Garage door won't close
easy 15–60 min
Tools: flashlight, screwdriver, cloth, stepladder · Materials: fresh batteries for the remote and the wall keypad, a photo-eye pair if one is dead
Steps
- Press the wall button and watch: if the opener light blinks and nothing moves, the safety eyes are blocked or misaligned; if the motor runs and the door does not move, the trolley is disconnected or a gear is stripped.
- Clean and realign the photo-eyes until both LEDs are steady, and clear the door path.
- Check the lock button on the wall console — many openers have a 'vacation lock' that disables remotes but not the wall button.
- Pull the emergency release and try the door by hand: it should lift smoothly and stay put halfway. If it is heavy or crashes down, a spring is broken — leave it closed and call.
- Reconnect the trolley by running the opener until it clicks back on, then check the close-limit setting if the door stops just above the floor.
- Replace the remote's battery and re-pair it if the wall button works but remotes do not.
Stop and call a pro if
- a spring is broken, a cable is loose, or the door is off its track — do not try to move it
- the motor hums but the door does not move or the opener's gear is stripped
- the door has been forced and the panels or hinges are bent
What a pro does that you can't
A garage-door technician replaces springs, cables and rollers under proper tension, repairs or replaces the opener gear or logic board, and resets the travel limits.
DIY cost: $0–40 for batteries or a sensor pair