4 Reasons Your Garage Door Safety Sensor Isn’t Working
Garage door safety sensors play a huge role in ensuring your garage door can be operated safely with minimal risk to yourself, your family, pets, and property. They have been mandated by the U.S. government since 1993. Every electric garage door opener built since then has photo-eye sensors that reverse it when obstructions are detected. If a garage door safety sensor isn’t working, here are four reasons why that may be: 1. A Sensor Light Isn’t Reaching the Other Side Garage door safety sensors are small black boxes on both sides of the garage door. They’re installed just a few inches from the floor and face one another. One device transmits an infrared beam of light and the other receives the signal, which can be blocked by a vehicle, child, or pet. But if the sensors are misaligned, the beam won’t reach the other side, fooling the system into thinking an obstruction is present. An indicator light on one or both sensors may blink if they’re misaligned. Fortunately, most sensors can be re-aligned by bending the sensor bracket back into position or tightening its screws with a screwdriver. 2. Dirty/Obstructed Sensor Lens Each sensor has a photo eye with a small piece of glass (about the size of a pea). This lens can easily become obstructed by dirt, dust, and cobwebs, which can be cleaned with a soft cloth and mild cleaning solution. This is the best way since it won’t streak the lens. The signal should be quickly reestablished once the lens is clean. 3.Lack of Power If the sensor is working normally and has a power supply, you’ll see a green light. The light will be out if the sensor has no power, and if it isn’t powered, the sensor cannot function. Reasons can include an unplugged cable, blown fuse, tripped breaker, or power outage. When the cause for the power disruption is in your home, you can plug the cable back in or restore power at the electric panel. If the problem is an outage, you’ll have to wait until the utility company restores service. That is, unless you have a backup generator or solar power system. 4. Wire Damage A garage door safety sensor with a damaged wire may have a flashing light to warn you of the problem. The wire runs from the terminal behind the garage door opener to the sensor. Tangled wires can be unwoven. If this doesn’t fix the problem, and/or you notice a wire is broken, frayed, or has a nail or staple through the insulation, replace the wire immediately. White wires should always connect to the white terminal, and black and white wires to the gray terminal, if you have some skill in this area. If not, then your best move is to call a professional electrician. You can be shocked by touching damaged wires or connecting a wire incorrectly. When Is It Time to Replace a Sensor? If you’ve taken all steps mentioned to correct the problem, it may be wise to consider sensor replacement. Garage door sensors are generally inexpensive. If you are knowledgeable enough, you may be able to replace them yourself. Otherwise, hire a professional, in which case you’ll have to pay for their service. Contact Precision Door Service of Las Vegas If the issue is something other than a dirty lens, power outage, or garage door safety sensor out of alignment, a professional should check it out. Our technicians are trained to handle all kinds of garage door, opener, and sensor issues and fix the problem. Call 702-637-2700 for same-day service.
Why You Should Check Your Garage Door Seal
The garage door seal is an important component, but most homeowners overlook its importance. The simple construction of a singular long rubber strip, running along the underside and the perimeter of the door makes it easy to overlook. To understand why you should check this seal, we’ll look at the reasons it’s so important. What Does A Garage Door Seal Do? Protects Against the Environment The seal is a sort of weatherstripping that prevents water from entering your garage and causing a flood and potential water damage. Standing water can damage building materials and furnishings as well as cause mold. The seal also prevents pests from intruding, where they can build nests, create infestations, and carry disease into your home. Another concern is air intrusion and leakage, which can reduce comfort and make your air conditioner or heater inefficient. Provides a Cushion The seal on your garage door is also an effective cushion. While modern garage doors have sensors that detect objects below and reverse the system if something is in the way, the seal protects the door in case it does strike something. Contact is less like to, for example, scratch your car, cause a panel on your garage door to break, or strain the garage door opener. Checking Your Garage Door Seal Lets You Know When It Should Be Fixed If the seal is damaged or not installed properly, it could throw your garage door out of alignment. Applying a garage door seal carefully is also important. A single mishap can damage the door or push it off its tracks. To start, first inspect the seal to determine if it must be repaired or replaced. Look for the Light: If you see sunlight coming through the bottom of the door when you’re inside the garage, you may have a poor seal. To check it at night, turn on the light in the garage, close the door, and go outside to see if light is visible at the bottom. Splash It with Water: Use a garden hose to splash water against the garage door base. Do not open the garage door; instead, go in the garage from the house and see whether any water has entered the garage from outside. If so, or it’s wet inside after it rains, the seal should be replaced. Feel for Drafts: Perhaps you can feel drafts by standing near the garage door. You can also hold a piece of paper near the bottom of a closed door, slowly walking it across. Where the paper starts to move or flutter (like in a breeze), that’s where you know the seal isn’t holding. Visually inspecting the seal is also a good way to know if needs replacing. The garage door seal should be uniform in color, but if it ranges from different shades of gray to pale white, this is a clear sign of damage. Garage door seals are also somewhat flexible. But if you push on it and it cracks, feels stiff, or holes are visible, it should be replaced. The seal must be consistent to be effective. Warping and unevenness mean it will not protect against the elements. What to Do When You Have a Bad Garage Door Seal? Replacing the seal is generally a simple, inexpensive task, but it should be done by a garage door repair professional. Special equipment is needed for installation. A trained technician is skilled at completing the job without damaging your garage door. Precision Door Service of Las Vegas can fix your garage door quickly and protect your garage and home. We offer same-day service and will inspect the system to determine whether any adjustments or minor repairs are needed, so you avoid future inconveniences and expenses. Get your free estimate by calling us at 702-637-2700 today.