Seven things to check before you call for repair — most take under five minutes.
A garage door that won't close is equal parts annoying and nerve-wracking — your home is sitting wide open. Before you call for repair, run through these seven checks. Most closing problems are simple, and most take under five minutes to rule out.
The number-one cause. The two small sensors near the floor on each side must face each other with steady — not blinking — indicator lights. Wipe the lenses, realign them so they point straight at each other, and make sure nothing (a box, a broom, a spiderweb) is breaking the beam.
Leaves, tools, or debris wedged in the tracks will stop a door cold. Clear both tracks and check that the rollers move freely by hand.
If the door travels down and then reverses just before hitting the floor, the opener's close-limit is set too short. Your opener manual shows the adjustment dial or buttons — a quarter-turn is often all it takes.
Low California sun shining directly into one sensor mimics a blockage and the door refuses to close. A simple cardboard shade over the receiving sensor fixes it permanently.
Check that the manual release cord wasn't pulled (the opener would be disconnected from the door) and that the wall panel's lock or vacation mode isn't engaged — one accidental press disables every remote.
Weak batteries send weak signals. If the wall button works but the remote doesn't, it's the remote. Fresh batteries fix a surprising number of "broken" doors.
If the door feels extremely heavy, hangs crooked, or you heard a loud bang — stop. A broken spring or cable is dangerous and no setting will fix it. Don't force it; call a professional.
If you've checked all seven and the door still won't close — or if anything looks broken, bent, frayed, or snapped — it's a repair job. Forcing a damaged door turns a simple fix into a burned-out opener or a door off its tracks. Call Garage Door Repair Pros for a free inspection and a flat-rate written quote.
Almost always the safety sensors — misalignment, dirt on the lenses, or sunlight blinding one sensor. Check those three first.
Holding the wall button overrides the sensors on most openers — only do it while watching the door the whole way down, and get the underlying problem fixed promptly. Never bypass sensors permanently.
If it's sensors, settings, or batteries, it's usually a quick inexpensive visit. Broken springs or cables cost more. We inspect free and quote one flat rate in writing — call for your exact price.
Call now and talk to a real garage door specialist. Same-day appointments available across California.
Call (210) 964-8892