What should I do if my Garage Door will not close?

There are many reason why your garage door may not close. Some of these reasons are very simple to fix, but sometimes the garage door not closing is the symptom of a larger problem.

First what happens when you press the button on the wall or on you remote? If the door starts to go down and stops then goes back up, sometimes accompanied by the opener lights flashing and a clicking noise, this indicates a faulty safety eye. The safety eyes could be dirty, out of alignment, disconnected or even broken and needing to be replaced.

Realigning safety Eyes:

This is very simple, on most safety eyes there are colored lights that will show a steady illumination when the safety eyes are aligned properly. Adjust the safety eyes until you get constant and steady illumination.

If the safety eyes are dirty, try cleaning them and then check for alignment.

Safety eyes are fairly simple to replace. You will need to purchase replacement safety eyes that will work with your brand and model garage door opener. The eyes will mount in the same location as the old safety eyes and the wires will need to be run out of the way of any moving parts and then attached to the back of the control panel for your garage door opener. Always unplug the opener from the electrical socket before replacing the safety eyes.

*Note: replacing the safety eyes require the use of a ladder to reach the back of the control unit and to unplug the opener from the electrical outlet. Always use caution when using a ladder to prevent accidental falls. Always unplug the opener from the electrical outlet when replacing safe eyes to prevent accidental electrical shock.

*Note: Safety eyes are mounted either to the track or on the sides at the bottom of the garage door. The safety eyes prevent the door from closing if something is present between the safety eyes breaking the beam.

Second, If nothing happens when you push the wall button or button on the remote check to make sure there is power to the opener and make sure the batteries in your remote or keypad are still working.

Third, if the trolley moves up and down the track, but the garage door does not move, you may have accidentally pulled the handle or rope that disconnects the door from the trolley. This disconnect allows you to open and close the door manually if you have a power loss to the garage door opener.

Fourth, you could have tracks that are out of line or even something obstructing the rollers that are preventing the door from going down. When looking at the garage door tracks, you should not have larger gaps in some places than others it should be fairly square in the tracks when you visually inspect the tracks. The tracks should not have any significant bends or twists either.

Finally, check your torsion springs and cables. If you have a broken spring or springs it can prevent your door from closing. Broken cable or cables can also prevent the door from closing.

*Note: If you find broken springs or cables we recommend calling a garage door service technician to perform these repairs. Garage door spring and cable replacement require special training and tools. Garage door springs and cables are under a great deal of tension and can cause serious damage and even death if proper techniques and tools are not used during installation or adjustment.

There can be many other reasons your garage door will not close, but these are the most common causes. Veteran Garage Door has technicians who can inspect and repair your garage door for you. Our technicians will show you what is needed and give you options based on your needs and budget.