In today’s automatic residential garage doors, safety sensors are a crucial feature that we typically spend little time thinking about. Thanks to a federal law, all the garage door openers manufactured after 1993 have these. This simple yet hugely effective feature was designed to ensure the security of people and pets in the house. The garage door safety sensors amazingly reverse the course of the garage door if in case it gets in contact with any humans, animals, or vehicles.
So, to ensure the safety of your loved ones, keep your garage door safety sensors in working condition. Here’s how:
Know how the sensors work
When a laser beam travels between two photo-eye sensors fixed on opposite ends of the door, it senses a clear path, and the door will move. If anything obstructs the path, the door will stop and reverse movement.
Fix your photo eyes
If you are finding that your garage door starts to close and then goes back, this may be due to unaligned photo eyes. This doesn’t mean you need to change the photo eye, you can simply try adjusting them at first. If this does not work, then you will have to realign the sensors by following these steps: remove the receiving sensors by taking off the wing nut. Point the sensors in the exact opposite direction, let the laser light go off completely. Now, realign the door safety sensors and reattach.
Watch for debris
Sometimes garage door safety sensors start malfunctioning due to obstructions on the photo eyes themselves. It is common with passing time that the sensors’ lenses get cloudy, which can hinder their function. To ensure that this is not the case, check them for grime, oil, or debris that may have collected on them.
Check your wiring
In most garage door sensors, the electrical wiring is usually exposed. This can often lead to loosening from exposure to the elements. If you find that the wires are loose or detached, take some time to safely repair or tighten them up.
Contact Midlothian Garage Doors today for help with repairing or installing a garage door.
