Why This Guide Matters
At Affordable Garage Door Repair, we know how important precisely aligned sensors are in order for your door to operate safely and correctly. This guide will help you perform the alignment on your own garage door sensors and also troubleshoot common issues.
How to Tell If Your Safety Sensors Are Out of Alignment
But first, before we get to the process of alignment what could be causing such misaligned sensors? Let us review some signs that may imply your sensor is not well-aligned:
01
Door Will Not Close
The door Starts to close but turns back immediately.
02
Blinking Sensor Lights
When one or both sensors show a blinking light, it means that the two of them are not aligned correctly.
03
Opener Clicks or Beeps
This means that the opener is trying to close but due to a sensor problem, it stops.
04
You Must Hold the Button Down
That the door closes and you have to hold the button down warns of a safety override: sensors should be functional but aren't working properly.
When you see any of the above, then it the time when you should check and adjust your garage door safety sensors.
The Tools you will need for Sensor Alignment
- Screwdriver — to adjust the sensor brackets
- Measuring tape (to measure the alignment height)
- Zip ties (to attach sensor wires, if necessary)
- Alignment (to confirm proper sensor row)
How to Align Your Garage Door Safety Sensors
Below, we have included steps on how to make your sensors properly align and function correctly.
01
Step 1: Turn Off the Power
- The garage door opener must be unplugged to prevent accidents when working on the sensors.
02
Step 2: Inspect the Sensors
- Inspect these two sensors for any dust, dirt, or debris that may be causing the beam to not get through.
- These can be cleaned by wiping them with a damp and soft cloth.
- Also, check that the wiring is still glued down and connected in a good way.
03
Step 3 – Validating Sensor Placement
- Setting: mount the two sensors on either side of your door, and they should be at equal height.
- Make sure they are straight on the tape with a measuring band.
- If required, adjust the brackets so they are even with the ground.
04
Step 4: Adjust the Sensors
- Remove all sensor bolts and tilt the brackets to relocate the sensors.
- Adjust sensors until the indicator light on each sensor is solid (green or amber)
- A level will do just that; check if you leveled both sensors correctly.
05
Step 5: Tighten the Brackets
- Once the lights are steady and sensors align, you can then use screws to lock sensor brackets.
06
Step 6: Test the Sensors
- Reconnect the opener to power and open & close your sensors.
- Place an object in the path of the beam (e.g. cardboard box)
- When the door is not obstructing that should be blocked immediately though.
Know Basic Sensor Problems and How to Resolve Them
Even if you are perfectly aligned, with proper distance otherwise you will face three common problems. Some troubleshooting steps are:
One Sensor Light Blinks And One Is Solid
- Most Likely Cause of False Alarms: Sensor is Out of Alignment or a Physical Object Interfered With the Beam.
- Fix: Clean sensors, align them properly & ensure nothing is in the way of their beam.
Sensor lights are not responsive
- Potential Problems: A malfunction or a power failure to the sensors.
- Solution: Make sure the opener is plugged in and connected to power.
The door Starts to Close Then reverses
- Reason: Alignment of the sensor may be a little off or debris over tracks.
- Answer: realign the sensors and ensure that there is nothing on the trac
The Significance Of Correct Sensor Positioning
Keep Your Safety Sensors Aligned This is important because well-aligned safety sensors are critical to:
- Safety First: Sensors mean the door will reverse if there is something in its way, preventing accidents with people and pets.
- Continued Performance: A malfunctioned door that is misaligned due to sensors causes a lot of annoyance.
- Following Security Rules Modern garage doors are mandated to be equipped with working security sensors for safety reasons.
When to Call a Professional
If your garage door sensors are still not working after aligning them as stated in Part 1 of the guide, perhaps it is time to seek professional help. We have years of experience at Affordable Garage Door Repair troubleshooting and repairing sensor issues. After an inspection, our professional technicians will soon determine why the garage door is not working properly and get it back in great working order.
Conclusion
Safety sensors are required to properly function, for your garage door to safely operate. Problems with sensors — This can sometimes lead to the door failing to close or result in a safety concern. The following steps are to help you correct misalignment in your sensors and make your garage door functional again.
Contact Affordable Garage Door Repair if you have any concerns or need professional help. Our expert technicians can assist you with sensor alignment, repairs, and all maintenance to keep your garage door working correctly.
