Why Your Garage Door Won’t Close (And What Might Be Causing It)

A garage door that won’t close is one of the most common service calls homeowners deal with. It can be frustrating, especially when you’re trying to leave for work or secure your home for the night.

There are several reasons this can happen, ranging from simple sensor issues to more serious mechanical problems.

In fact, earlier today I was on a service call where a customer’s garage door wouldn’t close at all. The problem turned out to be the spring balance being off, which caused the door to become too heavy for the opener to safely close. Once the balance was adjusted, the door operated properly again.

If your garage door won’t close, here are some of the most common causes.

1. The Garage Door Springs Are Out of Balance

Garage door springs are responsible for counterbalancing the weight of the door. When they’re properly adjusted, the door should feel relatively light to lift.

If the springs lose tension or become unbalanced:

• The opener may struggle to close the door

• The door may reverse before closing

• The opener may stop entirely

When the door becomes too heavy, modern openers often stop the closing cycle as a safety precaution.

This is exactly what happened on the service call I handled today.

Spring adjustments should always be done by a professional because garage door springs are under significant tension.

If you're experiencing this issue, you can always reach out through our contact page to schedule an inspection.

2. Safety Sensors Are Blocked or Misaligned

Modern garage doors have photo eye safety sensors located near the bottom of the tracks.

If something blocks the beam between them, the opener will stop the door from closing.

Common causes include:

• Dirt on the sensor lens

• Sensors bumped out of alignment

• Objects stored near the door track

• Sun glare affecting the beam

Cleaning the lenses and ensuring both sensors are pointed directly at each other often solves the problem.

3. Something Is Blocking the Door Track

Garage door tracks must remain clear for the door to move smoothly.

Common obstructions include:

• Small tools or storage items near the tracks

• Bent track sections

• Debris buildup

If the door senses resistance while closing, it may automatically reverse.

4. The Garage Door Opener Settings Are Off

Garage door openers have force and limit settings that control how far the door travels and how much resistance it allows.

If these settings are incorrect, the door may stop before fully closing.

This often happens after:

• Power outages

• Opener adjustments

• Mechanical changes to the door

5. Worn Cables or Hardware

Garage doors rely on several components working together:

• springs

• cables

• rollers

• tracks

• hinges

If any of these components wear out or break, the door may not close properly.

Routine maintenance can prevent many of these issues.

You can learn more about the services we offer on our residential garage door services page.

When to Call a Garage Door Professional

If your garage door won’t close and basic troubleshooting doesn’t fix it, it’s best to have the system inspected.

A trained technician can safely diagnose issues such as:

• spring balance problems

• damaged cables

• opener issues

• track alignment problems

At Gravity Doors, we provide garage door service across:

• Hamilton

• Dundas

• Burlington

• Oakville

• Ancaster

• Waterdown

• Stoney Creek

• Flamborough

If your garage door isn’t operating properly, you can contact us here to book a service call and get your door running smoothly again.