DIY Garage Door Safety Beam Repair

You don’t always have to call a garage door company when your garage door won’t close. It could be a simple fix that you can do yourself. If you push the wall button or your remote control to close your garage door and it starts to close but opens right back up or there is a flashing light on your motor, you could have blocked, misaligned or dirty safety beams.

First thing you should do is check the area where your garage door closes and make sure that there is nothing in the way. Many times, a bike, toy or even a pool umbrella placed just a little closer to the garage can cause the safety beams to be blocked and make the garage door spring back open. Clear the items and try to close your garage door again. If it closes, problem solved!

If this doesn’t work, it could mean that your safety beams are not aligned. You can check by looking at their lights. One safety beam sends the signal, and the other receives it. If both lights are not a solid color or the safety beam lights are blinking, this means they are not lining up and cannot see each other. Simply adjust the safety beams by making sure they are pointing straight at each other. If your garage door closes after making this adjustment, you fixed the issue!

Another reason could be as simple as your safety beams are dirty. The buildup of dirt, cobwebs and even trash can also make it so your safety beams cannot see one another. Simply wipe down the beams with a clean, lint free rag and remove any dirt or residue on and around your safety beams. Try to close your garage door. If it closes, you once again fixed the problem on your own and saved money in the process!

If these don’t do the trick, it could be a safety reverse issue with your motor, which you would want a licensed professional to take of. If this is the case, give Baldwin Garage Doors and Gates a call and we will get your garage door working properly again.