Obstructions to The Sensor
The most common reason that a garage door won’t go down all the way is a problem with the sensor. Many garage doors use a simple laser-type sensor that tells the door whether or not there are obstructions in the path. If the sensor senses something at the base of the garage door, like a basketball or person, the door will spring back up.
Sometimes the sensor can get knocked off the path, dirtied up, or simply stops working properly. Try cleaning and resetting the sensor before you look for more elaborate fixes.
Door Travel and Sensitivity
Additionally, doors have a travel distance and a bottom sensitivity that tells the door how far to go down. If the sensors meet with resistance before the travel distance is completed, the door will stop or go back up. These metrics prevent the door from bearing down on an object that is caught in its path of travel. While these systems are set when the door is installed, they may drift or get off track over time. You should consult the owner’s manual for more information on fixing travel and sensitivity.
Damaged Track or Springs
Finally, if your garage door has been in operation for a while, it might have a damaged track or damaged springs. The track helps the door glide in and out of place, while the springs provide tension to ease it up and down. Springs can be difficult to repair on a door, so if you’ve run into problems in that area, you might want to call the pros.
Garage Door Repair
If you try a couple of simple solutions and aren’t having luck, it might be time to call in the experts. With our garage door repair team, we can help put that pesky garage door back in working order. Contact us today.
