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Garage doors are used by homeowners almost every single day. Not only do they allow us access in and out of our garage, but they also help to protect our valuables. If our garage door becomes faulty, it can disrupt our everyday life. One issue that can cause your garage door to not function properly is when the sensors become damaged or move out of place. Whether you’re in Pasadena, Arcadia, Sierra Madre, or any of the surrounding areas, this issue can affect your daily routine.

How Do Garage Door Sensors Work?

Before you can identify whether a sensor is out of alignment, you need to understand how your garage door works. Sensors have been included in the manufacturing of garage doors since the early 1990s to help ensure your safety and stop the door from closing on a person or property. When the door is triggered to close, the sensors on either side of the door will send an infrared beam of light to each other. If the beam of light is interrupted by an object, the sensor will signal the door to reverse and lift back into the open position. The sensors will not allow the door to close until the door path is clear, making the sensors an imperative safety feature that is now included with all garage doors.

How Do You Test That Your Garage Door Sensor Is Working?

Now that you know how your garage door operates, you should be able to test if the sensors are working properly. Once you’ve identified that the sensors are the source of the problem, you can then act to get it fixed. This is especially important in areas like San Marino and South Pasadena, where maintaining home security is paramount.

8 Signs That Your Sensors Are Not Working

Carrying out checks in these areas should help you identify where the problem lies:

  1. Light Indicators: Check the exterior flashing LED lights when you open the garage door. If the light shows green, then your door is working properly. If it shows red, it is faulty.
  2. Dirty Lenses: Dirty sensor lenses can prevent them from functioning properly. If you clear away the dirt, your door should start to work again.
  3. Damaged Wires: Look for cracked or damaged wires. If there is damage, you’ll need to replace them.
  4. Misaligned Sensors: If the sensors are not aligned correctly, the receiver will not detect the signal from the emitter, causing the door to malfunction.
  5. Unresponsive Door: If your garage door starts to close but then immediately reverses, this could be a sign of a sensor issue.
  6. Blinds or Bright Sunlight: Sensors that are exposed to bright sunlight or are partially blocked by objects like blinds can malfunction.
  7. Garage Door Opener Issues: Sometimes, the issue could lie with the garage door opener itself. If the opener is not functioning correctly, it can affect the sensors.
  8. Intermittent Functionality: If the door works sometimes but not consistently, it might be a sign that the sensors are not properly aligned or have a loose connection.

How to Align Garage Door Sensors

After verifying that you have faulty garage door sensors, you will need to adjust the alignment. When your garage door sensors do not align properly, your receiver will not detect input from the emitter. This will cause your garage doors to remain open regardless of any other issues.

Luckily, garage door alignment does not require a professional. With the right tools and some hands-on initiative, you can ensure your garage door opens and closes correctly in no time at all. This can be particularly useful for residents in areas like Alhambra and Glendale, where DIY solutions are often appreciated.

Necessary Tools for Aligning Garage Door Sensors

Before making adjustments to your garage door alignment, you must gather the necessary tools for the job. Ensure you have the following tools and materials:

Don’t worry if you don’t have these items on hand. You can easily find these tools by shopping online or visiting your local hardware store.

Steps to Align Garage Door Sensors

After you’ve collected the necessary tools, follow this step-by-step guide for garage door sensor alignment:

Step 1: Turn Off the Power. Locate the breaker box in your home and trip the fuse that supplies power to your garage. This will cut off the electricity to your sensors and allow a safe environment while working. Simply unplug the power cord from the provided electricity outlet for manually powered sensors.

To ensure your personal safety as you work, always wear protective gloves, particularly electricity-resistant gloves, when handling electric wires.

Helpful Tip: Electrically insulated gloves include a “class” rating. When shopping for protective gloves, find a pair with a “Class 0” rating that can withstand up to 500 volts. This class provides adequate protection for garage door alignment and adjusting sensors.

Step 2: Loosening Screws in Sensor Mount A mounting bracket encases each of the sensors in your garage. Along the side of these mounts, you will find a set of screws that hold your sensors in place. Use your standard screwdriver to loosen each set of screws in the mounting brackets.

Do not remove the screws entirely. You will need to leave the screws in place in order to shift the mounting brackets accordingly in the next few steps.

Step 3: Shifting the Mounting Bracket With the screws now loosened, you can freely maneuver your mounting brackets up and down. Lower your garage door sensors as far as possible, using your hands to keep them within the mounting brackets. Avoid using tools such as a wrench to lower the brackets–marks left on the sensor’s surface can disrupt functionality and cause damage to the sensor.

Step 4: Attaching String With your garage door sensors lowered as far as possible, wrap a piece of string around one of the sensors and its bracket. Form a tight knot so the sensor does not move within the mounting bracket. You will run into alignment issues with the opposite sensor without a tight enough knot and need to start again.

Now, run the excess length of your string from one end of the garage door opening to the other. Attach the excess string to the opposite sensor and form another tight knot around the mounting bracket. You should now have a taut line of string running as straight as possible between both garage door sensors.

Step 5: Leveling Your String With your string in place along the bottom of your garage door frame, you can now check the alignment of your sensors. Take your level and hold it firmly against the bottom of your string. Hold the level in place for a few seconds and see if the string runs level along the garage doorway before removing it.

If your string doesn’t run at the correct level, you will need to adjust your sensors again. Slide the mounting brackets one at a time, either upward or downward, as necessary, until your level indicates the proper alignment of your sensors.

Step 6: Fastening Mounting Bracket Screws With your string running level and your sensors accurately in place, you can now tighten the screws of your mounting brackets. Tighten the screws until your garage door sensors no longer move in place, even when applying pressure.

Tightening the mounting bracket screws can sometimes cause sensors to shift out of place. Use your level one more time to ensure the alignment of your sensors before moving on to the next step.

Helpful Tip: To avoid going back and forth between sensors during the string and leveling process, find a partner who can help. This allows for easier adjustment of the mounting brackets, especially when you find your string needs re-leveling.

Step 7: Turn the Power On Once you ensure the proper alignment of your garage door sensors, you can remove your placement string. Find the breaker box and turn the power back on in your garage, or plug in the electric cord for manually-powered sensors. Test your newly aligned garage door sensors and see the results of your handiwork.

Understanding How Garage Door Sensors Operate

Your garage door has two sensors, as described at the beginning of this article. One of them transmits the signals and is hence referred to as the emitter. The person on the receiving end is referred to as the receiver. You don’t need to know which of the two sensors is the receiver/emitter to understand how they work.

Both of these sensors have infrared light. This light will not be visible to the naked eye since it is not part of the visible spectrum. This light is sent by the emitter to the receiver, who then begins the process of closing your garage door.

Because the infrared light will be traveling in a straight line between the two boxes, any obstacle will cause the receiver to stop working. The receiver will then stop the door in its present position, preventing anything beneath it from being crushed.

The following are some of the possible causes of your garage door sensor not working:

How to Test Garage Door Sensors?

Once you’ve finished adjusting, try out your new sensor positioning. You only need a block of wood. Take out your automatic opener and swing the overhead door open. Place a chunk of wood between the sensors and try to close the garage door. When your overhead door senses an object, it should stop or reverse.

Remove the block of wood and continue the process until your door is completely shut. If your garage door is not closing despite the sensors being aligned, you may need to increase its sensitivity.

Choose Value Garage Door and Gate Repair for Your New Garage Project

As you can see, aligning defective garage door sensors is not difficult. You only need the correct materials and should not be in a hurry to complete the task. If you have a helping hand, you can complete the entire process quickly. However, whether you have company or prefer to work alone, following the step-by-step guide will allow you to effectively complete the project.

That’s why Value Garage Door and Gate Repair is #1 in the Pasadena area for all your garage door needs. Speak to a specialist and get a free quote today. We serve a wide range of areas, including Pasadena, Arcadia, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, Alhambra, and Glendale. Our professional technicians are ready to assist you with all your garage door repair, maintenance, and installation or all other garage door service needs.

Contact Value Garage Door and Gate Repair at (123) 456-7890 for expert assistance and exceptional service in the greater Pasadena area. We provide reliable, high-quality service to ensure your garage door sensors and overall system operate flawlessly.