A garage door that won't close is one of the most common calls we take in San Francisco, and it traces back to one of seven causes almost every time. Four of them you can check yourself in two minutes. Start at the top.
The two photo-eye sensors near the floor have to see each other for the door to close. In fog-belt neighborhoods like the Sunset and the Richmond District, the lenses film over, collect grit, or get bumped out of line, and the door reverses or won't move. Wipe both lenses and check that both indicator lights are steady. If it still won't close, the sensors need realignment. That's from $90 and the most common won't-close repair we do.
A recycling bin, a coiled hose, or low afternoon sun straight into one lens will all stop the door. Clear the threshold and try again.
If the door feels heavy, hangs crooked, or slams down, a spring has snapped. Salt air near the coast corrodes springs years early. Springs are under enormous tension, so this isn't a DIY job. Leave the door where it is and book same-day service. A single torsion spring starts at $189 installed.
A door that binds, grinds, or hangs unevenly has probably jumped the track. Stop using it. Forcing an off-track door bends panels and hardware and turns a re-seat from $165 into a panel job.
The opener's limit settings tell the door how far to move. If they drift, the door stops short or reverses at the floor. A recalibration starts at $90. It's adjustable on most units, but it's easy to overshoot and jam the door into the slab testing it.
Grinding, humming, or silence usually means a stripped gear or a tired logic board. Openers on steep driveways in Noe Valley, Bernal Heights, and the Castro work harder and wear sooner. We repair all major opener brands, from $149 depending on the part, and we'll tell you when a 20-year-old unit isn't worth it.
A dead remote battery, a tripped GFCI outlet, or a manual-release cord someone pulled will all look like a broken door. Check those first.
Sensors, blockages, and dead batteries are safe to check yourself. Springs, cables, and off-track doors are not. They're under tension and cause most garage-door injuries. If you're in San Francisco and the door still won't close, call (415) 494-4774, 24/7. The diagnostic starts at $45 and comes off the repair. See everything we do across San Francisco, or reach our Richmond, CA office at 3701 Barrett Ave at (510) 426-9500.
Alfonso Garage Door offers true 24/7 service across San Francisco and the Bay Area — call (415) 494-4774 or book online.
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