DIY guideGarage door
Garage door won't close: check the safety sensors
If the door goes back up or won't close, check the two safety eyes near the floor: clear the way, clean the lenses, line them up and check their lights and wires.
- 10 to 20 min
- 7 steps
- Every step animated
7 steps
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Move anything in the doorway or near the two small eyes low on either side, even a leaf or a cobweb.
Each eye has a small light. Steady on both means they see each other. Blinking or dark means they don't.
Wipe each lens with a soft, dry cloth. Dust, cobwebs or bright sun on a lens can block it.
If a bracket has been knocked, loosen its wing nut and turn the eye to face the other one until its light goes steady. Then tighten it.
Follow the thin wire from each eye along the wall. Look for a loose staple, a cut, or a wire pulled off its eye.
Press the wall button. The door should close all the way. Pass a broom handle between the eyes as it closes: it should go back up.
Keep people, pets and cars clear while it moves.The lights stay dark or blinking, a wire is cut, or the door closes unevenly or bangs: ask Handyman for a garage door pro. Don't hold the button down to force it shut, and leave the springs and cables alone.
What you need
- A soft, dry cloth
- A broom
Call a pro if
- The eyes' lights stay dark or blinking
- A sensor wire is cut or broken
- The door closes unevenly, bangs or jerks
Handyman says: Still won't close? I'll find a door pro.
Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.
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