Garage doors are complicated pieces of equipment, and it can be easy to take them for granted – that is until they no longer work as intended. Due to general wear and tear and simple age, your garage door may suddenly no longer close. Thankfully, there are a few common causes of a garage door that won't close anymore: identifying the problem can help you fix the issue quickly and get your garage door working properly again.

Obstructions and Dirty Sensors

The most common reason why your garage door may not be moving, and also the easiest to fix, is if there is an obstruction between the sensor beams located at the opening of your garage. Even something as small as a piece of string that blocks the beam of light between these two sensors can activate the safety shutoff on your garage door opener. If there is no obstruction, you should inspect the sensors themselves to see if they have become marred by dirt and debris, which can basically trick the sensors into thinking that there is something within the beam of light. Finally, it is also possible that the sensors are no longer in alignment with each other, usually due to some form of physical damage: if this is the case, you can try to align them yourself, though calling a professional is likely your best bet.

Dead Remote Batteries

Another common reason why your garage door may not be moving is because the batteries within the remote or the door panel are dead. Alternatively, if the remote or door panel has been damaged physically at all, they may not be able to function at all. You can replace the batteries fairly easily and see if that makes a difference: if you can't find batteries, some garage door openers have buttons right on the unit that will activate the motor. Stand inside your garage and hit the button with a broom (or by hand, on a ladder). If the door closes, the issue is with your remote.

Damaged Motor

Finally, the last most common reason why your garage door may no longer be operating properly is because the motor of the garage door opener has burnt out and is no longer operating properly. If you've replaced the batteries, inspected the sensors, and cleared away anything that may be blocking the door, and nothing has changed, the issue is likely a mechanical one. You'll want to contact a professional to come in and take a look at your garage door opener to see if it needs to be replaced, or if it can be repaired instead.

Check out a website like http://garagedoorsofnaples.com/ for more information and assistance.