Home emergency playbook
Garage door will not close
Conservative first steps for homeowners before cleanup, repair, or contractor dispatch. When safety is uncertain, leave and call first.
Immediate steps
- Keep children, pets, and vehicles clear of the door path while you inspect from inside the garage.
- Check for a blocked photo-eye, object in the track, bent bottom seal, or opener lockout button.
- If the door is balanced and tracks are intact, use the emergency release only with the door fully down or supported.
- Call a garage-door company today if cables are loose, rollers are out, the door is crooked, or security is exposed.
Do not do this
- Do not stand under the door while someone presses the wall button or remote.
- Do not bypass photo-eyes to force the opener to close on an obstruction.
- Do not adjust torsion springs, cables, drums, or bottom brackets yourself.
Who to call
- Call 911 if anyone is injured, trapped, in medical distress, or if fire, shock, collapse, or active crime is present.
- Call the utility emergency line before private repair when gas, electric service, public water, sewer main, or buried lines may be involved.
- Call a qualified garage-door company after immediate life-safety and utility hazards are controlled.
Damage mitigation
- Move valuables out of sight and lock the interior house door if the garage must remain open.
- Use temporary plywood or a contractor board-up when weather or security cannot wait for parts.
- Photograph track damage, sensor alignment, cable position, and opener lights before service.
Prevention
- Test photo-eyes monthly and keep boxes, bikes, and tools away from the sensor beam.
- Lubricate rollers and hinges as recommended while leaving spring tension to pros.
- Replace frayed lift cables and cracked rollers before the door jams open.
Typical cost band
Usually low to moderate for sensors or opener issues; moderate to high for springs, cables, tracks, or sections.
Insurance note
Door failure alone is usually repair, but wind, impact, or break-in damage may be covered with photos and police or weather documentation.
Related ProFix resources
Garage Door Company emergency guideTrade-specific dispatch, utility-first, and after-hours cost guidance.Troubleshooting encyclopediaSymptoms, maintenance intervals, contracts, and warranty norms.National FAQHiring, licensing, scams, permits, and DIY boundaries.Cost calculatorPlan the permanent repair after the emergency is controlled.