There are plenty of reasons why a garage door does not close easily. Whether you believe it or not, this kind of scenario could be a small bug blocking its photo-eye sensor, a door that is off the track, or a complex mechanical problem. A number of these problems are ones that you can solve on your own. However, there are a few problems also that will require an expert’s intervention. Here’s a list of the most common reasons why your garage door may not close.
Defective Safety Sensors
One thing that you must check is the sensors that are found at a garage door’s bottom. These sensors are approximately 15cm (6inches) above the ground. These safety devices transmit a signal making the door stop from closing when it detects someone or something on its way, this may include your pet or kid.
If these sensors stop receiving power or signals, they will not be able to send the signal effectively. Thus, the reason why your garage door will not close properly. Moreover, know that it is also likely for these photo eyes to send a constant blinking signal to your garage door indicating that something is blocking its way. This usually happens when the sensors are misaligned.
Adjustment of Limit Setting
The moment you purchase a new garage door, you can close it, but instead of keeping it closed, it will open immediately. In such case, what you need to do is to check the opener’s limit settings.
The limit that is set on a garage door describes the distance required to completely close the door. That is, if it is not set correctly, it will open immediately after closing. This usually occurs when your door closes sooner compared to what the settings allow.
In addition to that, its limit range regulates how far the garage door should move before it fully closes, so you have to make sure that you adjust the settings. Note that if the settings are too high, the garage door cannot hit the ground. This is because the opener has failed to notice that the garage door hit something. Thus, it will automatically reverse so that accidents would be prevented.
You’ll most likely need some time and a couple of trials to solve this problem all by yourself. Check out the instruction manual, grab a ladder, and search for the know of the settings limit on the motor of the garage door.
Keep in mind that the motor is marked with arrows, however the labels vary depending on the model of the door. Make sure that you don’t overdo the adjustment to both sides so that you can avoid the door from slamming to the ground and rising quickly and get damaged.
Dirty Sensors
The photo-eyes are very tiny and are located on either side of your garage door. Through time, these little devices become dusty and dirty. When this happens, the garage door cannot get the right signal, thus will not properly close.
Meticulously clean with a soft cloth and a non-abrasive cleaner to solve this problem. Please note that the glass surface of this device is comparable to a camera’s glass surface. Therefore, it can be easily scratched or damaged. If that doesn’t work, you should contact a professional to investigate the problem.
Misaligned Tracks
You can encounter an extreme problem if the tracks of your garage door are misaligned. The door can`t run over the track if they are not parallel to one another. So, when you notice some bent rails or gaps among the rollers and rails, you must contact a professional immediately.
Dead Transmitter Battery
Sufficient battery power is required for the garage door transmitter to function properly. As soon as the battery is empty, the transmitter will immediately stop transmitting signals to the garage door.
In this situation, you first need to check if the transmitter is still capable of opening and closing the garage door. If it can still do the job, note that the battery needs to be replaced. Remove the batter and make sure that the plus and minus signs match the same sign inside the transmitter.
Disconnect Switch is Enabled
If you notice that the garage door motor starts working but the door does not close, your disconnect switch is probably enabled. This switch always comes with your garage door opener which allows you to manually close the door in the event of a power outage.
If someone accidentally unhooks this, the gate loses its connection to the motor. Therefore, you must re-attach it so that you can use the door properly.
Damage to Tracks
A door that is too heavy is usually the reason for this case. After some time, you might notice that the tracks of your garage door are warped, bent, damaged, or blocked, which makes the door quite difficult to close. You can resolve this blockage by getting rid of the obstacle.
If you don`t resolve the troubles immediately, the tracks will get worse and can be dangerous. At time, it is possible to restore them, however you’ll in all likelihood will have to install a new garage door track. Thus, you must call for an expert regarding this matter.
Transmitters are not Working Properly
Usually, transmitters lose their function only because it is too far from your garage door. Hence, it is important that you look for a place where you can keep it whilst making sure that you can still close your door.
If you are within the range but the door does not close, you need to check the antenna. Hide the antenna and remove any obstacles that could interfere with signal reception. Also, look for any possible damages and contact a technician for replacement if needed.
There is one more issue that you need to consider. Check if you and your neighbor have the same transmitter frequency. If this happens, you will surely have troubles in closing your garage door. What you must do if this is the case is to change your garage door’s frequency. And with that, you should also reprogram your remote.
Broken Cables or Tension Springs
Cables and tension springs are required to close the garage door safely and slowly. When the spring breaks, the door makes a loud noise when it hits the floor and closes very quickly. This is a very dangerous situation especially when something is under the door.
In this case, it is very likely that the cable will break easily just because of an increase on the pressure, so you will need to contact an expert to resolve the issue. Remember that a broken cable can fly quickly and hurt someone. Inspecting your cables regularly is important so that you can prevent accidents.
Obstacles
There is a high chance that you will still have troubles in closing your garage door even if everything seems fine. The reason behind this is tricky and it includes hindrance on the path of your door. Once you notice that your garage door begins closing and it stop and reopens, make sure that you check for obstacles.
These obstacles do not have to be huge objects. So, make sure that you check for dirt, debris, tiny toy, or small rocks. What you must do in this case is to clean the obstacle and remove the dirt or grime.
What You Should Do If Your Garage Door Does Not Function
Inspect the Situation
If you have problems with garage doors not closing, the first thing you must do is to check the situation. Assess what is wrong, if something is blocking the safety sensor, or if toys or stones are stuck underneath the door. The moment you have identified the problem, you need to decide what to do to resolve it.
Board Test or Safety Box
Modern garage doors have safety features that are designed to respond and immediately open if something is placed underneath. This is a great way to prevent injuries if your child or pet accidentally walks there.
If the door does not close properly and you suspect a problem with this system, you should check the door’s safety features with a simple board or box test. You just need to adjust your garage door’s limit place a box below it. Another option is to put the board on the floor.
Next, try closing the garage door. If the door responds and open before it reaches the box or board, don’t worry. Otherwise, your garage door not safe and you need to repair it to protect your family.
Fix the Problem
You can successfully fix some of the existing issues yourself. For example, you can clean the sensor or get rid of obstacles that interfere with normal functioning.
However, when talking about a mechanical failure, the situation is quite different. In this case, you should always be aware that trying to fix something without a complete understanding of the function system of a garage door can damage the garage door itself.
Call for a Professional
If you are not familiar with mechanics, make sure that you leave these problems to the experts. For instance, if you are having issues with a torsion spring that is on high tension, adjusting on by yourself can cause accidents. If this is the case, contacting a professional is the safest and most efficient way.
Spring is just around the corner. Check out this blog for tips on spring cleaning!