What Can Cause a Garage Door to Stick?

Garages (and garage doors) are a necessity for a homeowner with a car and other large and expensive possessions, especially in areas with dynamic seasons. If you live in a place that gets cold in the winter and hot in the summer, it is best to store your car somewhere safe and secure. For most, the best option is a garage.

While a garage is usually a safe place to put a car, sometimes there can be a couple of problems with it. For example, garage doors can stick open or shut sometimes. If this occurs, do not be alarmed! There are plenty of reasons for it, and it doesn’t necessarily mean your garage door is broken. Here are the two most common garage door malfunctions.

Sensors and Hardware
One of the most common problems with a garage door not opening or closing has to do with both the hardware and the sensor. Occasionally, the hardware on a garage door will go loose. This doesn’t only have an effect on the mechanical aspect of the door, but it can cause the sensor to be tricked into thinking there is something in the way of the door. This will cause the sensor to not close the door.

While this is a great safety precaution in the case that there actually is something in front of the door, it can be annoying in this situation.

You usually have to detach the door in order to fix this issue. That way, you can check the balance of the door, and the tightness of the hardware. It is probably a good idea to call your local garage door professional in this case, so they can fix the problem without causing further damage to your door.

Dirty Garage Door Sensor
This is a much easier problem to fix than the sensor/hardware issue. The sensor is what keeps your garage door working. It is one of the most important components of the garage door’s system. This is for safety purposes. If not kept under control by the sensor, the garage door could open and close on its own, possibly harming cars, or even worse, people.

When the sensor is dirty and detects no movement, your garage door will definitely malfunction. If you are having issues with a stuck garage door, try taking a soft cleaning cloth especially for lenses and glass, and wipe your lens down thoroughly. In some cases, this fixes the problem. Since most sensors are very close to the ground, they are prone to getting dirty. A dirty sensor will prevent your door from opening or closing properly.

What to do Next
If these two problems did not correspond with your issue, then it might be time to call a garage door specialist. Garage doors can be somewhat complicated, and the problem is not always apparent. Don’t worry if your door won’t close. Most people encounter the same problem, and it is usually fixable!

Sources:
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/fix-garage-door-sticks-28398.html
https://dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=74&subsectionID=107&articleID=76222