One of your home’s prominent features is your garage door, and it provides safety and convenience. A very integral component of its automated system are those two safety sensors located near the bottom of the door tracks. These are small sensors with an almost incomprehensible task of preventing accidents from happening as they sense obstructions.
They are, however, confusing if at any point the sensors’ lights begin to malfunction. In this guide, we want to take you through what these lights mean and how you can monitor and maintain your own system.
Our Plantation, FL, garage door repair company, Top Service Garage Door Repair, frequently encounters sensor issues, making it important for homeowners to understand how these components work.
Understanding Garage Door Sensors
Garage door safety sensors are two-part devices. One of them, the sending sensor, projects an invisible infrared beam toward the other, the receiving sensor. As long as the beam isn’t broken, the door closes as usual. The small LED lights on each sensor also show their status.
The transmitter sensor will have a solid green light, indicating that it has power and is transmitting its beam. The receiver sensor will also have a green light and will act as a confirmation that it indeed is receiving the infrared beam from the transmitter unit.
Should both garage door sensors be green? If everything is working as expected, both sensors will have solid green lights. This is the normal and ideal state, letting you know your system is functioning safely. If the light on the receiver sensor is off, flashing, or any other color, it indicates there is something wrong with the beam or the sensors are not properly adjusted.
Typical Problems and What They Indicate
In the event that you see that one or both of your sensor lights are not green, there is an issue. Are both garage door sensors supposed to be green? Ideally, yes – if not, that’s a sign to troubleshoot. If you notice the receiving light flashing or off, this could indicate an obstacle for the beam. This can vary from something as trivial as a box, broom, or as banal as spiderwebs on the lens.
Another very common problem is misalignment. The sensors get knocked or banged out of alignment so that the infrared beam doesn’t quite hit the target. When this occurs, the receiving sensor will not receive the message, and its light will shut off. If you notice a garage door sensor blinking green, this usually points to a misalignment or interrupted beam that needs to be addressed.
Ultimately, faulty wiring or power loss will have both lights off, which means the sensors aren’t receiving power at all.
How to Troubleshoot Garage Door Sensor Issues
Before calling an expert, there are several easy troubleshooting procedures that can be done.
First, ensure there are no obstructions. Remove any objects between the two sensors that are interfering with the interruption of the infrared beam. Next, wipe the lenses on each sensor with a clean, soft cloth and remove any dust, dirt, and cobwebs.
Next, if the cleaning won’t work, try the alignment. Make sure the sensors are pointing to each other. You will usually be able to do this with your fingers. Release the wing nut, slide the sensor so that the green light on a garage door sensor comes on and stays on solid, and tighten the nut back down to secure.
Lastly, check the wiring. Check for loose or broken wires leading from the sensors and the garage door opener unit. In case you spot a loose wire, it might be possible for you to reattach it. However, if you are not familiar with wiring or notice any evidence of serious damage, now is the best time for assistance.
When to Call a Professional
If you’ve tried simple fixes and your sensor lights are still not green, or if there are electrical problems, it will be best to get assistance from an expert garage door technician at Top Service Garage Door Repair. We have the training and equipment necessary to safely work on complex problems and get your garage door up and running.
It is very vital that your garage door safety sensors are properly maintained for your family and your property’s safety. Knowing how your green lights function and performing basic troubleshooting will allow you to solve simple problems yourself. For more advanced problems, however, your best bet will always be Top Service Garage Door Repair.
