For your house to be comfortable and secure, a perfectly working garage door is required. However, it turns out that the garage door can sometimes not operate smoothly. The misalignment of door sensors is one of the more common problems. Identifying the unfavorable conditions in advance can help you evade a possible threat and plumbing expenses. In this article, we elaborate on 7 signs of a garage door sensor that has been blocked that you should familiarize yourself with so that when you experience any of the blocked doors, you can address it swiftly to minimize any risk. Have questions like How To Know If You’ve Got A Blocked Garage Door Sensor? Without further ado, let’s discuss the details.
Here Are The Signs Of A Blocked Garage Door Sensor That You Must Know
Garage door reverses immediately after closing
One of the most obvious signs of a blocked obstruction in the door sensors is when the door goes back up immediately after a door cylinder is operated; if this is the case with you, set the stopping force and the re-engagement force of the drive properly.
This often occurs when the opening and closing spaces are equipped with door sensors, and if there is an object/ person in between them, the door will not close until the sensors are triggered. The object could instead be the dirt on the sensor, misplaced sensors, or other obstructions giving false signals.
Garage door won’t close at all
One of the most evident signs of a blocked garage door sensor is the inability of the garage door to close. This is common for a reason, as safety features are incorporated on the frame on either side of the lower track, which will remain inactive until these sensors are triggered.
If these safety sensors get blocked by any foreign materials or debris or get even slightly out of position, doors will be unable to close by sending signals saying there is something obstructing them. Therefore, if our garage door doesn’t close, it is advisable to attempt to clear any blocks on the sensors as a primary point of fixing the problem.
Flashing lights on the garage door opener
One crucial sign of a faulty garage door sensor you need to know about is the indicator lights on the garage door that do not stop flashing. Recent technological advances usually mean that such a feature is caused by either the opening mechanisms or cover, which cannot close because of an obstruction.
If the sensors can no longer interact as intended, the opener flashes warning lights and sounds an alarm to alert users. If you observe these indicators, take some time to examine and clean the lenses of the sensors.
Misaligned or dirty sensor lenses
Misaligned and dirty sensor lenses can lead to a blocked or malfunctioning garage door sensor, a clear sign of a blockage. These sensors must be functional since they prevent the garage door from closing when there’s an obstruction below It.
The sensors will send signals if dirt and other debris start covering the lenses or the sensors get misaligned. If this happens, the door may reverse or stop in the middle of the operation, which can be annoying. Such issues can be avoided by simply inspecting the orientation of the sensors as well as wiping any dirt and grime on the lenses.
Slow or jerky garage door movement
A sign of a garage door sensor blockage that concerns most people is the sluggish or jerky movements of the door when it is opened or closed. If it does not work or is blocked, it can place the opening or closing of the garage door at an uncomfortable strain, making it difficult to move comfortably. The door does not operate smoothly or may move abruptly.
Sometimes, the door operates slowly or moves poorly without a regular rhythm. Such shifting may imply that the sensor cannot effectively operate due to interference or obstruction of the sight angle. The sight angle can be attended to by clearing off dirt and grime, making these problems avoidable.
The sensor light is off or blinking
If the sensor light is off or blinking frequently, it is a sure indication of a blocked garage door sensor. Normally, these lights signal that the sensors are working and have the correct alignment.
When the light is off or blinking, this could mean something is blocking the sensors’ pathway, which could be dirt, debris, or an object blocking the infrared beam. This obstruction can stop the garage door from shutting properly due to security concerns.
Manual operation works, but automatic doesn’t
One of the common signs associated with a blocked or faulty blockage would be a response from the automatic garage door sensor. If there are no problems when manually opening or closing the door panels, but the automatic opener is inoperative, the problem may be in the sensors.
Garage door safety sensors are designed to detect any limited obstacles that could prevent the complete closing of the door and, therefore, ensure the consumer’s safety. However, it does not take much to obstruct the sensor’s signal.
Wrapping Up
To summarize, it is vital to be aware of the symptoms indicating a blockage on the garage door sensors’ eye for efficient usage and safety of the entire garage door unit. When there are signs such as improper closing of doors, blinking lights on the sensors, and odd door behavior, it indicates some kind of sensor blockage, which should be dealt with immediately before it leads to other serious problems. Taking time to look into the sensor region frequently and clearing the dust will prevent your garage door from operating unsafely.
Author’s Bio
Liz is a content marketing specialist inspired by the thought of making any space around people comfortable and beautiful. A careful approach towards content writing is the core of what she does, as it allows her to effectively customize complicated topics. Her method emphasizes practical advice and idea generation – instead of constant disruptions, efficient changes that enhance people’s surroundings and quality of life. Now, she works for garage door repair shelton and aims to share the garage door design, selection, and maintenance components with the audience.