Garage Door Won’t Close with Safety Eyes

Can’t figure out why your garage door won’t close? It’s probably an easier fix than you think. One of the most common reasons your garage door won’t close is malfunctioning garage door safety eyes. If these sensors on the opening of your garage are out of alignment or have faulty wiring, they won’t allow your door to close. Below, we’ll discuss some troubleshooting ideas to fix your garage door safety eyes. 

What Are Garage Door Safety Eyes?

First, let’s define what garage door safety eyes are. These safety sensors are located at the bottom corners of your garage door about six inches off the ground. They are an important safety feature because they trigger an automatic reversal of your door if they’re obstructed. Safety eyes are a huge blessing for ensuring that children, pets, or even yourself are not harmed when the garage door is closing. They keep your family safe by maintaining a clear line of sight to one another. If that line is obstructed, the broken signal tells the opener to stop closing.

However, because manufacturers build these sensors to be sensitive to obstructions, they can be a little temperamental. That is why cleaning and adjusting your safety eyes may be necessary on a regular basis to make sure they operate correctly. The sensors being close to the ground also makes it necessary to watch your garage door close completely before leaving your home. Even a small object in the path of your sensors could cause the door to reverse automatically. This leaves your garage door open all day without your knowledge. 

Why Your Garage Door Won’t Close with Safety Eyes

Below are four troubleshooting methods you can try to fix your garage door safety eyes. 

1: Take a look and see if there are any objects that may be breaking the signal between safety sensors. Even a small object near the sensors like a bucket or rake can interfere with the eyes sensor’s connection. If you notice anything like this, remove the object and see if the door will now close.

2: If there was nothing blocking your sensors, then make sure they are properly aligned with one another. If your garage door’s safety sensors get out of alignment, the door will operate as though there is an object blocking the path of travel. You can also clean both sensors with a soft cloth to clear away any dirt or debris that is blocking the connection. You might have to readjust and wipe the safety eyes several times before your door will close successfully. 

3: If everything checks out during the last two steps, then the last thing to check will be the wiring. A wire to either of your safety sensors can become broken or disconnected. Just as before, this means the garage door will understand this broken signal to mean that it should not close. In this situation, you can just reconnect the wires, or have it rewired. However, since you’re dealing with electricity, always practice caution!

4: If the last three steps didn’t fix your problem, you will need to schedule a repair consultation with a garage door company. A trained technician will be able to identify the issue with your safety eyes or another part of your garage door system. For the best local GA garage door company, choose Aaron Overhead Doors!

Contact Aaron Overhead Doors

Aaron Overhead Doors has years of experience repairing and replacing all problems with garage doors! Our expert technicians are ready to help you with any issue regarding your garage door. Also, if you want help with more troubleshooting ideas for your safety eyes, contact us. 

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