Anytime that you are dealing with a moving garage door, you rely on the safety sensors to detect movement under the closing door so that the safety mechanisms can kick in and prevent the door from injuring someone. But like any machine, a garage door safety sensor can wear out or break down and become a hazard around your home. Luckily, with a little maintenance and upkeep, you can keep your garage door safety sensors up and running like new. Follow these safety sensor maintenance tips from your trusted Las Vegas garage door company, Pacific Experts Garage Doors.
Symptoms That Your Garage Door Safety Sensors Aren’t Working Properly
The most obvious symptom of a faulty safety sensor is that the garage door will continue to operate when you or an object crosses the sensor’s beam. This means that the sensors are not aligned or identifying movement across their path and can be a safety hazard in your garage. Additionally, you can identify a misaligned safety sensor by the red-flashing LED light that notifies you when sensors are misaligned.
Causes of Garage Door Safety Sensor Failures
Some common causes of garage door safety sensor issues include a disconnected power supply, a physically misaligned sensor (this can happen when something bumps the sensor such as a car or bicycle), and even the sunlight. Sunlight can sometimes interfere with the safety sensors beams and cause the sensors to fail.
Quick Tips to Keep Your Garage Door Safety Sensors Working Perfectly
When you are working on your garage door safety sensors, follow these quick tips to make your work easy:
- Time your maintenance so that you are working in the shade. Direct sunlight can sometimes throw off the safety sensors which are quite sensitive.
- Disconnect the sensors before working on them
- Make sure that you clear the area of any obstructions and be sure to clean any dirt from the ‘eye’ of the photosensor.
- Always work on the safety sensor with another person to help “spot” so that you do not injure yourself. To realign the sensors, slowly move the sensor unit until it is aligned with the other. You will know when it is not aligned because a red LED light will flash letting you know to move the sensor until the flashing stops.
Pacific Experts Garage Door Las Vegas Garage Door Repair
Pacific Experts is your one stop shop for all of your garage door needs. From maintenance and upkeep to repairs and full-on garage door installations, we have you covered! Our garage door technicians are trained, licensed, and insured to ensure that your garage door maintenance and repair are done correctly, the first time! If you are experiencing issues with your garage door’s safety sensors, give us a call and we will have an experienced repair technician out there quickly to inspect and repair your garage door. Contact us today to schedule a safety sensor inspection.