A common question our Cleveland garage door repair team fields is, “Why won’t my garage door close?”

We understand customers’ frustration when a garage door is not closing as it should. For homeowners, the garage is where you store your car, tools and other valuables. For commercial property owners and managers, garages store company vehicles, customer cars, important equipment and inventory. Having a garage door stuck in the “open” position for any length of time is simply not an option.

For rapid, responsive, reliable Cleveland garage door repair services, the Advance Door team can help.

In a recent blog, we examined the possible root causes of a randomly opening garage door. But failure to close isn’t exactly the same thing. Most of the time, a garage door that randomly opens will have something to do with a faulty sensor or device.

A door that just stays open and stubbornly refuses to close could be a faulty sensor too, but there are other possibilities our Cleveland garage door repair team will explore too.

Common Culprits of a Garage Door Failure to Close

Some potential causes of a garage door that won’t close may include:

Dead transmitter batteries.

Most modern garage doors require power to open and close. If your remote transmitter’s battery is dead, it’s not going to carry the signal to the garage sensor when you need it to. A professional garage door tech can tell you for sure if that’s the issue, but you can try swapping out the battery yourself and see if that helps. Just make sure it’s the right size and kind per the manufacturer’s instructions.

Photo eye out of alignment.

For the last 30 years or so, garage doors have been equipped with “photo eyes” or “eye sensors” affixed on either side of the door to “look out” for objects in the path of the door as it’s closing. If it “sees” an object, whether that’s a car or a garden hose or a small child, the door will stop closing and reverse course. If the door is not closing (and sometimes if it isn’t opening), it could be that the photo eyes are out of alignment or need a good cleaning. If re-adjustment is required, it’s usually best to let a professional handle it to make sure it’s done correctly and avoid future problems.

Misaligned Tracks.

Most residential and commercial garage door systems work on a track that guides the door as it opens and closes. This track MUST be properly aligned for the door to open smoothly. Our Cleveland garage door repair technicians will look for any evidence of bending, warping or misalignment that could cause the door to get jammed or stuck. We’ll inspect for any signs of damage, and then make adjustments and/or order new parts or recommend replacements as needed.

Broken Cables or Rollers.

These are the parts that help a garage door move smoothly along the tracks, but they can grind down and even break over time. If a cable snaps or a roller gets damaged, it’s going to prevent the door from closing correctly. Our garage door repair team will inspect the rollers and cables for any indication of wear or damage, and have the skills and parts to replace them if necessary.

Springs Broken.

Springs do the hard work when it comes to opening-and-closing a garage door. If a spring breaks, it’s not going to function properly.

One telltale indicator that it’s the springs: The malfunction was sudden. Sometimes when there’s an issue, it’s because something is winding down over time. With a broken spring, it usually seems to work fine one day and then completely fail the next. Also, it’s likely to be loud, like a banging sound.

If you think it could be the springs, be very careful trying to lift or lower the door yourself. If you aren’t sure, better just to call a pro.

Don’t Panic – Call a Professional Cleveland Garage Door Repair Company

It can be unnerving to go about your day knowing your garage door – and perhaps a main entrance to your home or business – is open, potentially exposing you to the risk of theft, critters, high electric bills and damage to your items in storage. We prioritize situations where there is a security risk. Our team can come out quickly, assess the complaint, diagnose the issue, determine a solution and implement that solution safely and cost-effectively.

Advance Door Co. provides garage door products, services, repairs, and replacements to customers throughout Northeast Ohio, including Cleveland, Parma, and surrounding communities.

Additional Resources:

All About Garage Doors, By Jim Gorman, This Old House

More Blog Entries:

Cleveland Garage Door Repair Experts Help You Troubleshoot Common Problems, March 30, 2023, Cleveland Garage Door Repair Company Blog