El Dorado Hills Garage Door Repair

Tag: garage door sensors

  • Why Sunlight Confuses Your Garage Door Opener’s Sensors

    Garage door sensors (those little eyes on each side of the door frame near the ground that tell the door it’s safe to close) use light to communicate with each other; one sensor sends light to the other, which receives the signal. If that path is interrupted, say, by an object or a person, the garage door won’t close, because it thinks it’s not safe since something is in the way.

    Sunlight can confuse these sensors, which typically use infrared light to communicate. UV light is much stronger than infrared, which is why on sunny days the UV light can cause the sensors to think something is blocking their communication. The garage door will open but it won’t close. Not only is this really annoying, but it can be a security risk for your home. Thankfully, there are a few easy fixes to stop the sun from messing with your garage door’s function.

    Things You can do to Shade Your Sensors

    • Place a piece of cardboard, like a toilet paper roll, around the sensor to shade the eye. You could also use PVC pipe to do this.
    • Buy manufactured sensor shades for the eyes. (This is a more aesthetically pleasing option.)
    • If your home is sat at an angle where the sun is only hitting the sensor that receives the light signal, consider just switching which side of the door each sensor is on.
    • Take the lenses from a pair of UV resistant sunglasses and place on each sensor.

    Just remember – with any of these fixes, never block the sensor’s eye, otherwise you’ll never get the door to close and it will just add to your frustration.

    And you can always call us at EDH for any of your garage door opener repair or troubleshooting needs!

  • How Autumn Leaves, Sunlight and Even Dirt Can Affect Garage Door Sensors

    How Autumn Leaves, Sunlight and Even Dirt Can Affect Garage Door Sensors

    How Autumn Leaves, Sunlight and Even Dirt Can Affect Garage Door Sensors

    We don’t see a lot of foliage in Rancho Cordova, California, but we actually have a lot more than the rest of the country imagines. And while the splash of color is beautiful and that rustic smell of leaves is classic fall, leaves that fall to the ground become a nuisance pretty fast. In fact, they can actually interfere with your garage door sensors, preventing the door from closing. So if you find your door won’t close and keeps returning to the up position, look for piles of leaves around your sensors. Autumn may be running interference on your opener.

    What’s Happening

    Required by law since the early 90s, sensors are used to automatically detect if something is in the way. This is designed to protect children and pets from injury. It also will stop the door from operating if something is in the way such as a car, a lawn mower or bike.

    Other Things that Can Obstruct Sensors

    Lots of things can actually interfere with your sensors. Cobwebs are common. Sometimes sunlight is a problem. You can get around this by securing cardboard or wooden shades around the top of the sensor to protect it from sunlight. Sometimes the sensors just need cleaned. 

    Cleaning Your Garage Door Sensors is Easy

    Cleaning your garage door safety sensors is a simple maintenance task to ensure your door operates safely and reliably. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide:

    1. Disconnect the power to your garage door opener to prevent the garage door for moving.
    2. Examine the sensor units. They’ll be near the ground on each side of the door. Look for any dirt, cobwebs, or debris that might obstruct their operation.
    3. Use a soft, lint-free cloth or a cotton swab to clean the sensor lenses. Avoid using abrasive materials that could scratch the lenses.
    4. Ensure the sensors are correctly aligned so that the invisible beam of light between them is uninterrupted. As said above, you may need to fashion a cover from leaves.
    5. After cleaning and aligning the sensors, reconnect the power to your garage door opener. Test the garage door to ensure it operates smoothly and that the safety sensors are functioning correctly.

    Regularly cleaning and maintaining your safety sensors ensures they function properly. A little soap and water might be the easiest garage door opener repair you’ve ever done.