Garage door sensors have been essential safety equipment in residential garage doors for a long time. They ensure nothing is on the garage door path before closing, minimizing the risk of accidents resulting in injury or damage to your car and property. Nonetheless, your garage door sensors may occasionally fail.
Explore some common reasons you may face such troubles so as to enable you to take appropriate steps.
Faulty Power Supply
Like most devices, your garage door sensor needs a power supply to work. A common reason garage door sensors may not work sufficiently is a lack of power. Perhaps you have a faulty power supply, or your sensor’s components are not receiving power.
A faulty power supply may also damage your sensors. A sudden voltage drop can blow your garage door sensor’s fuse, causing it to stop functioning. In such cases, the sensors continue operating once a stable power supply is restored. However, the power faults may damage vital components, necessitating replacements in severe circumstances.
If you have a battery-powered sensor, they may have run out. The dead batteries cut the power supply; thus, your garage door sensor will not transmit signals to open or close the door. Your sensor’s lights will turn off if it does not get enough power supply.
Faulty Photo-Eye Sensor Lights
Garage doors have green and red photo eyes on both sides of the sensors that transmit a beam between them across the entrance to detect whether anything is in the door’s path before it closes.
While the green light sends a beam of light, the red one indicates that the sensor receives the beam, meaning no obstruction exists. They are a safety measure that prevents the door from closing on and injuring someone or damaging property lying at the entrance.
However, this safety measure may fail for a couple of reasons. Over time, dirt and dust may accumulate on the photo eyes and block the light beam, preventing your sensor from working. Misalignment may also cause the sensors to be on different levels, interrupting the beam signal.
You can detect improperly aligned sensors by observing their lights. If either of the lights goes off or blinks, you have an interruption in their light signal. Attempting to fix the problem yourself could lead to further damage; thus, call a professional.
Wire Damage
Sensor systems have wires that supply power and connect them to other components. If the wiring does not provide enough power to the sensors, it will not work. Similarly, the wires must connect the sensors to the garage door opener for the system to function.
Nonetheless, the wiring system is subject to wear and tear or damage from external factors. Such damage may be visible if you inspect the wiring system, or in some models, the red light on the sensor may blink orange. Call for garage repair services immediately if you spot any indication of damage. Do not attempt to fix the problem, as fidgeting with the wires may result in electric shock and injury.
Misaligned Track
A misaligned track is a significant cause of sensor malfunction that could compromise your safety. Your garage door needs a properly aligned metal track to move, open, and close on command. Thus, you could have a problem if gaps are between the rollers on the trail or if the rail is slightly bent.
If you ignore the problem, your garage door’s weight could worsen the issue until it becomes dangerous to use your door. The sensors could stop working, exposing you to the risk of injury whenever you open your garage door. Call a professional to realign your track as soon as you spot some misalignment to save you from these negative consequences.
Faulty garage door sensors pose significant safety risks. Homeowners who suspect defective sensors should schedule timely repairs. Clients in Minneapolis may contact AA Garage Door for professional garage door inspection and repairs. Call today.