2 Possible Reasons Why Your Garage Door Opener Refuses to Close the Door
by Landon Little
While entering or exiting your garage, you may have hit the remote control for the door opener only to find that it will not close the door. After multiple attempts and even changing the batteries in the remote, you may be wondering why the door refuses to close unless you manually do so. If so, there are a couple of possible reasons why your garage door opener refuses to close the door as well as things you can try to remedy the problem.
1. Opener's Photo-Eye Is Either Dirty or out of Alignment
One possible reason why you cannot get your garage door to close automatically could be a problem with the door opener's photo-eye. This component of the unit serves as a safety mechanism that does not allow the door to close if it detects a person or object underneath it.
If the sensor becomes dirty, it may be reading the dirt on the lens as an obstacle to the door. Or, if it is out of alignment, it may be reading something either inside or outside of your garage that it reads as something underneath the door.
Use a soft, cotton cloth to wipe the surface of the lens, then try to close the door. If this does not work, try adjusting the direction in which the eye points. If this does not help, there is another issue causing the problem.
2. Debris Is Caught in One of the Tracks on Either Side of the Door
Another possible reason why your opener refuses to close the door is that debris is caught in one or both the tracks on either side of the door. Along with the photo-eye, there are also sensors along these tracks that check for potential obstacles.
If dirt, rocks, or other debris becomes stuck in the tracks, the sensors will send a signal not to close the door. Use a stiff-bristle hand broom to clean and clear away debris from the tracks, then try closing the door with your remote control.
After checking the photo-eye and tracks, you may not be able to determine the reason why your garage door refuses to close automatically. If this is the case, the problem could be with the motor. Speak with a representative of a company that offers garage door openers to discuss the problem with the door and whether it can be fixed or needs to be replaced with a new one.
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About Me
Welcome to my corner of the internet. My name is Gina, and I have always loved making the most of spaces. In this blog, I am going to give you the tips and tricks you need to turn your garage into a living space. Here, I plan to cover everything from insulating the garage to installing new garage doors. If you need to add anything from a music studio to a kids' play room in your garage, you have come to the right place. I have been converting garages both professionally and personally for years. Please explore, and I hope you like these posts!