As one of the main entrances to your home, the garage door experiences a great deal of wear and tear over its lifespan. Whether it gets stuck halfway or refuses to budge an inch after it’s completely open, a door that will not close is often a sign of a larger issue. To help you troubleshoot the problem, our experts have outlined the top reasons garage doors refuse to close.
There’s Something Blocking the Door
First, make sure nothing is sitting in the door’s path. You’ve likely already checked this, but sometimes we can forget the simple things in a moment of panic. Look for tools, toys, and debris sitting between the system’s photo-eye sensors. Your system’s safety features will prevent the door from closing if it suspects something is in the way.
The Sensors Are Misaligned
Even if there isn’t anything physically blocking the safety sensors, your garage door system may send signals to the opener that something is in the way because the sensors are out of alignment. The photo eyes may get jerked out of position when something strikes or bumps them. After this point, your system will not let the garage door close.
You will know if they are in alignment or not by looking for a dot of light. If the light is lit up, the sensors are aligned and working properly. If the light is blinking, they’re out of alignment, and a garage door technician will need to adjust their position.
The Safety Sensor Is Malfunctioning
Perhaps, the sensors are in proper alignment, but you still can’t get the garage door to close. The safety sensors may still be the root cause of the problem. If either sensor isn’t receiving power or not sending off signals, this could mean the sensors are failing. You will need to replace the faulty sensors.
The Emergency Release Cord Has Been Pulled
Every garage door is equipped with a red safety cord to enable users to manually open and close their garage door when the power goes out or during other emergency situations. When this cord is pulled, the door is disconnected from the opener. If someone in your family pulls the cord, your garage door won’t close or open with the remote. Fortunately, fixing this problem is easy. Simply pull the cord toward the opener to reconnect the door.
The Garage Door Opener Isn’t Getting Power
Garage door openers need electricity to operate. If your opener isn’t getting any power, it will not be able to close the garage door. Ensure the opener is plugged into an outlet on the ceiling or wall. The plug may have been bumped loose at some point. Simply plug it back in and try closing the door.
If you still can’t get the garage door to close, and you suspect the opener isn’t receiving power, this could mean a circuit was tripped. Flip the breaker switch and give your opener another try. If the opener still doesn’t operate after all this, it likely means the system has malfunctioned, and it’s time to schedule a new garage door opener installation.
The Garage Door Springs Have Broken
Another reason your garage door won’t close is that the springs have broken. Your garage door system relies on a series of extension or torsion springs to maneuver the 150 to 300-pound door. When one of these springs wears out or breaks, the opening mechanism cannot get the door to close. You will need to ask a professional to replace the spring for you.
The Garage Door Tracks Are Damaged
If your door’s tracks are warped, damaged, or misshapen in any way, your garage door won’t close properly. You will want to have a garage door expert repair or replace the tracks right away to prevent further damage that could easily drain your bank account.
Verge Entrance Solutions Can Get Your Garage Door Rolling Again!
As you can see, there are numerous reasons a garage door may not close properly. If you’re having trouble figuring out what’s going on with your system, call on the experts at Verge Entrance Solutions. We’ve been offering residential garage door repair services for over thirty years and have successfully addressed every garage door problem under the sun. There’s no problem too big or small for our team to handle. Contact us today to book a service, and we’ll get your door functioning again in no time.