A new garage door should make life easier, not more frustrating. If your recently installed door keeps reversing before it fully closes, you might feel unsure about what’s wrong. Understanding the most common causes can help you know what to check and when to call a professional for help. If you’ve recently had a garage door installation in Tacoma, learning about these issues can save time and prevent further damage.
How Garage Doors Detect Problems
Modern garage door openers have sensors that stop and reverse the door if a hazard is detected. These features help prevent damage to vehicles and injuries to people or pets. If your door keeps reversing, it usually means something in the system is triggering its safety response.
Common Reasons Your Garage Door Reverses
There are several possible causes for a newly installed garage door not staying closed. Some are simple to resolve, while others require professional attention.
1. Safety Sensor Misalignment
Photo-eye sensors are located near the bottom of the garage door opening. They send an invisible beam across the doorway to detect obstacles. If these sensors are slightly out of alignment after installation, the door may reverse even if nothing is in the way. Vibrations, bumps, or uneven mounting can cause this misalignment.
2. Dirty or Blocked Sensors
Even when aligned correctly, sensors can malfunction if their lenses are dirty or blocked. Dust, spider webs, or debris on the lens can break the beam, signaling the opener to reverse the door for safety.
3. Track or Roller Issues
A garage door moves along metal tracks with the help of rollers. If the tracks are bent or the rollers do not move smoothly, the door can encounter resistance. When that happens, the opener might think it has hit an obstacle and reverse the door.
4. Travel Limit Settings Are Incorrect
Garage door openers are programmed with travel limits to control how far the door moves up and down. If these limits are set incorrectly, the opener might believe the door has reached the floor before it actually has, triggering a reverse motion. This is a common adjustment needed after a garage door installation in Tacoma.
5. Sensitive Force Settings
The opener’s force setting determines how much resistance it will tolerate before stopping or reversing. If the setting is too sensitive, the opener may misinterpret normal movement as an obstruction.
What You Can Safely Check at Home
Some minor issues can be identified without special tools. Before calling a professional, you can:
- Make sure there are no objects, tools, or boxes in the door’s path.
- Wipe dust or cobwebs from the safety sensor lenses.
- Watch the door as it moves to see if it looks uneven, shakes, or makes grinding noises.
If these simple checks don’t fix the problem, it is best to leave further inspection to a professional. The weight of a garage door, combined with high-tension springs and cables, makes DIY repairs unsafe.
Why Professional Help Is Important
If your garage door keeps reversing, a trained technician can check the system and make safe adjustments. Experts know how to:
- Test and align safety sensors accurately
- Look over the tracks and rollers to spot any damage or resistance
- Adjust travel limits and force settings without compromising safety
- Examine the opener for any worn parts or motor issues
A professional inspection ensures that the problem is fixed completely and that the door operates safely and smoothly. Ignoring the issue can shorten the lifespan of your opener and increase the risk of accidents.
The Risk of Delaying Repairs
It might be tempting to live with a door that occasionally reverses, but doing so can lead to bigger problems. A door that doesn’t close properly leaves your garage vulnerable to weather, pests, and security risks. Over time, repeated strain on the opener can also cause mechanical failure, leading to a more costly repair or replacement.
If your garage door keeps reversing after a garage door installation in Tacoma, don’t wait for the issue to get worse. Prompt service helps maintain safety, protects your investment, and keeps your garage door working reliably.
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Call for Trusted Garage Door Installation and Service in Tacoma
If your door keeps reversing, All Service Garage Doors can help. We provide expert inspections, adjustments, and repairs to get your garage door working the way it should. Our team serves homeowners throughout Tacoma, offering clear explanations, honest recommendations, and repairs you can rely on.
Call today for professional garage door installation in Tacoma and reliable service. We offer free estimates and fast scheduling to get your door running smoothly.
