Troubleshooting A Damaged Obstruction Sensor On A Garage Door

10 November 2015
 Categories: , Blog


Garage door manufacturers install an obstruction sensor in your garage door, which will reverse the direction of your door to prevent it from closing on objects. While this arrangement normally works just fine, you can have problems when your sensor gets out of alignment or refuses to work like it should. If you know what to look for, you should be able to make repairs on your own. 

How the Sensor Works

An obstruction sensor will consist of two electronic eyes that will pass a laser betwen the two of them. When this laser is blocked, the sensors will send a signal to your garage door motor to reverse the direction of your door. 

Signs of Damage

You can diagnose most problems to a garage door based on what your door is doing. If your door opens just fine and will start to close before it reverses directions, then you most likely have a problem with your obstruction sensors. Your motor is working, all the electronic components seem to be in working order, and all you need to do is get your obstruction sensors back on track. 

Repairing Obstruction Sensors

Most issues with obstruction sensors can easily be handled by a homeowner. Follow these steps for troubleshooting, and you most likely will be able to get your door running without calling professionals for reinforcements:

  1. The first thing to do is check for obstructions. A child's bike or a snow shovel should be easy to spot, but check closely. Something as small as some leaves caught in a spiderweb can just as easily block your sensors as bigger objects. 
  2. If you have checked for and cleared away obstructions, and your door still won't work, then clean off the lens of your sensor. A film of dirt will block the laser just as easily as a larger obstruction.
  3. There should be a light on your obstruction sensors that indicates when they are in alignment. You will need to gently manipulate the obstruction sensor back and forth until the light indicates that the sensors are in alignment.
  4. If none of these steps work, then you most likely have a problem with the wiring or other electrical components of your system. You will need to call a professional to make repairs. 

While there is nothing wrong with calling for help to fix your door, you owe it to yourself to do what you can make what repairs you can on your own to save yourself some money. Once you've expended your own best efforts, you can confidently call in a professional like Jayton Door Corporation to help you make repairs. 


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