How to Tell if Your Garage Door Sensor Is Bad

Your safety relies on well-functioning garage door sensors, so detecting potential threats is crucial to ensuring your peace of mind and protecting yourself and your property. Let’s explore how you can know when your garage door sensor is bad.

Signs of a Bad Garage Door Sensor

Are your garage door sensor lights off or flashing and your door not closing? The sensors may be the issue. You can identify these problems early to prevent security vulnerabilities by inspecting the lights.

Inconsistent Lights

If you notice one light is red and the other is green, there might be a problem with your sensors.

Red Light

When there are red lights on both garage door sensors, this means your system could be experiencing an alignment issue or an obstruction in the sensors’ path.

Green Light

Both lights should be green on your garage door sensors, as this generally means the sensors are functioning correctly. If one sensor’s light is off, you should look into potential problems.

When Does a Garage Door Sensor Need Replacement?

Wiring problems often cause sensor malfunctions. Over time, wear and tear affect wiring and disrupt sensor-control panel communication. Frequent false alarms or erratic, random behavior may mean it’s time for a replacement. Here is how you can check to make sure.

How to Test Your Garage Door Sensors

If one garage door sensor light is red and the other is green, or both are red, there are several ways to see if the issue is due to wiring issues or other problems. Some steps to take include:

Checking their alignment: Ensure that both sensors are aligned properly and clean any dirt, dust, cobwebs or debris that could blind them.
Removing obstructions: Clear the area of all objects that could get in the way of the two sensor units.
Inspecting sensor wiring: Look at the sensors for any areas needing replacement or repair.
Reviewing their power supply: Perform a simple test to determine sensor functioning and confirm that they receive a consistent power supply.

You may need to look into a replacement if these steps don’t resolve the issue.

Work With Our Team to Replace Your Garage Door Sensors

If the issue persists after these steps, it may be time to seek professional help. A Better Door Co., Inc. can diagnose the root cause and recommend reliable solutions. We are a local garage door opener repair company offering fast and reliable repair services throughout Suffolk and Nassau Counties. Contact us for a free estimate and schedule a day for services to secure your home’s safety.

You can also visit our showroom to see the doors in person.

How to Open a Frozen Garage Door

Finding your garage door frozen to the ground is a common problem during the winter months. There are several reasons that may cause this to happen.

One common cause is the buildup of snow and ice on the ground underneath the door. Long Island, NY averages between 20 and 35 inches of snow each year!

Another reason your garage door may become stuck is that the weather seals are worn and in need of replacement. Cold weather can also cause the metal components of garage doors to contract, which can result in misalignment in the tracks and other mechanical problems. In some situations, such as in the case of mechanical problems, you should consult your preferred garage door technician. That said, in many cases, you can safely free your garage door on your own.

If you find yourself in this situation, what can you do to get your door unstuck?

Five Tips for Getting Your Garage Door Unstuck From Ice

If your garage door becomes stuck on ice or snow, try these five tips to open it:

Check the door for any obstructions or broken parts. If you see something that looks particularly damaged or unsafe, contact a professional.
If you are able to get inside the garage and nothing looks amiss, pull the manual release cord to disengage the door from the opener. Then, if you are able, manually open and close the door a few times to dislodge frost and loosen any frozen sections.
If you can’t open the door manually, you likely have ice buildup under or just outside the door. Try applying heat using a blow dryer or heat gun set on low and go over these icy sections, steadily moving the heat blower back and forth. If your garage is heated, that will also help provide some relief to a stuck door.
If you don’t have a heat blower, try chipping away at the ice, pouring boiling water on the frozen areas or applying rock salt or hot salt. If you have time to wait, the door may thaw out on its own if temperatures are going to rise above freezing, or you can try using a space heater.
If none of these tips work, contact a professional garage door service.

How to Prevent Your Garage Door From Freezing Shut

To prevent your garage door from getting frozen shut, take the following preventive measures:

Clear the garage door area: Remove any snow and ice from around the door area on a regular basis so buildup does not occur.
Replace the weather seal: Weather seals or weatherstripping can become cracked and worn over time, which allows water to accumulate and freeze.
Apply a light Silicone Spray: You can help prevent sticking by applying a lubricant such as a silicon spray to the bottom of your garage door’s bottom seal.
Install a garage heater: A heater is a simple solution for preventing any freezing in the garage, but it does create an added expense. There are gas and electrical heater options, and gas is usually cheaper than electric.
Perform and schedule regular garage door maintenance: Regularly inspect the tracks, wheels and door for any obstructions, cracks or breaks and schedule maintenance appointments with the professionals.

Contact A Better Door Company For Preventive Maintenance

Contact A Better Door Company for your garage door preventative maintenance services. We are a family-owned company that has served Long Island for over 30 years.

We provide spring repair, cable repair, opener repair and weekend emergency repair as well as maintenance and installation services throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties.

When Should You Repair or Replace a Garage Door?

If you’re like most Long Island homeowners, you probably don’t give much thought to your garage door. You assume that when you hit the button on the remote or keypad, the door will open or close on demand.

But, as with any mechanical object, a garage door can fail to function correctly. A door system contains a variety of parts such as the opener, springs, cables and pulleys. An issue with any of these items and a host of other potential problems may require you to make an important decision: should you repair or replace your garage door?

Common Garage Door Problems

What can go wrong with a garage door? Here’s a list of some of the more common garage door problems:

The door won’t open or close.
The door opens too slowly or drops too quickly when closing.
You hear strange noises while the door is operating.
You notice damage to one or more of the panels.
The door opens slightly and then closes immediately.
The door appears to be sagging.

Depending on the nature and severity of the issue, you may need to make repairs to the damaged area or consider a full garage door replacement.

When to Repair a Garage Door

You can resolve many common garage door problems without having to replace the door. For example, if you try to open the door and nothing happens, a simple battery replacement in the opener’s remote-control unit may rectify the issue.

If you notice an imbalance on one side of the door, replacing a worn spring will often provide the solution. If a snapped or frayed cable is affecting the door’s operation, a cable upgrade can have it working properly again in no time.

Does your garage door have a damaged panel? A ball or other object that strikes the door or an accidental vehicle collision can create a dent or scratch. Most residential garage door manufacturers offer individual panels for sale that allow you to swap out the damaged unit without having to replace the entire door.

When to Replace a Garage Door

As your garage door ages, it’s likely to require more frequent maintenance and repair work. Replacing the entire garage door system is typically more cost-effective than paying for expensive repairs over and over again. Also, a door will often exhibit telltale signs that it’s wearing out, such as loud noises or slower opening and closing.

These symptoms tend to get worse with time.

If your door hasn’t been working properly for a while and is at least 10 years old, you should strongly consider an upgrade. If you have a household full of kids and pets, a new door can also offer a host of essential safety features you won’t find in older door systems. And if you’re looking to sell your home, replacing an aging garage door can enhance its curb appeal and boost its resale value.

Contact A Better Door Co., Inc. for more expert advice regarding when to repair or replace the garage door on your Long Island home.

How to Tell if Your Garage Door Sensor Is Bad