Although rare, it is possible for your garage door to mysteriously open by itself. There are a few scenarios where your garage door might be opening on its own and how to address the problem.
Sensor Malfunction: Since 1993, federal law has required that garage doors must have safety features such as garage door sensors. This safety feature opens the garage door during the closing cycle when it detects objects in the way. Physical sensors may be on older doors which causes the door to reverse automatically when the door touches an object. Motion-eye sensors are on most newer doors and are fixed on either side of the garage door about six inches above the ground. The reversal mechanism kicks in when an object passes through the sensor’s line of sight. Misaligned, worn or dirty sensors can malfunction resulting in the garage door opening on its own. If your sensors are aligned and clean with nothing blocking the door but your door is still opening unexpectedly, call a garage door specialist to evaluate the situation and make repairs.
Garage Door Remote Malfunction: Most garage door units come with a keypad located on the exterior, an interior button and car remotes. Examine the buttons on all remotes to determine if any are stuck in the “pushed” position. The buttons can easily get stuck if they are dirty so make sure they are clean and free of debris. If cleaning the remote buttons doesn’t solve the issue, check the keypad housing to determine if there are any frayed connections needing to be replaced.
Radio Frequency Interference: Most garage door openers function at frequencies between 300 MHz and 390 MHz. The most common frequencies are 300 MHz, 310 MHz, and 315 MHz. When an electronic appliance or device in your home or near your property is emitting the same radio frequency interference will occur causing your garage door to open or close. This doesn’t require a specialist to fix, just removing the source of the other radio frequency should eliminate the problem. Garage door openers that may match your neighbor’s garage door frequency would cause your garage door to open. Their remote could be interfering with your door. Give your neighbor a call to determine if they are on the same frequency. Reprograming the unit should correct the issue.
Our team at A1 Affordable Garage Door Repair Services can diagnose the issue and repair any problems. Call us today at 972-877-5774. Serving Plano, Lewisville, Addison, and surrounding areas.
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