Are Garage Door Opener Sensors Required?

All homeowners with an automated or Electronic Garage Door may have faced a bad experience with the garage door sensors. When closing the garage door, we may have noticed that the door does not close because the sensor detects something in its path when there is nothing there. Because of these types of experiences, many homeowners wonder if they need to have these sensors in the first place.

Garage Door Sensors Are Important and shouldn’t be removed. However, you need to be aware of quite a few important factors with garage door sensors.

What Are Garage Door Sensors?

They are also referred to as Photoelectric Eye Sensors. These are small devices installed on the garage doors to prevent the garage door from shutting when something like a shoe, child or a pet might be in the way. If anything, they are a safety mechanism that prevents injury. Since garage doors can weigh upwards of 400 pounds in general, they are dangerous, so extra safety is needed.

Garage Door Sensors often sit opposite each other, with the garage door running between them. A special laser is shot from one sensor to the other, connecting them when the door is open. As the door comes down, the garage door will close without issue as long as nothing is in its path. However, if there is something in its path like a child running or a ball, the garage door will stop and then reverse, often moving up to prevent an accident.

Garage Door Sensors

Garage Door Sensors Are Universal

Just about every garage door sensor out there will work the same way and serve a similar purpose. However, there are several brands of sensors.

Some of the sensors are advertised as being universal, which means they will work with a garage door opener that’s compatible with it.

That often means the sensors you install will offer the same level of safety after they are installed regardless of the garage door opener type, make or model.

Garage Door Sensors Are Universal

Do You Need Sensors Installed?

Garage door sensors have effectively saved the lives of possibly hundreds of children and adults alike. However, the question is, does your garage door require it? The answer to that is “yes,” it’s needed by all garage doors in the US. Garage doors need to have safety features like sensors installed.

According to US Federal Law 325, all garage doors need to have a safety mechanism like garage door sensors. Despite there being other safety tools, the garage door should have an approved device like a sensor. That’s why even certified garage door repair specialists like us can’t remove the sensor; we can only replace a faulty one.

Conclusion

Is your garage door sensor failing? Have you been experiencing strange issues? Then call us today. In most cases, it is a fairly low-cost replacement regardless of the make and model of your garage door.