Homeowners want a sensitive garage door—but not too sensitive
Garage doors can have all sorts of wonky problems. You might find your garage door is opening itself or the garage door won't open with the remote. But when your auto-reverse feature isn't working correctly, you really have a problem. Use the following tips to adjust the settings.
The first step is to test your garage door auto-reverse functionality to see if there's a problem.
Here’s an easy tip: Get something solid (like a cinder block) and place it under the garage door. Hit the close button and see if your garage door stops and retracts once it senses the brick. If it doesn’t, stop it manually before the door comes all the way down.
If the door doesn't reverse or seems slow to respond, this can present potential safety hazards and indicate you need to adjust the auto-reverse setting.
Once you've determined there's a problem, check the owner's manual. It provides a breakdown of garage door parts, components, and some detailed troubleshooting instructions specific to the garage door model you have. If you don't know where you placed yours, you can likely order a replacement from the manufacturer or find a copy online.
If you can't find a manual and want to adjust the settings now, you can troubleshoot on your own by checking the garage door motor itself. The exact location of each motor type varies, but check above where the vehicle would be parked, usually in the center of the garage. The motor resembles a plastic box or container and is safe to touch.
Depending on your model, there should be a component that looks like a screw or knob labeled as the auto-reserve sensitivity adjuster. You can use this to adjust the sensitivity by turning the knob counterclockwise (or with a screwdriver if it's a screw).
Once you’ve adjusted the sensitivity, perform the cinder block test again. Keep adjusting, testing, and re-testing until you achieve a sensitivity you like.
If adjusting the knob doesn't seem to work, this problem may be beyond your capabilities. In this situation, contact a garage door repair specialist near you. They can examine your door to determine what needs to be done and address other problems you might be having, like a noisy garage door.
Expect to pay an average of $220 to repair a garage door, although the actual cost can range anywhere between $50 to $550.
You may also need to hire a local electrician to fix faulty wiring, which may cost you $50 to $100 per hour. However, it may be worth it for the peace of mind that your family and pets are safe, even when the garage door is in operation.
