What To Do If Your Garage Door Won’t Open (Step-By-Step Troubleshooting Guide)

By Open Sesame Garage Doors • Serving Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa & Queen Creek for 30+ Years

If your garage door won’t open, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common issues homeowners face — especially in Arizona’s extreme heat. Your garage door is the largest moving system in your home, and when it stops working, it always seems to happen at the worst time.

As a locally trusted garage door company with more than 30 years of experience in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, and Queen Creek, Open Sesame Garage Doors has helped thousands of homeowners get their doors moving again quickly and safely.

Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide to help you troubleshoot the issue before calling a professional.

1. Check If Your Garage Door Opener Has PowerFirst, confirm that the opener is receiving power.

Look for: no lights on the opener, no response from your remote or wall button.

What to do: make sure the opener is plugged in, reset the GFCI outlet, and check for any tripped breakers. Power surges during Arizona’s monsoon season are one of the top causes of opener failure.

2. Replace the Remote or Keypad BatteriesA dead remote battery is one of the quickest fixes.

Signs it’s the battery: the wall button works but the remote doesn’t, or you have to stand unusually close for it to respond.

3. Make Sure Your Garage Door Isn’t LockedMany garage doors have a manual lock inside. If someone engages it accidentally, the opener won’t lift the door.

Check the inside of the door to ensure the slide bar or handle is fully retracted.

4. Check If the Garage Door Is in Manual ModeIf the emergency release cord (the red string) has been pulled, your door disconnects from the opener.

Signs it’s in manual mode: the opener runs but the door doesn’t move, or the door lifts easily by hand.

Fix: pull the red cord toward the opener to re-engage the trolley.

5. Inspect the Photo Eye SensorsYour safety sensors prevent the door from closing on people or pets — but if they’re misaligned or dirty, your door won’t open or close properly.

Check for blinking lights, uneven height, or dust on the lenses. Clean them gently and align them until both lights stay solid.

Arizona dust and windstorms frequently cause sensor issues.

6. Look for Broken Springs (Do NOT Touch Them)If your door feels heavy, only opens a few inches, or made a loud bang before stopping, you may have a broken torsion spring.

How to tell: look for a visible gap in the spring above your door, the door starts to open then reverses, or the opener strains loudly.

Important: Never attempt to open the door or fix the spring yourself. Springs are under extreme tension and can be very dangerous. Call a professional immediately.

7. Check for Damaged Rollers or TracksIf the door is crooked, noisy, or jerky, you may have debris, bent tracks, or worn-out rollers preventing smooth movement.

These issues often require professional repair.

8. When It’s Time to Call a ProfessionalCall Open Sesame Garage Doors if:

• You hear grinding or popping• The opener hums but nothing happens• The door is crooked or stuck• A spring or cable is broken• You smell something burning from the opener• You need same-day service

We offer fast, affordable emergency repair throughout Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, and Queen Creek — trusted by East Valley homeowners for more than 30 years.

Why Choose Open Sesame Garage Doors?• 30+ years serving the East Valley• Family-owned and operated• Same-day and emergency service• Honest pricing with no upsell pressure• Highly trained, background-checked technicians• We service ALL brands of garage doors and openers

When your garage door won’t open, you need a team you can trust. Open Sesame Garage Doors is here to help — quickly, safely, and affordably.

Need Your Garage Door Fixed Today? Call or Text: (480) 245-6735Serving Gilbert • Chandler • Mesa • Queen Creek • San Tan Valley