Why Will My Garage Door Not Open or Close?

You have opened and closed your garage door thousands of times, however it has suddenly stopped working. Your garage stores important and expensive items such as your car, tools, lawn mower, and more, so getting it securely closed is necessary. Here are a few reasons your garage door may not be opening or closing:

The alignment is out of whack.

The metal track your door runs on needs to be aligned in order for the door to move properly. If you see bends in the track or gaps between the rollers and the track, then contact a professional. Since the door is very heavy these issues can get worse if not corrected in a timely manner.

Something is blocking the safety sensor.

Something blocking the safety sensors can be a reason a garage door won’t close all the way. Check for clutter and debri in the way. If the path is cleared, try cleaning the eyes of the sensor. Dirt or even bugs can interrupt the beam and keep the door from closing.

The limits are set wrong.

If you have checked the aligned and the safety sensors, checking the open and close limits are a good next guess. These “limits” are what tell the opener how far the door needs to travel before it is completely closed. This can be corrected with a screwdriver and a few measurements if it is off. Refer to the manual for specific instructions.

The door was manually locked or the disconnect switch has been enabled.

If the opener motor runs and then shuts off, your garage may have been manually locked or the disconnect switch has been enabled. Check both of these as a last effort to get your door working.

If you are still having trouble with your door, we’d love to help. Give us a call at 540-292-3667.