Roller Door Reversing When Opening or Closing? Here’s What to Check

Is your roller door closing, then reversing and opening again—or vice versa? It’s frustrating, and it can also be a sign that something isn’t quite right with your garage door system.

At Eastern Garage Doors, we often get called out to fix roller doors that behave unpredictably. Here are some of the most common reasons a roller door might reverse during operation—and what you can do about it.

1. Obstruction Detected in the Door Path

Modern roller door openers are fitted with if the door closes on something or feels that it is having difficult closing check for:

• Tools, debris or leaves near the door track

• Bikes, bins or toys that might be partially blocking the door

• Sensor lenses (on safety beams – (if fitted) covered in dust, spiderwebs or dirt

Our advice: Clear any obstructions, clean the sensor lenses gently, and try again. If the problem continues, call us to inspect your system.

2. Misaligned or Dirty Safety Sensors

If your door reverses immediately after trying to close, the photo-electric safety sensors (if fitted) could be misaligned or dirty.

Signs include:

• Flashing lights on the sensor units

• Door only works when the button is held down

• Door won’t open or close

Our advice: Make sure both sensors are facing each other and clean. If they still won’t align or flash, the sensors may need recalibrating or replacement.

Get Your Roller Door Running Smoothly Again

Don’t let a reversing roller door become a daily hassle. The team at Eastern Garage Doors can quickly diagnose and fix the problem—whether it’s a simple sensor clean or a more technical motor issue.

Our advice: Stop using the door and call Eastern Garage Doors for a diagnostic check. We can assess whether the issue is with the motor, the logic board, or another internal component.

📞 Call the local experts today and we’ll get your roller door working like new again.