Garage Door Won’t Close All the Way? This Simple Adjustment Could Fix It

A garage door that won’t fully lower and latch can be frustrating. You may have to manually tug it downward to latch the lock every time. Often this issue stems from a loose or misadjusted door sensor. These safety sensors halt the door’s downward travel when their infrared beam is obstructed, preventing door closure. Over time, sensors may shift slightly out of alignment. With some basic tools, you may be able to troubleshoot the sensors yourself and make a simple fix.

Check the Sensors

Most garages use a paired set of safety sensors, one on each doorjamb near the floor. They emit and detect an infrared beam between them. When an object breaks this beam, the door stops closing. First confirm the sensors themselves aren’t damaged. Gently wiggle brackets to check for loose mounting. Sensors should point directly at each other a couple inches off the floor without obstruction.

Test the Sensors

To test operation, obstruct the sensors’ view with your hand or piece of cardboard while standing in the doorway. The closing door should stop. If not, the sensors may need cleaning, adjusting, or possible professional Garage Door Repair in Richmond help. Make sure yellow and red wires connect properly in the sensor’s terminal block too.

Adjust the Sensors

Loosen the sensor’s mounting bracket screws with a Philips head screwdriver. Adjust it higher, lower, left or right just a small amount while another person watches closure from inside. Close and re-open the door several times after each minor adjustment, re-testing that it stops properly upon beam obstruction. Refasten the bracket tightly once aligned.

Realign the Door Track

If the sensors check out but the door still isn’t latching at the floor, the tracks may be out of vertical alignment. Standing inside, watch the door as it fully closes and note high or low spots. Use a level on the tracks and support bracket at these points. Loosen bracket mounting and carefully bend tracks as needed with a pry bar to re-plumb them vertically.

Lubricate the Rollers

Rollers that are stiff or dry can also cause door hangup. Open the door halfway and spray white lithium grease onto nylon-coated rollers along the full track length. Manually move the door up and down a few inches as you grease to ensure even coverage. Wipe away excess lube.

Re-Adjust if Needed

With sensors adjusted, tracks aligned and rollers greased, try running the door fully closed again. Repeat fine-tuning steps as necessary if problems persist. Most issues should now resolve so your door reliably latches each use with no further exertion needed on your part. Check adjustments periodically and re-lubricate rollers for ongoing smooth operation.