Garage door won’t close or reverses
It’s usually your safety sensors near the floor: a blocked beam or a dirty lens. Next come a bumped sensor, the opener’s close setting and a worn roller.
What to do right now
- Step 1 Clear the doorway, and move anything leaning on the tracks.
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Step 2 Wipe each sensor’s lens with a soft cloth to clear dust and cobwebs. - Step 3 Look at the little light on each sensor. Both should glow steady.
- Step 4 Still backing up? Count the flashes on your opener’s light.
Likely causes
- Something in the sensor beam A bin, a bike tire or a cobweb crosses the beam just above the floor.
- Bumped sensor A car door or bin knocked a sensor, and its light is off or blinking. from$199
- Close setting off The door touches the floor, then backs up with nothing in the way. from$199
- Worn roller dragging A roller binds in the track, the door stalls and the opener backs off. from$259
You’ll know the exact price at the door, before work begins.
When to call us
Call if the path is clear and both lenses are clean but your door still backs up, or if it reverses right after touching the floor. Any day, 7 AM to 9 PM.
Common questions
Why does my garage door stop and go back up?
The two safety sensors near the floor think something is in the way. A dirty lens, a bin in the beam or a bumped sensor will do it, and if a wipe fixes it, you’re done. A door that reverses after touching the floor needs its close setting adjusted.
Can I close the door if the sensors won’t let it?
On most openers, yes. Press and hold the wall button, not the remote, until the door is all the way down. Watch it the whole way, keep kids, pets and cars clear, and let go if anything gets close. Then call us to fix the sensor.