If you’re wondering how to fix your garage door sensor, the first step is to figure out the potential cause. Below are some common garage door sensor problems along with a few cash-saving fixes to try yourself before having to call a company like Garage Door Guy.
How do Garage Door Sensors Work?
Modern garage door sensors, also called “photo eyes”, work by sending out a ray of infrared light that is undetectable to the human eye but can be picked up by the sensors. The garage door sensors must “see” each other to work correctly, i.e. there can’t be any objects between the two sensors blocking the path of the infrared ray. If the ray is interrupted, the garage door reverses its direction to open rather than close.
Common reasons why your garage door sensor is not working & how to fix it
If your garage door sensor isn’t working, there are a few things you can troubleshoot to help identify the underlying problem.
- An object is obstructing the path – This is the most obvious solution. If you see something in the path from one sensor to the other, that is the issue. Simply move the object and try again. Make sure to inspect the area between the two garage door sensors carefully in good lighting!
- There’s a problem with the sensor’s power supply – Check around each sensor for any loose wires or detached connections. If they got disconnected, simply plug them back in. If the wires look old or have wear and tear, it might be time to replace the wires.
- The sensors are dirty – Pollution, car exhaust, dirt, and spider webs are just a few ways your sensors can get dirty. Try to clean them off to see if that helps.
- Your sensors got exposed to too much moisture – If your garage door sensors get wet, this could be why they aren’t working. Wait until they’re dry and try again.
- The sensor alignment is off – If your sensors aren’t aligned, the photo eyes can’t see each other. You can tell if the alignment is correct by looking at the LED lights.
- Blinking Green – If the LED light blinks green when you attempt to close the door, the sensors are aligned properly.
- Blinking Red – If the light blinks red, the sensors are not aligned properly. You’ll know you fixed the sensor if the light stops blinking, the red light on the garage door sensor turns green, and your garage door closes properly again.
Your sensors experienced normal wear and tear, especially if they were installed years ago. If this is the case, you might need to replace your garage door sensors. This is where you call your Garage Door Guy!
Garage door sensor repair and replacement
If your garage door sensor doesn’t seem to be working properly and you want a 100% local, Springfield Missouri-area business to fix it, call or click to contact us here at Garage Door Guy! We have the tools and experience to fix your garage door, and we have service options as well! Our Garage Door Guy Membership Plan includes professional service and tune-ups, discounted service rates on big jobs (e.g. installing a new Garage Door), priority scheduling, and more! We’ll get your door back to work in no time.
