Garage doors have many mechanical moving parts in their system, and over time, some issues can occur. These problems can build up slowly and eventually stop the door from closing.
It is highly important to know what can cause your garage door not to close and what exactly you can do about it.
Damaged safety sensor
When your garage door doesn’t close, the first thing to check is the safety sensors. These sensors are the most important safety feature on garage doors that ensure safe closing. There are two sensors, one on each bottom side of the door, and one sends a laser beam to the other.
If the path is clear, the LED light shows a green light and the door will close, but if something blocks the beam, the door won’t close. Start by cleaning the sensors of dust that can block the beam, then check their alignment. If the sensors aren’t lined up correctly, the door may not close.
The third issue, and in order to fix it, you will probably need professional help, is a disconnected wire that can also prevent the door from closing.
Broken springs
The garage doors use industrial springs to balance the doors and lift them up. These springs are under lots of pressure and need enormous tension to work properly, increasing their chances of snapping and breaking over time. When a spring breaks, the door will drop down and won’t move until the spring is replaced.
Broken cables
Garage door cables run all the way along the door through the pulleys and connect to the springs. When the springs break, the cables will likely snap too, so when replacing the springs, take into account that you’ll need to replace the cables as well.
Damaged opener
If your garage door opener gets broken and stops working, your door won’t close. The opener might fail because of loose wires or a short circuit. It can be hard to figure out the exact problem by yourself, and it’s best to get professional help.
Remote issues
The garage door opener connects to a remote control by radio signal, and the remote gets its power from a battery. If the battery is going low, it might stop working if it’s out of range. Keep spare batteries on hand to replace them if needed.