Garage Door Sensors safety, plus tips for basic troubleshooting.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, all installed garage doors are to be tested for safety. One of the garage door requirements to be considered safe by the standards is to have an external obstruction or anti-entrapment device. Those devices are commonly known as garage door safety sensors. 

You will most likely encounter two types of obstruction sensors: Photoelectric sensors and Edge sensors.

Photoelectric sensors are devices that project a beam of light invisible to the human eye across the garage door opening. In case there is something that obstructs that beam of light, the sensor will send a signal to the operator’s control board, and the garage door won’t close and will reverse back to the open position until the obstruction is removed.

Among the photoelectric sensors, the through-beam system is very common. This system has a transmitter and a receiver. Infrared light is used so that the system does not get interrupted by the sunlight. The transmitter will be sending the beam of light to the receiver, and the receiver will be sending a signal to the operator’s control board. If the motor control does not receive the proper signal because the transmitting of the beam is being obstructed by anything, the operator won’t be “allowed” to close the garage door.

The sensor units are to be installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions in most cases no more than 6 inches of the concrete slab. The transmitter and the receiver must be positioned at a certain height above the ground and are well aligned. Some of those sensors are connected to the operator through wires; some are connected wirelessly.

It will be the fastest and the simplest for an experienced garage door technician to install or repair a malfunctioning safety sensor. It will also ensure your safety.

Edge sensors also send a signal to the operator’s control board but do it in a different manner. The sensor devices are installed along the edge of the garage door and signal to the operator upon direct contact with an object. The operator’s control board then receives a signal that the door cannot be closed since there is an obstruction. 

This type of sensor is typically constructed with two electrical contact strips in a tube made from waterproof material. The “obstruction” signal is created by those two strips coming into contact with each other. When the sensor comes in contact with anything that creates the obstruction. The operator’s control board then receives a signal and the garage door will not close and reverse its movement.

Similarly, the edge sensors can be connected to the operator’s control board through wires or wirelessly to photoelectric sensors. So, it is safer if the sensors are installed by a professional.

Ask your garage door technician about which obstruction sensors will suit your type of garage door best.

Troubleshooting Garage Door Sensors 

If you are experiencing issues closing your garage door, one of the possible reasons for the problem is your obstruction sensors. Some issues can be resolved without specialists’ help, and there are ones that will require you calling for professional’s help. Here is a list of the most common issues you may encounter with your obstruction sensors:

  • Physical obstruction, which can be any item really that is on the way of your sensor’s beam and “telling” it that something is obstructing your garage door from closing. It does not have to be a big item. So, first inspect your garage sensors for leaves or clatter. By removing those, you will restore the functionality of your garage door.
  • Dirt or dust on the sensors could be one of the reasons. Sometimes dirt or dust gets on your sensors and creates an obstruction of the beam. It is recommended to inspect your sensors regularly to avoid this issue. You can remove the dirt\dust\spider web off your sensors by using a soft cloth. Please be gentle with your sensors; this equipment is sensitive.
  • Alignment of the sensors. Sometimes your obstruction sensors misalign. The garage door’s vibration can cause that as it opens and closes or by an accidental strike of the sensor with a garbage bin or your foot even. One of the ways to see if your obstruction sensors are misaligned is by visually inspecting them. If one of your sensors is flickering, it may be signalling you that it does not receive the signal from its “mate.” Generally, you should be able to align your sensors on your own. If you are not sure that you can align your sensors properly, it is a good idea to contact your garage door technician and ask for advice.
  • Electrical issues or issues with wiring. If none of the above reasons resolve the obstruction sensors issue, the issue could be electrical. It is highly advised to contact your garage door technician if you suspect that is the case. In case the problem is wiring, a professional may be able to resolve this issue. If you try and fix such an issue on your own, you may put yourself in danger or damage the sensor, which could have been fixed otherwise.
  • Broken sensor; your garage door sensor could be damaged. You should contact a garage door specialist to advise you if your sensor can be repaired or does it have to be replaced.
  • Direct sunlight: Another issue that is not as common is direct sunlight interfering with the work of your sensors. In case there are some recent changes in the landscape of your garage surroundings, like a tree that has been cut off. Then there are reasons to suspect that kind of an issue. Do not rush to replace your sensors, and there may be a solution that will allow you to keep using the ones you already have.

If you inspected your obstruction sensors and appear to be working properly, your garage door does not close. You may need to inspect your garage door for other issues. It is highly advised for you to contact a garage door specialist before proceeding with any DIY repairs. Trying to repair your garage door on your own can be dangerous. Please put your safety first.

Broken Garage Door? New Garage Door?

We help you today!

Share a few details and we'll schedule a call!

Request a Call

Contact Us


Social Media:

Reviews For Titan Garage Doors Coquitlam

Christopher Jones
Christopher Jones
04:41 09 Feb 20
My old garage door opener failed on Saturday afternoon. I called Titan Garage Doors in Coquitlam and was amazed to... learn that they could have someone available to look at it that day. Technician Adam was at my door shortly after 6:00 pm. An hour and a half later, I had a brand new opener installed, the spring rebalanced, and door joints lubricated. I was very pleased with the prompt and professional service. Titan will be my “go to” for all of my garage door needs going forward.read more
Simon Hardy-Francis
Simon Hardy-Francis
02:08 17 Jan 20
One of our two, relatively new, garage door springs broke after about 5 years. So googled and found Titan Garage Doors... to fix it. They turned up same day within 1.5 hours to fix it. Alex, the technician was a super nice and super skillful guy, and it was obvious he had done the job countless times. He had to work in cramped conditions because the cars were struck in the garage, but he did a great job. The final price for two new springs was C$420 including tax. I'm only taking a star off because the person on the phone initially -- not Alex -- said a different price range; $150 to $250 ish. They must replace pairs of springs all day long... so why not just quote the real prices charged over the phone? Summary: Loved Alex. Hated the phone person in retrospect.read more
Chris M
Chris M
20:37 31 Dec 19
Needed a new spring replacement. I was able to make an appointment same day and the technician was excellent. Great... customer service and stayed true to their estimate that was quoted over the phone. I would use them again.read more
Kevin S
Kevin S
23:07 28 Dec 19
My garage door spring snapped. Called these guys first thing in the morning. When the mechanic arrived 30 minutes... later, I was anticipating getting ridiculous quote like those locksmith scam (paid $260 for 1 minute of job because locksmith knows you are desperate about getting locked out). Later I realized garage door repair isn’t the same as locksmith. I was given a reasonable quote for one hour of labour and it includes the price of the spring. After the mechanic got the door fixed, I was able to pay by credit card and was given a receipt. And on top of that, there is warranty for their repair work. I hope I don’t have to called them any time soon, but if I have to I will. Highly recommended.read more
David Ronald
David Ronald
20:21 14 Dec 19
Customer service phone response was excellent. Service tech , Alex, arrived promptly, surveyed the issue, provided... options , made adjustments and debriefed very professionally. Management of payment was fast and fair. This was an overall excellent experience.read more
Rob C
Rob C
02:54 11 Dec 19
Very prompt service. The technician, Eli, was pleasant, courteous and professional. He assessed the problem that we... were having with our garage door opener, opened the unit up and showed me the parts that had failed. Upon my approval of his price quotation, he went to work replacing the defective/failed part which I was pleased to find out that he carried in his vehicle.Very happy with the experience and highly recommend this technician and the company.read more
Bebe Z
Bebe Z
04:37 10 Dec 19
We're very happy with the service. Dan did a great job fixing our garage door. He also updated all rollers and... installed door seals on the sides and top. Would recommend to anyone who needs their garage door fixed or serviced.read more
Patrick Wright
Patrick Wright
01:49 26 Nov 19
I would NOT recommend this company!We called Titan to come and do a service, maintenance and any necessary repair on... our garage door. The technician showed up, spent maybe 10 minutes at our place, balanced the door, took his $120 bucks and basically that was it. We asked if there was anything else that needed to be done and we were told no.Our installer arrived the next day and we were told that some of the rollers and hinges would need to be replaced prior to the installation of our new garage door opener. We were not told by Titan that any of this needed to be done.Titan returned the next day to give us a quote for the rollers and hinges... They quoted $40 dollars for each hinge, and $15 per roller. We have 12 hinges/rollers! At this rate, we'd be better off buying a whole new door!We had another company come in and replace only what was broken for a fraction of the cost and they did an amazing jobI would not recommend this company, unless you have money to burn and want to overspend!read more
Rennie Durgapershad
Rennie Durgapershad
22:48 02 Nov 19
This was great and most expeditious service. The installer Adam was great and knowledgeable. Impressed with speed of... the service!read more
Chris Adamson
Chris Adamson
18:16 18 Oct 19
I am very happy with the service. Adam from Titan Doors did a great job fixing my garage door. He found the problem... right away (broken spring) and replaced the part quickly which he already had with him. Arrived within half an hour of me calling at 9 in the morning and fixed it all before 11am! Garage opens smoother and quieter than it did before! Thank you!!read more
Keni Casti
Keni Casti
23:38 01 Oct 19
We had Mario respond fast, (within the hour) he was very professional and friendly. He did excellent work and explained... step by step everything that was repaired. Excellent all around.read more
Frances Jans
Frances Jans
18:38 29 Aug 19
Convenient, called last night with a garage door issue, made an appointment for between 8-9am the next morning. Kim and... his team showed promptly within the time frame given, and completed within the hour. I would recommend this company.read more
Sarabjit Sehmi
Sarabjit Sehmi
01:15 29 Aug 19
Excellent service provided today along with the parts supplied. Best people to deal with regarding the repairs of any... garage doors requirements. Called them in an hour and were at my house within the specified time. Recommend this company for any repair needs.read more
Flora Lai
Flora Lai
20:45 26 Aug 19
These guys are great. They worked hard. Polite and nice. It is a good job.
Farid Jamal
Farid Jamal
21:11 04 Jul 19
These guys were great for speed and quality of service . They came in the first part of time window provided, reviewed... the work, provided a quote, which was just as well, as the their dispatcher had provided much lower quotes, I was happy with the quote and recommendations and they proceeded with the job. They were efficient, courteous and clean.. I would not only use them again, but also highly recommend them.read more
Sonia Workman
Sonia Workman
23:11 02 Jul 19
Garage door busted today and Kim was here within an hour and even called to let me know he was running a bit late so I... was waiting around. Was fast, efficient and thorough! Even fixed something else that I didn't notice. Would definitely recommend Kim and his services to anyone that needs any sort of garage door repair!!!!read more
Next Reviews
js_loader
Call Now ButtonCall Now