15 Jun Why Won’t My Overhead Door Close All the Way?

Like any appliance, an overhead door requires regular maintenance to optimize its performance. It’s always a good idea to get a professional opinion on problems with your commercial doors – a trained eye can recognize damage before it snowballs into a larger, more costly problem.

If your overhead door won’t close, there are a couple of common issues that may be interfering with its normal functioning.

Physical Obstruction

Though it may seem obvious, make sure to double-check that a material obstruction of some kind isn’t physically blocking your door from fully closing. Similarly, make sure that the area around your door is clean and free of debris that could trigger the sensors.

Sensor Malfunction

To identify whether your sensors are the problem, locate them on your overhead door and check for blinking lights. If one or both of your sensors’ lights are blinking, their invisible light beams aren’t aligned correctly. The sensor lights must be pointing directly at each other in order for your door to work. If your sensors are the only issue, proper alignment should solve the problem.

Power Outage

If you are experiencing problems with your overhead door’s ability to fully close for the first time, a simple lack of power may be the culprit. First, check to ensure that the door’s operator is fully plugged in. Next, make sure that your building is receiving power.

Track Damage

Time is the main culprit behind track damage on commercial garage doors. With regular usage over time, the rollers that guide the door’s tracks up and down the wall can gather dust and debris. If the rollers become clogged with dirt, they may cause your door to shudder and screech as it opens and closes. A significant clog in the rollers can cause the door to stop before it reaches the ground. Similarly, the door’s tracks can warp with time and obstruct a door from closing properly.

Broken Spring

Overhead doors rely on torsion springs to support their weight as they open and close. As you can imagine, these springs bear a great deal of weight and pressure. If a spring breaks, your door can’t perform its normal opening and closing functions. You’ll need a professional to replace a broken spring.

Broken Cable

Your overhead door relies on cables to keep it aligned to the track. A broken cable means that your overhead door could potentially be misaligned. Frayed or worn-down cables must be replaced by a professional, and for safety reasons it’s important to replace them as soon as they are noticed.

Faulty Circuit Board

If you’ve fully checked your overhead door and hardware, the problem may be electrical. Problems with your operator are normal if your door has been in use for a long time, and can be fixed with replaced parts or maintenance. If you suspect an electrical problem, contact a professional as soon as possible.

Overhead Door Repair

Overhead door maintenance can be tricky. To identify and fix the problem quickly, hire a professional. At Frontier Pacific, our professionals install and maintain overhead doors all over the Bay Area. Give us a call at (510) 279-0232 or visit our contact page to get in touch.

Let us ease your mind. Frontier Pacific can fix your overhead door so you can get back to business!