DID YOU KNOW? All of our technicians are employees of Overhead Door. We never use subcontractors!

DID YOU KNOW? All of our technicians are employees of Overhead Door. We never use subcontractors!

Mid-Atlantic Door Group Inc. Distributors of Overhead Door Corp.

How Does a Garage Door Sensor Work?

garage door sensorBecause of safety issues, the federal government mandated companies that produce garage door openers to install safety devices in order to prevent accidents. Since the law was introduced in the early 1990’s, all garage door openers have implemented door sensors in order to be in compliance with federal regulations.

Although garage door sensors are nearly ubiquitous, many people still don’t how they work. The main function of the photo eyes is to ensure that there is not anything blocking the path of the door when it is closing.

In order for the door to continue closing, the photo eyes must “see each other”, which is a loose way of saying that the ray of the infra-red beam that connects the photo eyes to each other remains uninterrupted. If that ray has been interrupted, the garage door will reverse, opening instead of closing.

How Does a Garage Door Sensor Work?
Garage door openers can be opened with a remote control, which activates the motorized trolley. While some buttons on garage door openers are wired to the house, others are remote powered, so that you can open your garage door while still in your car. However, most modern garage door openers combine the two technologies for the sake of convenience, allowing you the ability to use both features.

The system employs an infra-red radio signal, which activates the electric motor once the button is pressed on your remote. In turn the electric motor engages a track-and-pulley system, which then opens or closes your garage door. The infra-red sensors that facilitate your garage door opening system are placed on either side of your garage door/doors, and they stand approximately six inches off of the ground. If, for some reason, the sensors are malfunctioning, one of the sensor lights will start to blink.

Check to see if there are any obstructions as this can be the cause of the malfunction. If the garage doorway is clear, you may need to either clean the lens or realign the sensor/sensors. If all of these options fail, contact a professional to look into the problem.

About The Author | Justin White


Justin White is the VP of Marketing for Mid-Atlantic Door Group, Inc. The company opened in 1973 and now consists of (3) official Overhead Door™ Distributors and (8) warehouse locations throughout Maryland, DC, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Justin was born into the door industry, ultimately following in his father's footsteps and joining the family owned business in 2011. After spending time in the field with fellow mechanics, Justin found his niche in marketing, along with a specialty in residential garage door sales, installation, and service.

Garage Door Services

Since 1973, Mid-Atlantic Door Group, Inc. has been providing Washington DC, Suburban MD, Frederick MD, Southern MD, Northern VA, Fredericksburg VA, Richmond VA, Harrisburg PA, Hanover-York PA, and the surrounding areas with the most reliable and trusted garage door services. These services include new door sales, professional installation, and 24/7 garage door repair services on all makes and models.

We are the region's only Authorized Overhead Door™ Distributors. All of our products enjoy the garage door industry's best warranty.

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