Why won't my garage door close all the way?

Where the door stops tells you most of what you need to know. A door that stops short and goes back up, one that stops short and stays there, and one that touches the floor and leaves a gap usually point to different causes.

Where it stops and what that suggests

• Stops partway and reverses. Usually the safety sensors or an obstruction. Clear the doorway, wipe the sensor lenses and check that both indicator lights are steady.
• Stops a little short and stays there. The opener's close travel limit may be set short, or the door may be binding before it reaches the floor.
• Touches the floor and goes back up. Close travel may be set too far or the door may meet resistance. See why a door goes back up before it touches the ground.
• Closes but leaves daylight at the bottom. A worn bottom seal, an uneven slab or a crooked door can leave a gap even when the opener finishes its cycle.

Safe checks before you call

Keep the door stationary and stay out of its path. Look for items in the doorway or inside the tracks, such as a rake, a ball or a box. Check whether the door hangs level and whether any roller looks out of the rail. Listen for scraping or grinding as it closes.

What not to do

Do not raise the opener's force setting to make the door push through resistance, and never bypass or tape over the sensors. If the sensors are clean and aligned and the door still will not close, have the travel, rollers, track and springs inspected. A crooked door, a loose cable or a loud bang means stop using it until it has been checked.

Read more

• Garage door won't close
• Garage door opener repair

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