves to make sure they're in good condition and not freezing up in any way. Don't hesitate to lubricate the rollers, as a lack of lubrication can also cause problems with your garage door.

Finally, check the garage door tracks for signs of physical damage, as any dents or sharp bends within the track can cause the rollers to bind up and prevent the garage door from closing. If you can't get your garage door closed at this point, then you may need to have a trained professional step in and make the repairs needed to restore your garage door's normal function. Contact a representative from a company like DSI Door Services North Shore to set an appointment.

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