6 Reasons Why Your Garage Door Won’t Close

Since many homeowners keep valuables like cars and bikes in their garages, garage doors are key to ensuring your home is safe from intruders.

If your garage door doesn’t close, the possibility of property damage or theft rises. There are multiple causes for your garage door not closing, and understanding them is key to ensuring an effective solution. Discussed below are six reasons why your garage door won’t close.

Broken or damaged garage door springs

Garage door springs balance the door’s weight to ensure a smooth, stable operation. These springs prevent instability and shaking, improving the garage door’s functionality.

Broken or damaged springs are among the top reasons your garage door won’t close. Understanding why garage door springs can help you quickly find ways to get the door back into operation. Your garage door spring may break due to:

Poor maintenance: Neglecting garage door maintenance can result in the springs breaking or getting damaged early. Although garage door springs eventually fail, proper maintenance not only extends the springs’ lifespan but also keeps them operating smoothly
Excess spring tension: When springs are under excessive pressure, they weaken and eventually break, making it hard for your garage door to close
Corrosion: If rust develops on the garage door spring, the coils weaken and accelerate damage. This may cause the door not to operate as efficiently

The springs’ wear and tear and extreme temperature changes can also contribute to spring failure. Sticking to regular maintenance checks for your garage door because it keeps it operating smoothly.

Misaligned garage door sensors

If your garage door sensors aren’t well aligned, they pose a substantial safety threat, potentially keeping the door from closing. Misaligned sensors can result in your garage door unexpectedly reversing, not closing, or stopping midway. Signs your garage door sensors are misaligned include the following:

The garage door is not closing completely
A steady or blinking red light on both or one of the sensors
The garage door unexpectedly goes into reverse when it’s closing
Your garage door’s remote is no longer working

The sensors may get misaligned due to dirt, debris, or dust blocking the sensors’ communication. It could also be due to poor sensor installation, or loose brackets that cause the sensors to break.

If your garage door isn’t closing, sensor misalignment could be the cause. An expert inspecting and cleaning the sensors regularly can help correct this issue.

Broken garage door cables

Broken cables are among the major reasons why most garage doors become non-operational. Once the wires are broken, the garage door may become unbalanced, making it nearly impossible to move, leaving it stuck in the same position. The common reasons your garage door cables may break include the following:

Incorrectly installed garage door springs can cause the cables to loosen or snap
Misalignment of the garage door track
Damaged pulleys
Snapping of garage door wires

With routine garage door maintenance, you can lower the possibility of broken door cables. Regular visual inspections and lubrication can significantly prolong your garage door’s service life while ensuring proper functionality.

Damaged garage door tracks

A garage door runs smoothly because of the tracks mounted on the door sides. These tracks guide rollers by holding them in position and aligning the door. If garage door tracks are bent, misaligned, or broken, it can lead to the rollers becoming unseated or the whole door system not functioning correctly.

The garage door tracks may get misaligned or damaged for different reasons, including poor installation, wear and tear, lack of lubrication, and more.

If your garage door refuses to open, it could be due to damage to misalignment of the tracks. If your garage door isn’t closing, it could be because the tracks are warped, causing the rollers to jam and ensuring the door doesn’t move. Calling a professional to assess and realign the tracks can help ensure the door closes smoothly.

Garage door sensor obstructions

Obstacles in the garage door sensors’ path will significantly influence how the door closes. Since sensors are meant to catch even the smallest obstructions and keep the door from closing if something hinders their signal, the garage door will reverse automatically if anything is in the way, making it impossible to close.

Dust, debris, leaves, and more can obstruct the sensor beam and ensure the door doesn’t close. If your garage door refuses to close because of sensor obstructions, consider:

Checking for dirt and debris: If there are any objects close to the sensor, consider removing them
Inspecting for damage: Replace the sensors if they’re damaged
Aligning the sensors: Ensuring the sensors are correctly aligned will ensure the beam isn’t interrupted

Cleaning your garage door sensors and removing any physical obstructions will ensure the door functions properly.

Wrong travel limits

Travel limits usually dictate how far your garage door should go when closing or opening. If the settings are wrong, there’s a chance the door won’t close.

Adjusting the limit is the only way to fix this issue. With the help of a garage door maintenance service, you can quickly identify the problem and make the necessary changes.

Endnote

Several issues can lead to your garage door not opening. Understanding the reasons why your garage door won’t close can help you find the most effective solutions, ensuring the door closes effortlessly.