If you’re like most homeowners, you probably take the reliable operation of your garage door for granted. You’ll likely use it at least a few times each day, but won’t even pay attention to it as it goes up and down unless something goes wrong with it. And when something does go wrong, it can be a major inconvenience.
One of the most common problems with electric, automatically-opening garage doors is when they stop while you’re trying to close the door. If you’re going to be completely comfortable about the safety and security of your garage, not to mention any climate control measures you may have implemented inside it, you’re going to want the door to close fully.
So, what could be the root cause of a garage door that won’t close all the way in Rancho Cordova, CA? Here’s a quick overview of what you should know.
Know what to check
The most likely cause of a garage door failing to close is an obstruction. Check the area in front of the sensors and make sure there’s not something blocking the lasers. It could even be something quite small. The purpose of these sensors is to prevent the garage door from closing when there is a person or object in the door’s path.
If there’s nothing in the path, check the sensors themselves. The sensors can easily get jolted around and knocked out of their proper alignment if you accidentally brush them when moving past them. If they’re not perfectly aligned, they might not operate properly, which could result in them preventing the garage door from closing. Make sure the lights on the sensors are both lit—this is how you know they’re properly aligned. If they’re not, tweak the alignment until they both light up.
If the sensors aren’t the issue, there could be an obstruction in the track. Even something as small as a little stick or stone getting into the track could prevent it from operating as it should. You can also take a look at the tension spring to make sure it hasn’t been damaged—however, you should never attempt to adjust or remove the spring yourself, as there is a significant amount of energy built up in the springs that could be lethal if you try to remove them without knowing what you’re doing.
If you do see anything obstructing the track, remove the item. You might also try rolling the garage door up and down manually—if you can do that, the problem might be with the electrical components of the system.
Finally, you can check the garage door opener. See if you can reset the up and down force on the opener to recalibrate and give yourself the proper tension. This might resolve your problem.
You can always call a professional to take a look at a garage door that won’t close. If your Rancho Cordova, CA garage door stops when closing, contact the garage door experts at Action Door Service for assistance.