Your garage keeps your car and home safe, and this is in part thanks to the garage door. Your garage door is a beautiful mechanism that allows you to easily enter or exit your garage with just the push of a remote button. That is, of course, until it stops working. There could be several reasons why your garage door may not be closing all the way. This article discusses these common problems, together with tips on what you can do about them.
There Is Something in the Way
The first cause may be an obvious one, but it must be addressed all the same. It is prevalent to overlook a simple solution searching for a more sophisticated, mechanical one. If there is someone physically in the way of your door, then it cannot close. This object could be anything from toys to tools to some debris. To resolve this challenge is simple. Always inspect the area around the garage door track for any items that should not be there, and try to keep the site as clean and uncluttered as possible.
The Safety Sensors Are Faulty
Faulty safety sensors are among the most common reasons why a garage door may be acting up. Over time and with use, these twin sensors can fail. They are located just about 6 inches from the ground facing each other on either side of the garage door. Their role is to detect any obstacles in the way of the garage door’s proper closing. The garage door cannot close fully when there is an actual blockage or when the sensors do not emit signals or receive power as intended. If your sensors are faulty, you can buy a new replacement pair.
The Safety Sensors Are Out of Alignment
Your safety sensors can be working properly, but if they are not properly aligned, they can prevent your garage door from fully closing. Misalignment can happen if one or both of the sensors is moved or turned away. When the light of the safety sensors is on and showing a solid color, they are working properly and aligned. A blinking light is a sign that there is misalignment, resulting in failed closing. To fix this problem, you can reorient the sensors as before.
The Garage Door Springs Are Broken
Just think of how often you open and close your garage door on a daily and weekly basis. The basic mechanism is made possible by a complex system of springs. Over time and with much use, some springs can start to wear out and eventually break. Once this occurs, your door may not close properly due to misalignment. You can tell that this problem has happened by doing a quick visual inspection. If you are uncertain, you can talk to experts at Ben’s Garage Door & Gate Supply in the Los Angeles Area to diagnose the problem. The solution to this problem is to have spring repairs done by a professional.
The Cables Are Damaged
Besides springs, your garage door mechanism relies heavily on cabling to allow the door to move up and down. When these wear out or become damaged, this affects the proper closing of the door. You might see this problem with a quick look, but you should call a professional for safety reasons to repair it.
The Garage Door’s Travel Limits Are Off
The travel limit setting of each garage door determines how far the door must move to close properly. Each door open has a default setting. If this value gets a little off, either because it was not set properly or gradually moved from the right setting, the door cannot close properly. It may stop short of closing when the travel distance setting is low, or it can malfunction the other way. You can adjust the settings on the opener to get your door to close fully once again.
The Garage Door Tracks Are Damaged
One more reason that could be preventing your door from fully closing is damage to the tracks that carry the door up and down. These tracks can be warped, bent, or damaged somehow. In this case, you may have to get them replaced. If something is blocking the tracks, removing the obstacle could be the quick fix you are looking for.
Finding Garage Door Help
There are so many different issues that could interrupt the smooth closing of your garage door. Some are easily fixed, while others are not. If something needs to be fixed in the mechanism itself, it’s better to call a professional. You can avoid harm to yourself and damage to your garage door and your other property. Contact Ben’s Garage Door & Gate Supply in the Los Angeles Area for all your garage door maintenance and repair needs.
