I cannot tell you how many times I have gotten a call that starts the same way:
My garage door opens just fine… but it won’t close.
If that’s what you’re dealing with right now, you’re not alone, and more importantly, you are not imagining things. I’ve been working with garage doors for over a decade, and this is one of the most common opener problems I see in homes every week.
When a garage door opens but refuses to close, it’s usually your system protecting you, not breaking down completely. The key is knowing what it’s trying to tell you and when it’s time to stop guessing and call a professional.
Let me walk you through what’s really going on.
Why I See This Problem So Often
Most modern garage doors are designed with built-in safety features. When something doesn’t feel right, the opener will prevent the door from closing on purpose.
In my experience, homeowners assume the door itself is the issue but nine times out of ten, it’s actually the opener system, sensors, or controls doing their job a little too well.
The Most Common Reasons Your Garage Door Won’t Close
Safety Sensors Are the First Thing I Check
This is the most frequent culprit I run into on service calls.
Those small sensors near the bottom of your garage door tracks are designed to stop the door if something crosses the beam. A little dust, a bumped sensor, or even direct sunlight can break that signal.
I have fixed countless won’t close issues by simply realigning or cleaning the sensors, something many homeowners never think to check.
Obstruction Detection Gets Triggered Easily
Sometimes the door starts to close and immediately reverses. When that happens, the opener believes it’s hitting resistance.
I have found everything from small rocks to frozen moisture along the track, which has caused this. Even minor resistance can tell the opener, Sto,p something’s wrong.
Force or Travel Limits Are Off
Your opener relies on precise force and travel settings. When these are out of calibration, the opener may think the door has hit an obstacle when it hasn’t.
I always caution homeowners here that adjusting these settings without experience can cause more damage or create a serious safety issue.
Wall Button or Remote Problems
If the wall button works but the remote doesn’t (or the other way around), the issue could be wiring, signal interference, or a failing control component.
This is another problem I see regularly, especially in older opener systems.
Logic Board Failure Happens More Than You Think
The logic board is the brain of the opener. Power surges, age, or moisture can cause it to fail, leading to inconsistent or non-responsive behavior.
When I diagnose this, I always help homeowners decide whether repair makes sense or if replacement is the smarter long-term option.
Should You Keep Using the Door Like This?
I always tell my customers no.
Forcing a garage door that won’t close properly can:
- Damage the opener motor
- Throw the door off track
- Create serious safety risks
- Leave your home unsecured
If the door keeps refusing to close, it’s best to stop using it until it’s properly inspected.
A Few Safe Things You Can Try Yourself
Before calling for service, I usually recommend checking a few safe items:
- Clean the safety sensor lenses
- Make sure both sensors are aligned and lit
- Remove anything blocking the door’s path
- Reset the opener if the manufacturer allows it
What I don’t recommend is touching springs, internal opener parts, or wiring. Those repairs require professional tools and training.
When I Recommend Calling a Professional
If the problem keeps coming back, the door reverses every time, or nothing you try works that’s when it’s time to call someone who does this every day.
I have helped many homeowners who tried to push through the issue, only to turn a simple opener repair into a much bigger (and more expensive) problem.
What Garage Door Opener Repair Usually Costs
One question I get all the time is about cost. The truth is, garage door opener repair costs depend on the issue, the opener type, and the age of the system.
In many cases, repairing the opener is far more affordable than replacing it, especially when the problem is caught early. A proper inspection makes that decision clear.
Serving Hendersonville and Nearby Communities
At Benjamin Garage Door Repair, we work with garage door opener problems like this every day. We proudly serve Hendersonville and surrounding areas including Antioch, Ashland City, Belle Meade, Brentwood, Donelson, Forest Hills, Goodlettsville, Hermitage, Lakewood, Madison, Millersville, Mount Juliet, Oak Hill, Pegram, Spring Hill, and Whites Creek.
Homeowners trust Benjamin Garage Door Repair because we show up with experience, honest recommendations, and solutions that actually last. When someone calls Benjamin Garage Door Repair, our goal is always the same fix the problem correctly the first time and make sure the door is safe to use again.
FAQs
Why does my garage door open but won’t close?
In my experience, this usually happens because the opener’s safety system is being triggered. Most often, it’s misaligned or blocked safety sensors, but it can also be caused by force settings, travel limits, or a failing opener control board.
Can safety sensors really stop my garage door from closing?
Absolutely. Safety sensors are designed to prevent the door from closing if something crosses the beam. Even dust, sunlight, or a slight bump can cause them to stop the door. This is the first thing I check on almost every service call for this issue.
Should I keep using my garage door if it won’t close?
No — I strongly recommend stopping immediately. Forcing the door can damage the opener, throw the door off track, or create a serious safety hazard. If the door won’t close consistently, it needs professional inspection.
Can a garage door opener cause this problem even if the door opens fine?
Yes, and this surprises a lot of homeowners. An opener can still lift the door but fail during closing due to sensor issues, force miscalibration, or internal component failure. Opening and closing use different safety checks.
Is garage door opener repair expensive?
In most cases, opener repair is far more affordable than full replacement, especially when the problem is caught early. I always inspect the system first and recommend repair or replacement based on what makes the most long-term sense.
How long does garage door opener repair usually take?
Most opener repairs can be completed in under an hour once the issue is identified. More complex electrical or logic board problems may take longer, but same-day solutions are very common.
Final Thoughts From the Field
If your garage door opens but won’t close, don’t ignore it. In my experience, this problem rarely fixes itself, but it is usually fixable when handled early.
If you want the issue diagnosed properly and repaired by someone who understands these systems inside and out, this is exactly the kind of problem we handle every day.
