Unlike other entry points in your home (we hope!), your garage doors are the only spot that can sometimes open on their own. Technology, like us, sometimes makes mistakes. A faulty garage door that opens on its own can put your home’s security at risk, however. This why we wanted to discuss this phenomenon, the sources, and what you can do to prevent this from happening.
Missed Connections
One of the more common culprits of “ghost” garage doors are disconnected safety sensors. If you aren’t familiar, sensors are those two camera-looking things located at the bottom of your door’s frame – each on different ends facing one another. This mechanism is programmed to open the door anytime an obstruction is sensed. The goal here is to prevent the door from closing on anyone.
Sometimes, the sensors may be reading an obstruction when they are actually just misaligned. First, check your sensors to make sure no tools or items in your garage are in the way of the sensors. Once you have confirmed that the way is clear, aim the sensors so that the connection is secured again. Many sensors have a light that blinks when not connected/obstructed, so keep fixing your sensors until that light goes static.
Check the Remote
Another source of mysterious garage door openings is in the remote & operator button. If you have had your garage door opener for a while, it’s possible that dirt buildup within the buttons is causing things to be locked in the “open” position. Take a look at your remote (which you probably keep in your car) and the operator button (likely on the wall of your garage) and clean out any debris that you notice.
The batteries in the remote could also be something to check. Whether they are incorrectly positioned or the batteries have worn out, addressing this could prevent your garage doors from opening on their own.
Talk to Your Neighbor
While it may be a rare occurrence, it can definitely happen – especially if you have a garage door opener built before 1993! Sometimes, a nearby neighbor may have a garage door opener that is set to the same wireless code as yours. To confirm that this is the case, have your neighbor activate their remote and see if yours moves as a result.
If it ends up that you both are on the same channel, the fix is pretty simple. Just reset your opener to a new code. Consult your garage door opener manual (try looking it up online if you don’t have it in print anymore), and it should have instructions to complete this task.
And if all else fails…
Call a Professional Garage Door Service
If your system continues to open and/or close out of your control, give us a call! A1 Door Company has been repairing garage door systems in Richmond, VA, & beyond for almost 20 years. Our team can offer prompt service – so give us a call today!
