You’ve got a car full of groceries and kids you just picked up from baseball practice. It’s raining outside and all you can think about is how you’re going to get the kids inside without making a mess before you need to start dinner. Whenever you pull up to your house, you notice that your garage door has been sitting wide open, but you could have sworn you closed it whenever you left this morning. You try to close the garage door just to test it and you notice that it does start to close, but then it goes right back up. 

What causes a garage door to go back up as you try to close it?

What causes a garage door to go back up as you try to close it? It could be caused by multiple things. Typically it is a malfunctioning infrared sensor. This will cause the sensor light to bling and then you will know that is the culprit. Many things cause the sensors to malfunction, such as an item being in the way and blocking the sensor, if the eye of the sensor is dirty if wires are loose, or even that the sensor needs to be replaced. 

If everything with the sensor is working properly, it may be time to have a Garage Door Guy’s expert come out to assess the problem.

What exactly would we be looking for? Well, there are a few different things that can cause a garage door to close partially and then open back up.

Garage Door Limit Switch Needs to be Adjusted

“The garage door limit switch is a device that electrically controls or limits the extent to which a garage door can travel while opening or closing. If the limit switch is set incorrectly or malfunctions, the door may refuse to close fully or reverses itself while the homeowner attempts to shut it.” The limit switch has to be working properly for your garage door to open and close properly. It is in charge of choosing where your garage door stops whenever it is being opened or closed. To adjust your limit switch, you need a flathead screwdriver and a step-by-step guide, explaining how to adjust it.

Garage Door Travel Down Setting Needs to be Adjusted

Much like your garage door’s limit switch, the travel down setting has to be programmed correctly to allow your garage door to go a specific distance before closing. The reason your garage door may close and then open back up could be to keep from causing damage or posing as a safety threat if the travel down setting is off. Whenever the weather changes, as it has lately, different parts on your garage door may shift and cause adjustments to be made. 

You do not want to adjust your travel down setting on your own. It is important that this is done correctly, which is why we highly recommend giving an expert garage door repairman a call.

Garage Door Logic Board Needs to be Replaced

The logic board is what allows your garage door opener to run properly. The brain of the operation, if you will. Over time, the logic board can get worn out and need to be replaced. If the logic board is in need of a replacement, your garage door may not close then open, or open then close. At Garage Door Guys, we can easily come out and replace your logic board.

We want to save you money and time, so before you give us a call or try to make repairs on your own, be sure to check that nothing is blocking your garage door sensors on either side of the bottom of the garage door. If this area is clear, it is time to give us a call and let us come out and give you an estimate on your garage door repair.