Homeowner Guide

Why Won't My Garage Door Close All the Way?

A garage door that stops short, reverses back up, or won't close at all is one of the most common calls we get from Kansas City homeowners. Before you assume the worst, it's worth understanding what's actually happening — most of these issues trace back to a small number of causes, and not all of them require a service call.

What Usually Causes It

In roughly the order we see them, here's what typically stops a garage door from closing all the way:

• Dirty, misaligned, or obstructed safety sensors — the two small units near the bottom of the tracks that stop the door if their beam is broken; this is the single most common cause
• An object, debris, or buildup in the door's path that the sensors are correctly detecting
• The opener's close-limit setting has drifted, so the opener thinks the door is fully closed before it actually is
• A roller has come off-track or a cable has slipped, causing the door to bind partway through the cycle
• Worn or damaged weatherstripping on the bottom of the door confusing the auto-reverse mechanism

What to Check Before You Call

Start with the sensors — wipe the lenses clean and make sure nothing (a stored item, a shadow, direct sunlight hitting one directly) is in the beam path between them. Check that both sensor lights are solid, not blinking; a blinking light usually means misalignment. If the sensors look fine and the door still won't close, watch the door through a full cycle to see whether it stops at the same point every time (points to a limit setting or track obstruction) or at random points (more likely a sensor or wiring issue). If you can't find an obvious cause within a few minutes, it's worth having it looked at rather than repeatedly forcing the wall button.