Bakersfield Garage Door Repair Steps to Align Garage Door’s Safety Sensors
Garage sensors enable your garage door in Bakersfield to operate efficiently. There are two garage sensors; the emitter and the receiver. The emitter sends a signal to the receiver. The receiver then closes your door.
The signal is in the form of infrared light that you may not see with the naked eye because it is out of the visible spectrum. The infrared light travels in a straight line. Therefore, when these two sensors are not aligned, communication does not occur successfully; hence the receiver does not receive the signal from the emitter.
Luckily, aligning these sensors is an easy activity that a technician can repair quickly. We have covered Bakersfield garage door repair steps that help restore your sensors to efficient operation.
Disconnect the Garage’s Power Supply
You will need a string, a level, a screwdriver, and electricity-resistant gloves to fix your garage sensors. Disconnecting the power supply helps to protect you from an electric shock. Working with wires requires maintaining a high level of safety. One way you can keep yourself safe is by using gloves that are resistant to electricity.
Check the gloves’ class to identify the ones you can use to work on electrical connections. Gloves that fall in Classes “00” and “0” can withstand up to 500 volts of alternating current. This means they are safe to use while working on your garage door sensors.
You can disconnect the power supply by tripping your garage’s fuse on the circuit breaker. If your garage sensors are manually plugged into an outlet, you can cut the power supply by turning off the switch.
Loosen the Screws Holding the Sensors in Place
Use a screwdriver to turn the mounting brackets’ screws anticlockwise. You don’t need to remove the screws; you only need to loosen them. This helps to move the mounting brackets of your garage door sensors up and down.
Move the Garage Door Sensors Downward
Once you have confirmed the mounting brackets can slide up and down easily, use your hands to move the garage door sensors downwards. Ensure the sensors are in their mounting brackets while moving them. It is not advisable to slide the sensors using a wrench because you may leave marks on the sensors that can interfere with their functionality.
Tie Knots With a String
After confirming the sensors are on the lowest possible point, attach one end of your string to one sensor and tie a knot.
Ensure the knot is as tight as possible, as this step contributes significantly to the success or failure of your exercise, and you don’t want to come all this way to fail. Take the unattached end of your string and tie a knot on the other sensor. Ensure the string is straight.
Inspect the String’s Level
Place your level below the string to confirm whether the two sensors are at the same level. Hold the level against the string for a few seconds to get an accurate reading. If your level shows your string is not straight, adjust one of the sensors to bring it to the same level as the other.
Tighten the Mountain Brackets’ Screws
When you are satisfied the sensors are at the same level, use your screwdriver to fasten the screws. Fasten them, so they hold the sensors in position without allowing them to move. You can try moving the sensors with your hands to confirm whether you have tightened the screws well.
Place your level below the string again to check whether the sensors are still aligned. This helps to fix any errors that may have occurred as you were tightening the screws.
Your Bakersfield Garage Door Repair Efforts Are Successful
When you are satisfied the sensors are aligned, remove the string and turn on your garage door’s power. You can now test the sensors to confirm whether they are working efficiently.
How to Tell Your Garage Door Safety Sensors Are Misaligned
The first sign you will notice is that your garage door in Bakersfield operates abnormally. Your garage door opener may open the door immediately after you close it. The door may also have difficulties closing.
You can use cardboard boxes to test whether there is any communication between the sensors. Open your garage door and place cardboard boxes under it.
Ensure the boxes’ height is more than 6 inches since the sensors are usually six feet above the ground. You can now try to close the door.
If the sensors are in good condition, the door will not close since the boxes interfere with communication between the two sensors. Alternatively, the door will close and reopen when it touches the boxes.
If the sensors are faulty, the door closes completely and damages the boxes. If you detect the sensors are malfunctioning, avoid using the door until your resolve the issue. If you continue operating the door in its faulty state, it may harm your pets or children.
You can also check the LED lights on the sensors to tell whether the devices are misaligned. Usually, the emitter sensor has a green LED light, while the receiver sensor has a red light. A malfunctioning sensor will have a blinking light. The light may also go out if the sensor is faulty.
Issues That Cause Your Garage Door’s Safety Sensor to Fall Out of Alignment
It is not abnormal for your garage door to fall out of alignment. The more frequently you use your garage door, the higher the chances of the door sensors falling out of alignment.
Your family may bump into one of the sensors as they are walking. You may also hit the sensors as you move things around the garage.
Temperature fluctuations cause the metal parts of your garage door to contract and expand. This may influence the sensors’ position.
Other Issues that May Affect Your Garage Door Sensors’ Efficiency
Your sensors may get blocked by dust over time, especially if you live near a busy street. The dirt may interfere with their ability to transmit and receive signals. You can use a soft cloth to clean the sensors.
Also, if you place your water sprinklers too close to your garage while watering your lawn, water drops may enter the sensor and interfere with its functionality.
A dry cloth can help clean the moisture. You can also unscrew the sensor holders and clean the interior components. Ensure you have cut the power supply during this operation.
The sensors may also fail to work if there is damage to their wiring. If you are unsure how to repair garage door sensors’ wiring, you can always contact professional garage door repairs in Bakersfield or Visalia garage door repair services.
