Are Garage Door Opener Sensors Required?

All garage doors need safety mechanisms and one of them is garage door opener sensors. Canadian law requires all garage doors to have safety features like sensors for protection. So, garage door sensors are the legally required safety systems for garage doors. These safety sensors have become a legal requirement in many Canadian provinces for a long time now. So when you fit a door for your garage, it must be with garage door opener sensors.

Although there are many other safety mechanisms, garage door sensors are most common and widely used.

What are garage door opener sensors?

Garage door sensors are the “eyes” with which your garage door sees. They are photoelectric sensors that use light as signals. They stop the garage door from closing if they sense something in the path. 

Garage door sensors come in pairs. They are fitted on either side of the door. One sensor sends a laser beam of light as a signal to the other.   

To open the garage door, you can send a signal to the sensor using a remote to open it. To close the garage door, again press the remote to close the door. As long as nothing is in its way, the garage door closes. If there is an obstruction in the path of this light, the infrared beam is broken. This causes the door to stop closing and go in reverse. This is how garage door opener sensors prevent accidents from happening with garage doors.

If there were no garage door safety sensor, the heavy door weighing over 500 pounds would come down on the object which obstructed it. This obstructing object could very well be a child’s foot! Avoid such gory mishaps with reliable garage door opener sensors on your garage doors that adhere to the latest safety standards.

Garage door opener sensors are usually placed at a height of less than 5-6 ft. This is to help the sensors recognize the presence of a child or pet. 

Why are garage door opener sensors a must?

Garage door opener sensors are a must for the safety of the user and the garage door. This is seen in the following ways these sensors help us.

• Garage door opener sensors prevent accidents 

While opening or closing the garage door, there are high chances of the automatic door closing by itself. This can prove fatal if a kid or a pet is in the way. But when you use garage door opener sensors, they do not close if something bars their line of sight. This prevents accidents and mishaps.

• Garage sensors help the heavy door to open or close automatically

A garage door weighs at least 500 pounds. You cannot manually lift it. Instead, use a remote and sensors to open and close it manually. It becomes an essential safety device for consumer protection. 

What problems can arise with garage door opener sensors?

Garage door opener sensors need maintenance if they should function in the long run. They could develop problems like these

• Dirt accumulation

The photo eye sensors accumulate dust and dirt. They have to be cleaned on a regular basis for them to function well.

• Condensation

In cold climates, there might be condensation formed on the sensors. This makes them foggy and hampers their operation.

Misalignment

Often, the garage door opener sensors may become misaligned with frequent use.  If the garage door opener sensors are not in line with each other, the door will not close.

All such problems and more can occur to garage door opener sensors. But without training and experience, you cannot identify or solve these sensor issues. Call a garage door repair professional at Thrifty Garage Door Repair in Vancouver, BC to inspect and repair garage door opener sensors. Talk to them about repair options for garage door sensors. Thrifty can make the photo eyes of your garage door shine bright!