When you think of sensors, you probably imagine invisible lines of lights shielding an item of value that, once touched, set off an overwhelming alarm to inform someone of a security breach. However, not all sensors are so elaborate or only function as an alarm system. Garage door safety sensors mainly work to keep your garage door from closing onto anything or anyone in its way.
Whether your dog is wandering outside or you need to stop your car while pulling in or out, garage door safety sensors keep you, your loved ones, and your valuables safe from harm. However, you are probably curious as to how these safety sensors work. Today, we are going to take a closer look at the answer to the question: how do garage door safety sensors work?
What Do Garage Door Safety Sensors Look Like?
Garage door safety sensors usually come in pairs as little black rectangular sensors. They are small enough to be placed in a discreet position on your garage door, and they have a tiny light that will allow them to align and work as expected. Before officially answering the question: how do garage door safety sensors work, let’s talk about where you are most likely to find them.
Where Are Garage Door Safety Sensors Located?
When garage door safety sensors are installed, you need to be mindful of the “eyes” being able to reach the other sensor with ease. The best way to ensure the best performance is to place the garage door sensors at the rails of the garage door near, but not on, the floor. Six inches from the floor is the recommended space. As long as the sensors are secured on the opposite rails of the garage door, they should be able to work without issue.
How Do They Work?
As stated earlier, garage door safety sensors prevent your garage door from landing on any obstruction in its path. With each sensor on the opposite side of the garage door, the “eyes” should be aligned to emit infrared lights that sense any obstructions. When these infrared beams detect a potential obstruction, they send a message to the garage door opener to stop and or reverse course.
This automatic feature saves you from rushing to press a button to prevent disaster from striking. Of course, we cannot answer the question “how do garage door sensors work?” without addressing how to stay on top of common problems they face.
The Most Common Problem With Garage Door Safety Sensors And What You Can Do
The main problem you must be aware of concerning garage door safety sensors is misalignment. Misalignment is when the “eyes” of the garage door sensors are not connecting to each other correctly. This misalignment can be attributed to either the sensors being moved from their usual position or their lenses needing to be cleaned.
Usually, one of the “eyes” will “blink” to indicate a problem. However, you can also check that your garage door safety sensors are working by putting an empty cardboard box in the line of sight and seeing if your garage door responds accordingly. If your garage door closes on the empty cardboard box, it’s time to call someone who will fix them.
We Will Keep Your Garage Door In Working Order!
We hope you found this blog to be a satisfactory answer to the question: how do garage door safety sensors work? Now that you know how they work, you will be able to tell when they need maintenance or replacement easily. For help with your garage door safety sensors and other functions of your garage door, contact us today at Metal Garage Door Repair!
