Garage Door Stuck Open in Lakeville, MN: What Should You Do?

There is something unsettling that comes from a garage door not working as

intended.

You pull into the garage, press the button, and prepare for it to come down, surrounding you like it always has.

Instead, it does nothing.

It might move a little, or a lot, and then stop.

It might make a noise, or not make a noise, and just sit there.

It might be late and the last thing you want is an uncovered garage with your car,

tools, bikes, and anything else that might be in there exposed for all to see.

That is usually when the buttons gets pressed again, and again, and again.

In fact that is what most people do when they encounter a garage door that will

not close properly.

If you are in Lakeville, especially in the dead of winter, this can be very frustrating.

An open garage door is a security risk, but now you also have a cold draft, snow

getting blown in, and moisture getting everywhere it shouldn't be.

The first and most important thing you can do if you encounter a garage door

stuck open is to stop trying to close it, and assess the situation.

There are multiple reasons a garage door might stop working correctly and the

last thing you want to do is exacerbate the issue.

Start by Simply Assessing the Door

Before you do anything else, take a step back and look at the door.

Is it crooked?

Is it out of balance?

Are the rollers on the track?

Is there a cable hanging down that shouldn't be?

A quick scan can do wonders in understanding what the issue is.

If the door is out of balance or crooked, don't attempt to open or close it.

That may put more strain on the door or opener causing additional problems that

weren't there before.

You should call Garage Door Repair to see what the issue is and if the door needs

to be adjusted professionally.

Look at the Ground Near the Door Closers

This is a problem specific to the Minnesota climate.

We often have snow blowing into the garage or slush near the threshold of the

door.

If the temperature drops quickly after this happens, the slush or snow can freeze

into large chunks or along the track itself.

This can cause the door to stop working correctly.

Look at the ground near the door's lower track on either side.

Are there any large lumps of ice?

Is there snow or slush packed down, or even a hose or shovel that was placed

there?

If you see a few things that could be easily removed, clear them out, and try the

opener again.

If the garage door still is not working correctly, leave it be.

That one extra test was probably enough to cause additional strain on the door

that wasn't there before.

Sometimes The Spring Is the Issue

This is one of the most common culprits when a garage door just stops working.

The springs take a lot of the weight off the garage door, allowing the opener to

function.

If a spring were to break or become unattached, the weight of the door would be

much harder to manage and the door could stop working completely, only

opening a few inches before coming to a halt.

The opener for the garage door might also make strange noises, or become

much louder, as it tries to push the weight of the garage door down.

Most of the time the door will still be heavy, but much less than it would be

without the springs installed.

Sometimes you might notice that there has been a strange sound associated

with the door opening as well, such as something falling or hitting the door.

This could be the tell tale sign of a broken garage door spring as well.

If you think there may be an issue with the springs on your garage door, it is best

to call Garage Door Spring Repair to see what the issue is.

Do not attempt to manually open or close the door, or adjust the spring yourself.

The Garage Door Opener Can Fail Too

Not all garage doors that stop working have a problem with the springs.

Sometimes the opener itself has failed and the door can be quite stubborn when

it comes to opening and closing.

While you press the button to test the opener, try to pay attention to the reaction

it has.

Does the light not come on?

Does it make noise, but not move?

Does it move, but not all the way?

Or does it not do anything at all?

All of these signs can be telling as to what the issue might be.

If the light doesn't come on at all, there may be an issue with the power supply to

the unit.

Check to see if it is plugged in, or if the breaker is not tripped.

Test the wall switch as well if you were using the remote to test the opener.

If the wall switch works when the remote doesn't, you might have a problem with

the remote or its battery.

If the garage door opener is getting power, but not functioning the way it should,

Garage Door Opener Repair would be a good place to start looking for solutions.

The Emergency Release Can Cause Strange Problems Too

Many homeowners forget about the emergency release cord, or do not know

what to do if it were to become an issue.

If the cord were somehow pulled in the event of a power failure, or if the door had

to be manually opened, the opener might not function correctly afterward.

It might look like the problem is the opener, when in reality the emergency release

cord just needs to be reattached.

If the garage door looks straight, and the springs seem to be intact, you can test

this by seeing if the opener is connected to the trolley.

However, if the garage door looks crooked or is very heavy, you should never

attempt to pull or push the emergency release cord.

This could put you at risk of injury, or put additional strain on the door.

A Cable Coming Off Can Be an Issue

If you see a cable coming off of one side of the door, this is an immediate concern.

The cables work in conjunction with the springs to open and close the garage

door, and if one of them becomes loose or detached, the door could become

very hard to operate.

You might notice that one side of the door is lower than the other, or that the

cable is visibly loose.

The door could also begin to twist when you attempt to push it down.

If you see any of these signs, you should stop operating the door, and never

attempt to reattach the cable by hand.

It may look simple, but there is a lot of tension on garage door cables, making it

very dangerous to attempt to fix on your own.

Call Garage Door Repair if you notice a detached or loose cable on your garage

door.

Can You Manually Close an Open Garage Door?

Sometimes the answer is yes, and sometimes the answer is no.

That is what makes it so hard to tell.

If the opener has failed, but the door looks good, you may be able to manually

close the garage door.

However, if the springs have broken, the door will be much harder to close and

could put you at risk of injury.

Always look at the springs and rollers before you attempt to manually open or

close the garage door.

If anything looks different, or if the door feels much heavier than it did before, it is

best to leave it alone, and call for help.

Garage doors are extremely heavy.

If the door starts to fall on its own, it will most likely not stop until it is fully closed.

Why It Is Such A Big Concern In Minnesota Winters

A door that won't close can be incredibly dangerous at any time of year, but in

the winter, it takes on a whole new level of concern.

As soon as you open it, cold air will begin to seep in, lowering the overall

temperature of your home.

Snow and freezing rain are also common in the winter, which means the door

could become encrusted with ice, making it even harder to close.

If you have an attached garage, rooms that were once nice and cozy could soon

become freezing.

Security is always a concern when a door is left open and a garage door is no

different.

Most people have more things in their garage than they realize, and having that

much exposed could be a problem for your family.

Even if there isn't an immediate threat, it might be a good idea to get Garage

Door Repair called in to help secure your property.

Ice Can Do Strange Things To A Garage Door

Sometimes ice really is the culprit when it comes to a garage door that won't

close.

If it has accumulated on the bottom of the door, or along the track, the door may

stop working correctly.

From the inside of the garage, it might look like there has been a malfunction or

failure of some sort, but more than likely, the problem is caused by something

much simpler.

If you see big chunks of ice on the inside of the garage, or on the tracks leading to

the door, you should clear them out if it is safe to do so.

Never attempt to use a metal tool to chisel away at the ice or break it off, as this

could damage the track.

Once it is cleared out, if the door still isn't working correctly, there might still be an

issue lurking beneath the surface.

A Few Common Garage Door Myths

This is where most people go wrong.

Never try to press the opener multiple times in rapid succession.

Never try to push a crooked door down.

Never attempt to reattach a loose cable.

Never try to bend tracks back, or adjust springs.

Never stand directly under an unbalanced door.

The DASMA Garage Door System Safety Tips page has more information on

garage door systems and how they should be operated safely.

Most garage door problems can wait until the morning, but a door left fully open

should never be ignored.

It is important to understand that a crooked door, or a door with a loose cable or

broken spring should not wait, and neither should a door that won't close all the

way.

The goal is to reduce risk and danger by not only getting the door closed, but by

getting it closed without causing any additional damage.

What A Technicians Looks For When They Arrive

Once the technician arrives, he or she will want to not only get the door working

correctly, but understand what caused the problem in the first place.

A qualified professional will assess the springs, cables, rollers, tracks, opener,

balance, sensors, and hardware.

What looks like an immediate issue may have been brought on by years of

gradual wear and tear.

It is important to understand the cause, not only to fix the immediate issue, but to

be prepared in case the same problem occurs in the future.

Why Can't I Just Oil My Garage Door And Be Done With It?

Garage door maintenance can be a touchy subject, because it really depends on

the situation.

Some garage doors are much older and some have more use than others.

However, most doors give away signs that they need maintenance long before

they fail.

They make noises, move slower than they used to, or simply put more strain on

the opener.

Most homeowners notice these changes and put it off until later, which is usually

too late.

That is why it is such a good idea to get Garage Door Maintenance before the

problem gets out of hand.

FAQ

Why is my garage door stuck open?

The most common issues associated with a garage door that is stuck open are

spring failure, opener failure, cable failure, track failure, roller failure or something

blocking the door from opening or closing properly.

Can I close the door manually?

It depends.

If the door is balanced and there are not any obvious signs of failure, you may be

able to close the door manually.

However, if it looks crooked, or feels much heavier than it did before you should

leave it be.

Can a broken spring leave the door stuck open?

Yes, broken springs can leave the door out of balance and much harder to work

with.

Why does my opener run, but the door won't move?

The opener could be disconnected from the trolley, or there could be a problem

with the springs, cables, opener, or another part on the system.

Is a stuck open garage door an emergency?

A stuck open garage door can be considered an emergency if the door cannot

be secured or if it looks crooked.

There are other issues that can arise that may put you at risk.

Close It Safely, Not Just Quickly

When your door is not working properly all you want is for it to be repaired.

That is completely understandable.

However, getting the door working again isn't the only thing that needs to be done.

If a spring broke, a cable slipped, the opener failed, or the door became

unbalanced, you need to understand what caused it.

If your garage door is stuck open in Lakeville, we recommend calling Garage Door

Repair to have the door professionally inspected.

If you noticed that the door has suddenly become heavier, or heard a loud bang when it was opening, you should call Garage Door Spring Repair.

If you think it may be the opener that is malfunctioning, we recommend calling

Garage Door Opener Repair.

If you want to prevent these types of issues from arising in the future you should consider Garage Door Maintenance.

And if you are ready to schedule an inspection or repair, we recommend Contact The Garage Door Doctor.