The most common causes, in order: blocked or misaligned safety sensors (fix it yourself in 2 minutes), the manual lock engaged, a dead remote battery, force/travel limits drifting, and (if the door is also heavy to lift by hand) a broken spring, which is a service call.
Garage door won't close (or open)? Start here
A two-minute diagnosis: what you can safely fix yourself, and what needs a technician.
Fix these yourself first
- Check the photo-eye sensors near the floor on each side. Clear cobwebs and pollen (a very Raleigh problem each spring), make sure both LEDs glow steady, and nudge them until they face each other. If the door closes while you hold the wall button but not from the remote, this is almost always it.
- Look for the slide lock on the door's inside. If it's engaged, the opener strains and gives up.
- Swap the remote battery and test from the wall button to isolate remote vs. opener.
- Check power: the opener's outlet and breaker.
When it's a service call
- Door lifts a few inches then stops, or the opener strains: likely a broken spring; stop using the opener
- Door is crooked or a cable hangs slack: cable failure
- Motor runs but nothing moves: a stripped gear, which is an opener repair
- Door reverses at the same spot every time: bent track or an obstruction in the rails and rollers
The one test that tells you the most
Pull the red release cord with the door closed, then lift the door by hand. A healthy door lifts smoothly with one hand and stays put halfway. If it's very heavy, springs are the problem, not the opener, and that's not a DIY fix.
FAQ
Common questions
Why does my garage door start to close then go back up?
Either the safety sensors lost sight of each other mid-travel or the closing force limit is tripping on a binding roller or track. Clean and align the sensors first; if it persists, the door needs a technician's adjustment.
Why does my garage door only open a few inches?
That's the classic broken-spring symptom: the opener senses the unassisted weight and quits. Leave the door down and call; running the opener repeatedly can burn it out.
Why won't my garage door close when the sun is out?
Low sun can blind a photo-eye sensor. A small sun shield or re-aiming the sensors fixes it, and we do this on any service visit.
It still won't close. How fast can you come?
Same-day in most of the Raleigh area, 24/7 live answering, and no extra charge evenings or weekends.
Ready to get it fixed?
Call now or book online. Same-day appointments available across the Raleigh area.