How Garage Door Sensors Work?

Garage door sensors went from an optional to a must-have safety feature. The safety committee published its final automated garage door openers requirements in 1992. But why do you need them, and how garage door sensors work?

Garage door sensors play a vital role in protecting the homeowner and the family members from injuries. Sensors will not allow your garage door to close on someone or something if the door’s path isn’t clear. Instead, your garage door will reverse and open back up as soon as the sensors trigger. Therefore, it is essential to have your garage door opener and safety sensors installed by a professional garage door repair company.

There are specific requirements from the manufacturers regarding the placement of garage door sensors. Those requirements were put in place to provide the best performance and optimal protection. Garage door sensors should be placed at the maximum height of 15cm on each side of your residential garage door. Most garage door opener manufacturers set those specific requirements as best practices for garage door sensors placement.

How do Residential Garage Door Sensors Work?

Each garage door sensor has its role. Typically, one of them will be a transmitter, and the other will be a receiver sensor. The transmitter sends an invisible beam of light toward the receiver sensor. Then, and only when the receiver confirms the strength and quality of the signal, it gives an OK to your garage door opener to close the door.

Why One Sensor Is Green And One Yellow?

Chamberlain and Liftmaster garage door openers are the most popular in North America, and all their operators have the same sensors. One sensor will have a yellow or orange LED light, while the other will be green. That’s how you know which sensor is a transmitter and which one is a receiver. A yellow or orange sensor sends the signal, meaning it’s a transmitter, while a green one is a receiver sensor. If the green LED light is flashing and not solid, it means that your garage door won’t close unless you override the sensors by pressing and holding the wall button. You will need your sensors realigned and adjusted until you get a solid green light. If you were unable to align them by yourself, search for a garage door repair near me and find your local best-rated garage door repair company.

Can A Garage Door Crush You If The Sensors Fail?

No, your garage door will not crush you due to sensors failure. The system is built in a way that will prevent your garage door from closing and crushing you if the garage door sensors aren’t working. By default, if your opener doesn’t have the “OK” from the sensors, your garage door will not go down unless you manually override your safety sensors. In addition, there is another safety feature that will auto-reverse your garage door if the opener feels resistance on the way down.

Can a Garage Door Hit You While Closing?

Yes, a garage door can hit you while closing, and there are a few possible scenarios. If you still have a sensorless garage door opener, there is a good chance you can get hit by your garage door. As a garage door repair company, we strongly suggest anyone with the old sensorless openers have them replaced ASAP. Hire a local garage door company and get a new opener installed by professionals. Protect the health of your family members and lower the risk of damage to your vehicles by installing a good-quality garage door opener. Another way to get hit is by not paying attention to your garage door. In some cases, the opener might not pull up the door fast enough if you walk or run towards the door too quickly.

Can Garage Door Fall Down?

Yes, the garage door can fall down in a few scenarios. In general, even though the garage door can weigh a few hundred pounds, it will feel very light if you try to lift it manually. That’s thanks to the springs that balance your garage door and take the weight off. However, when one or two springs break, your garage door will get so heavy that the opener won’t be able to lift it. In rare cases, the garage door opener will have enough power to lift your door despite the broken spring, which can be extremely dangerous. When the door is out of balance due to a broken spring, it may crash you or your vehicle if you pull the emergency release cord while the door is open. The locking mechanism on your garage door opener rail might not be able to hold the weight of the door and snap. If that happens, your garage door will fall down rapidly while crashing everything and everyone underneath it. Therefore it is vital to be careful with your garage door and have it regularly inspected by a professional garage door company.