The value that comes with a garage door opener is something that helps offer homeowners unsung assets like convenience, while also helping avoid the stress and strain of opening these doors manually. However, those aspects can be negated when garage door safety beam issues exist, primarily due to the frustration that comes with watching a door suddenly reverse course for seemingly no reason.
Spotting the Symptoms
As the above video indicates, the simple press of a button is supposed to begin the process of either opening or closing that garage door. In this case, the closing of the door stops after a short period of time before moving back up to its original spot. While this is going on, the lights on the motor head flicker 10 times, a clear sign that something’s amiss.
That something is connected to the safety beams that are located near the floor on each side of the garage door. Ideally, they should be aligned to face each other, with a steady green light indicative of a properly working device. However, if one or both of them have an orange light instead, the beams have become misaligned.
Alignment Matters
The reasons for such a problem can be simple in nature, since the location of those beams is in an area that can easily be missed by anyone walking into or out of a garage. Individuals can inadvertently kick or bump into a beam, knocking it off the direct course needed to be in alignment with the other side.
Fixing this issue can often be quite simple, due to the fact that loosening the wingnut that’s holding the device in place allows for it to be moved back to where its proper spot. Once that spot is determined, tightening the wingnut back up will take care of at least one side.
The Value of Keeping an Eye on Things
In some instances, the issue can be related to something blocking the beam’s path. That can be items that are stored within the garage that have subsequently fallen into that path, discarded paper that wouldn’t otherwise be a problem or falling leaves that have collected near the affected area.
Such blockage can also be connected to simple cleanliness. Over the course of any length of time, these areas will collect dust or be dirtied in some other fashion. Given the sensitivity of the device, even a minor blocking of the lenses because of these problems can render the garage door opener at least temporarily useless. Using a clean rag to wipe the sensors clean should do the trick.
Wiring Worries
Many of the above problems can often be handled in a matter of moments, though the same can’t say when things like wiring problems enter the picture. At that point, the potential dangers involved an increase, with things like receiving an unwanted shock or worse a real possibility.
The level of complexity in fixing such problems also helps ratchet up the likelihood that a call to a professional technician is the best course of action. That’s because the issue might involve cutting a wire at a precise point or simply trying to make sure that all wires are connected properly.
The Best Option
All Pro Door Repair serves the Dallas-Fort Worth market for all sorts of the garage and commercial doors, as well as gates. We’ve been doing it since 2001 and are ready to help with any garage door safety beam issues you’re having. So give us a call at 972-624-1515 or 469-384-5400 or fill out our online form.
