Garage door sensors in Bonita Springs, for a door that keeps turning back
The two small eyes near the floor keep the door from closing on a person, a pet or a car. When they can't see each other, the door turns around and goes back up. Usually the cause is a smudge, low sun or a bumped bracket; sometimes it's the wire.
- Time at your house: 30 to 45 minutes
- Licensed in Florida: CGC15***47
Signs the sensors are involved
- Halfway down, the door changes its mind and opens again.
- It shuts only while someone holds the wall button the whole way down.
- The small LED on one sensor is off or blinking.
- It acts up late in the day, when low sun reaches into the garage.
- It stopped closing after the garage was cleaned or things were moved around.
- Water reached the garage floor recently; read what to check after the water.
Our checks, in order
Lenses and alignment first, then the brackets, the thin low-voltage wire along the wall (a staple or a nibbling rodent can cut it) and the connections at the opener. If a sensor has failed, we replace both so they match. Before we leave, we put an object in the beam and close the door to prove it reverses.
Why we won't bypass them
Taping the sensors together or wiring around them gets a door closing again, and removes the one thing that stops it on a toddler, a dog or the hood of a car. We don't do it. A sensor problem is almost always a short repair, and if it turns out to be the opener instead, you'll know before we touch it.
Not sure where the trouble starts? See our troubleshooting guide; a door stuck open overnight is an emergency call.
Permit
Bonita Springs' list of work exempt from permits (Sec. 10-21) doesn't mention garage door sensors, so we check with the city's building department first and tell you their answer.
Sensor questions
It usually means the two sensors can't see each other: they're out of line, dirty or blocked. Nudge the one that blinks until its light is steady, and wipe both lenses.
Yes. Low sun shining straight into the receiving sensor can drown out its beam, which is why some doors act up only late in the day. Swapping the sensors' sides or adding a small shade usually solves it.
No. The sensors are what stops a closing door from hitting a person, a pet or a car, and a door without them loses that protection. A sensor fault is almost always a quick repair.
Start with a photo
Point your phone at the door, or at the model label on the opener, and send the picture to (239) 880-9274. Calls and texts are answered at any hour, and you'll learn what it looks like, how long the fix should take and our first open slot.
One number for calls and texts. Your call gets answered, day or night.