Having a garage is a wonderful luxury that allows you to keep your vehicle safe from crime and inclement weather. But if you’ve ever had a garage door with a sensor issue, you understand how frustrating it can be.!
You may be finally returning home after a long day of work, already dreaming about lying down on the couch and de-stressing with a good book or TV show, when that darn garage door sensor starts acting up again. Having a faulty garage door that won’t close or open is a very annoying inconvenience!
“If you ever had a garage door with a sensor issue, you understand how frustrating it can be.”
In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of garage door sensors and give you a few tips so you can possibly repair your garage door sensors on your own. Don’t worry, we’ll also let you know when it’s time to call a professional to handle your garage door repairs.
The Importance of Garage Door Sensors
Maybe you’re wondering, “Does it matter if my garage door sensors are broken? What’s so important about them working properly?”
Safety is the number one reason for garage door sensors. For the past 30 years, federal laws have required that homeowners have safety sensors installed as part of their garage door system. These sensors prevent the garage door from closing if there is an object under it. This may be a bicycle, a car, a child, or any other object that you don’t want damaged. Properly working garage door sensors are a critical safety feature!
Additionally, when there is a problem with the sensor wiring, it can lead to other issues with your garage door. In the best-case scenario, you’ll be forced to open or close your garage door manually; worst-case scenario, you may not be able to get into or out of your garage at all.
How Do Garage Door Sensors Work?
Garage door sensors are connected through intricate wiring that allows the door to open and close without stopping. However, over time this wiring can become loose or faulty, resulting in problems with your garage door. Common issues we see include:
- Garage door not closing
- Garage door not opening
- Garage door getting “stuck” before fully closing or opening
- Problems with the opening or closing speed of the garage door
When garage doors are not fully shutting, it could be a sign that your safety sensors are on the fritz. This can become a serious issue because if you’re dealing with faulty sensors, a door can come down too quickly and could result in personal injury or damage to your property. Here are two ways you can figure out if your safety sensors are malfunctioning and determine if it’s time to call a professional:
- The garage door begins to close, but it stops halfway and reverses, despite there being no obstructions.
- The garage door closes all the way, even if there is an obstruction in its path that should prevent it from closing.
Tips for Fixing Garage Door Sensors
It’s important to solve this issue at the source as soon as it begins. The worse it gets, the more challenging it becomes to fix, and the more money it will end up costing you in repairs.
Aside from the expense of fixing your garage door system, you want to fix your sensors as soon as possible for safety reasons. If the safety sensors are malfunctioning, there is a possibility that the door could close on an object (like your car) and damage it, or on a person and seriously injure that individual.
The first way to fix your garage door sensors is to remove all objects that may be obstructing the sensor path. Then, take a look at the actual sensors. Are they tilted or moved off their usual hanging position? These are quick fixes that you can easily make on your own.
In some cases, minor wiring issues can also be resolved without the help of a professional, although we would not recommend tampering with the sensors’ wiring unless you already have experience doing so.
Contact Austin’s Greater Garage Doors for All of Your Garage Door Repairs
Solving issues with your garage door sensors can be a frustrating process. If you’ve been googling “garage door service near me” but haven’t called Austin’s Greater Garage Doors yet, contact us today to get started! We can help you diagnose the problem with your sensors and get them fixed immediately.
We make our repair services in Austin and Pflugerville as easy as possible—in fact, requesting repairs is as easy as filling out a short and simple form!
