Many people believe that the biggest problem with garage doors probably has something to do with the door itself, such as a problem with one of the panels. However, that is not the case. In fact, the biggest problem with garage doors today tends to involve the automatic reverse mechanism, with the photo eyes typically being the largest source of trouble. Many people have faced situations similar to the one that follows. It is raining and you have come home from a long day at work. You press the button to open the garage door, and it opens easily enough so you can get your vehicle inside. Then, when you try to close the door with the remote, it only goes down a certain amount before it reverses and opens back up.This is highly frustrating, but it does not usually mean there is a serious problem with the door. As mentioned, it is often just a problem with the photo eyes, which you could take care of on your own.
The Photo Eyes
Safety is a huge concern when it comes to garage doors and openers. These doors are heavy, and when the openers are not functioning properly or when the safety protocols are not in place, they can be dangerous. Ever since 1993 in North America, all garage door openers are required to have an automatic reverse system. These systems were implemented because of the many injuries, some very serious, when lowering garage doors. The photo eye reversal system consists of two units, which are situated alongside the tracks, about six inches off the ground to either side of the door. These eye beams are connected to the opener motor, an invisible beam passes from one device to the other, between the garage door opening. If there is anything that interrupts or breaks that beam when the garage door is trying to close, the door is going to reverse and go back up. The garage doors also have a second system for automatic reversal. This is a mechanical system that works very simply. If there is an object or a person or pet that is beneath the door and is hit with the bottom section of the door when it is descending, the door will reverse direction and open back up. You can test this system quite easily to see if it is working properly. You will want to take a 2x4 and place it beneath the garage door. Close the door, and if everything is working right, the door will go up as soon as the it hits the board.
Why Are the Photo Eyes Not Working Properly?
You might be wondering just why everything on your garage door opener works just fine except for the photo eyes. Most of the time, you will find the answer is quite simple. It is because they have become misaligned for some reason. They may have bumped by something as simple as a trash can or bicycle or even perhaps by a pet...the bump or contact may have caused them to become misaligned. When the door is not closing properly, you will want to check and see whether this might be the problem. In some cases, you might hear a clicking sound that would indicate that there is an issue with the photo eyes. You might also see a blinking light on the door opener. Those who have wall control panels will typically see a blinking LED light to indicate the problem. If you need any assistance, please don't hesitate to give us a call. Our hassle-free service stands ready to help, 832-641-0402
