Garage door safety sensors are like an extra pair of eyes installed on each garage door track near the bottom. They play a significant role and if the door is activated to close while there is an object in its way, it could be a person, a pet or even your car, the sensors tell the opener to stop immediately and roll the door back up. This ingenious device helps to prevent accidents and injuries.
Older garage door models doesn’t have safety sensors and if that is your case you are probably wonder if you can add them to your current opener. The answer is not clear and in most cases will be: “it depends”
Before 1993 garage door opener
Let’s start with saying that it’s amazing if your garage door opener was made before 1993 and it still works! Openers from before the year 1993 don’t have safety sensors and also can’t add them. In fact on January 1, 1993, as part of federal regulations issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission safety sensors became mandatory in the United States These regulations required all newly manufactured garage door openers to include this safety feature so to keep things safe, you’ll need to replace your opener. Although upgrading your opener isn’t cheap it will definitely to help protect people you care about and also your precious belongings from getting hurt or damaged, modern openers come with great benefits these days that make your life much more convenient.
After 1993 garage door opener
If your garage door opener was made after 1993, it already came with safety sensors and if these sensors are damaged in any way you can easily replace them regardless to tour garage door opener brand or type.
Tips for Installing and Testing Garage Door Sensors
- Garage doors safety sensors should be installed at the bottom of the track about 3 to 6 inches above the ground. This is exactly the spot where it helps make sure no person, grown up or a kid, pet or any other object can go under the sensor and get hurt by a closing garage door.
- The sensors should be securely bolted to the track and not just clipped on so they won’t fall or bumped out of place.
- The wires should be tied together in order to prevent them from being accidentally pulled and disconnected during garage activities.
- To make sure that your safety sensors are on just look for the LED light on each sensor and make sure that it is on.
