The garage is another entrance into your home. Therefore, it makes sense to ensure that the garage doors are functioning correctly at all times. The sensors make sure the door shuts safely, and the garage door remains closed once it comes into contact with the ground.
With that said, garage door sensors break down and stop functioning correctly after time. When this happens, these sensors either need replacing or servicing. Also be sure to learn with our latest article, when should I replace my Wayne Dalton garage door cables.
How Do Garage Door Sensors Work?
Before knowing when it’s time to replace the garage door sensors, you need first to understand how they work. Sensors are usually positioned near the floor, on the wall, or the door’s edge. These sensors communicate with each other as they all produce a light beam. This completes the automatic opening system circuit, thereby enabling the garage door closes perfectly.
If there’s an issue with the sensors, the garage door stops working immediately or functions in the opposite direction. This can be dangerous because sensors also act as a safety feature for the garage doors. They do this by reversing their direction while moving should they sense an item is lying in the garage door’s path.
How Can You test Garage Door Sensors?
Fortunately, figuring this out is relatively straightforward.
When testing the garage door sensors, all you need is a common item such as a cardboard box. Place this box in the sensor’s line and see whether the garage door will close. If it doesn’t after sensing the obstruction, then it’s clear it’s working as expected. But if it still closes even with the cardboard in its path, this is a clear sign the sensors need to be replaced.
The next thing to do after the garage door closes is to check for signs that can help you better understand the underlying issue.
Damaged Wires
Like any other electrical gadget, garage door sensors eventually wear out after being used for a while. Therefore, you need to check whether the wires connecting the garage door sensors have worn out due to the weather, regular use, or pests. By doing this, you’ll find issues such as chew marks, water damage, or any other destruction.
Light Indicators
You can also tell if the garage sensors need to be replaced by inspecting the exterior LED light’s blinking to gauge their alignment while the garage door is closing. If a green light shows, this shows that the sensors are functioning correctly. However, if the LED lights blink red, this is proof of sensor misalignment.
You can repair this issue by first checking the bracket or fastening the screw on the flashing sensor. If this issue gets resolved, the light will start blinking green, and the garage door will begin opening and closing correctly.
Dirty Lenses
You can get your garage doors to start working again by simply cleaning them with a cloth in some cases. This is because the malfunction is usually brought about by spider webs or dirt that over time accumulates and blocks it from having a clear view of the garage door as it opens and closes. After cleaning all the dirt from the lenses, they’ll resume working as expected. To avoid this, make a point of regularly cleaning these lenses to ensure their normal function is maintained.
You should never overlook the importance of correctly working garage door sensors. Otherwise, you risk possible injury to your pets or family or damage to your valuables and make your home prone to break in. But after reading this in-depth post, you now know about warning signs that show it’s time you replace the garage door sensors. Knowing this, you’ll be able to ensure the garage door is working correctly at all times.