Kustom Restores the Safety System Your Family Depends On
The door opens fine. You press the button to close it, and the door starts down — then immediately reverses back up. Or it does not start closing at all. The lights on the opener blink a pattern. The little indicator lights on the sensors near the floor are off, blinking, or showing colors you have not seen before. You press the button again. Same result. The door will not close.
Your garage door is not broken. Your garage door is doing exactly what it was designed to do.
The safety sensors — the two small devices mounted on each side of the door opening near the floor — create an invisible infrared beam across the opening. When that beam is intact, the opener knows nothing is in the door's path, and it allows the door to close. When the beam is broken or the sensors cannot communicate, the opener refuses to close the door because it cannot verify that the path is clear. The system is protecting against the possibility that a child, a pet, or a person is standing under a door that weighs 150 to 300 pounds.
The problem is not that the safety system is too cautious. The problem is that the sensors are malfunctioning — misaligned, dirty, damaged, or experiencing a wiring issue — and the opener is reading a false obstruction signal. The door will not close until the sensors can confirm a clear path.
Kustom is the team Connelly Springs homeowners call when the sensors are preventing the door from closing. We diagnose sensor problems accurately, distinguish true sensor failures from other issues that mimic sensor symptoms, and restore proper function so the door closes safely and reliably every time.
Your door won't close because your sensors won't let it. Call (888) 670-9331, and Kustom fixes the sensors so the safety system works for you — not against you.
The signature sensor symptom. The opener operates normally in the opening direction because sensors are not involved in the opening cycle — they only govern the closing cycle. If the door opens perfectly but refuses to close, sensors are the first suspect.
The door begins its downward travel and then reverses before reaching the floor — sometimes within the first few inches, sometimes partway down. The opener detected a broken beam or a sensor communication failure during the closing cycle and reversed as a safety response. This can happen from an alignment issue that manifests only when the door's vibration during travel shifts a marginally aligned sensor out of beam contact.
Each sensor has an indicator light. The sending unit typically shows a steady light indicating it is powered and transmitting. The receiving unit shows a steady light when it is receiving the beam and a blinking or absent light when it is not. One light off or blinking while the other is steady usually indicates misalignment, a dirty lens on the receiving side, or a wiring issue to the non-functional sensor.
When neither sensor shows any indicator light, the sensors have lost power. The issue may be at the opener's sensor terminals, in the wiring between the opener and the sensors, or a power supply failure. Both lights off indicates a wiring or connection problem rather than an alignment issue.
Most modern openers communicate diagnostic information through their main indicator light — specific blink patterns corresponding to specific error conditions. One blink often indicates a sensor issue. Multiple blinks may indicate a sensor wire problem. The specific pattern varies by brand. Kustom technicians read these diagnostic codes to accelerate diagnosis.
This is a built-in bypass feature on most openers — pressing and holding the wall button continuously overrides the sensor safety and allows the door to close. This feature exists for situations where the sensors are temporarily non-functional and the user can visually verify the path is clear. If you can close the door only by holding the button, the opener is confirming that the sensor system is non-functional. This workaround should not become your routine — it bypasses the safety system entirely.
An intermittent sensor problem is among the most frustrating to live with. The door may close fine in the morning and refuse in the afternoon — suggesting sun interference. It may work most days and fail after a rainstorm — suggesting moisture in wiring connections. It may work after you tap the sensor bracket — suggesting a marginal alignment that vibration occasionally disrupts.
Click here to Call (888) 670-9331The Photo-Eye System — Sender and Receiver: The sensor system consists of two units mounted on opposite sides of the door opening, approximately six inches above the floor. One unit is the sender — it emits a focused infrared beam. The other is the receiver — it detects that beam. The two must be precisely aligned so the beam from the sender hits the receiver's detector consistently.
The Infrared Beam Across the Door Opening: The infrared beam is invisible to the human eye and spans the full width of the door opening at ankle height. This position is designed to detect the presence of a child, a pet, or any person in the door's path.
What Happens When the Beam Is Broken: When a person, pet, or object breaks the beam — walking through the opening or standing in the path — the receiver loses the signal. The opener immediately stops closing or reverses. This is the system working correctly — preventing the door from closing on an obstruction.
What Happens When Sensors Malfunction: When sensors malfunction — misaligned, dirty, or damaged — the receiver cannot detect the sender's beam even though no obstruction exists. The opener reads this the same way it reads a broken beam: something may be in the path. The safety logic refuses to allow closing because it cannot distinguish between a real obstruction and a sensor failure.
Why the Door Opens but Won't Close: The opening direction poses no safety risk from the sensor perspective — the door is moving away from the ground. Sensors govern only the closing cycle because closing is when the door moves toward the ground where people, pets, and objects may be present.
Federal Mandate — Required Since 1993: The Consumer Product Safety Commission mandated photo-eye sensors on all residential garage door openers manufactured after January 1, 1993. These sensors are not an optional convenience feature — they are a federally required safety system.
Misalignment — Bumped, Shifted, or Vibrated Out of Position: The most common cause of sensor failure. A bump from a bicycle, a broom, or a foot can shift the sensor enough to break beam alignment. Even thermal expansion of the mounting bracket in Connelly Springs's heat can alter alignment enough to lose the beam.
Dirty Lenses — Dust, Cobwebs, and Debris: The sensor lenses are small and mounted near the floor where dust and garage debris accumulate. A film of dust or a cobweb across the lens can block enough of the infrared signal to prevent reliable beam reception.
Sun Interference — Direct Sunlight Overwhelming the Receiver: When direct sunlight hits the receiver, the solar infrared can overwhelm the sender's signal. This is a common problem in Connelly Springs, where intense sun and low-angle afternoon light are frequent.
Wire Damage — Cut, Frayed, Corroded, or Pest-Chewed: The thin wires running along the wall and ceiling are vulnerable to being cut during organization, corroded at connections from Connelly Springs's humidity, or chewed by rodents.
Moisture and Corrosion on Connections: Connelly Springs's humidity promotes corrosion on the wire connections at the sensor and opener terminals. Corroded connections create resistance that weakens the signal or creates intermittent contact.
Age and Component Degradation: Sensor electronics degrade over time. Capacitors age, and LED emitters dim. Sensors in service for 10 to 15 years may have degraded to the point where beam strength is marginal.
Power Surges and Physical Damage: Connelly Springs's frequent lightning creates surges that can damage sensitive sensor electronics. Additionally, direct hits from vehicles or equipment can crack housings or break brackets.
LED Degradation — Sender Dimming Over Time: The sender's infrared LED gradually loses intensity over years. As the beam weakens, the system becomes more sensitive to misalignment, lens contamination, and sun interference.
Click here to Call (888) 670-9331Force Settings Causing Reversal (Not Sensors): If the door starts closing and reverses after traveling partway — not immediately — the issue may be the opener's force settings detecting resistance from a binding roller or tight track.
Track Binding Creating Resistance: A bent track or debris creates resistance during closing. The opener's safety system detects this and reverses, which can mimic sensor behavior.
Limit Switch Issues: Misadjusted limit switches can cause the opener to stop short or reverse prematurely, looking like a sensor malfunction.
Logic Board Failure: The opener's logic board processes the sensor signal. A failing board can misinterpret a good sensor signal as a broken beam.
Replacing sensors when the real problem is force settings, track binding, or a logic board wastes money on parts that were not the issue. Kustom's diagnostic process rules out non-sensor causes before recommending sensor replacement.
What These Sensors Prevent: These sensors were mandated because children died. Residential garage doors closing on children caused fatalities and dozen of injuries before the 1993 mandate. The sensors detect presence and stop the door before contact.
The Weight and Force of a Closing Door: A standard door weighs 150 to 250 pounds. A door closing under motorized force applies enough downward pressure to cause serious crushing injury or death.
Children, Pets, and the Seconds That Matter: Scenarios where sensors are critical happen in seconds. The beam detects presence and stops the door faster than any human can react.
When sensors malfunction, some homeowners disconnect them to restore function. This is extremely dangerous. It removes the only automated system preventing the door from closing on a person. The inconvenience of a non-closing door is temporary; the consequences of a failure are permanent.
Place an object — a cardboard box or broom — in the door's path at floor level, breaking the beam. Press the close button. The door should either refuse to close or reverse immediately. If it closes on the object, the system is not functioning and needs immediate service.
Click here to Call (888) 670-9331We observe the door's behavior and examine the sensor indicator lights to provide immediate diagnostic direction.
We verify that the sender and receiver are aimed precisely and determine whether the issue is alignment, power, or signal reception.
We trace the wiring to the opener terminal, checking for damage, loose connections, corrosion, and routing issues.
We rule out non-sensor causes like force settings or track binding that can produce sensor-like symptoms to prevent unnecessary parts replacement.
We execute the specific repair needed—realignment, lens cleaning, wire repair, connection treatment, or sensor replacement.
We perform a beam test and an obstruction response test. Both must pass before we consider the repair complete.
LiftMaster / Chamberlain Sensors: The most common system in Connelly Springs. We carry replacement units and understand all their diagnostic light patterns.
Genie Sensors: We service and replace Genie sensors with brand-correct replacements and connectors.
Linear and Legacy Brands: We source compatible replacements for older or discontinued specifications and verify function with your existing opener.
Upgrading Older Sensors: Upgrading 1990s-era sensors provides a stronger beam and better resistance to sun interference.
| Service Category | Typical Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Realignment and Cleaning | $75 to $150 |
| Wire Repair and Connection Treatment | $75 to $200 |
| Single Sensor Replacement (with alignment) | $75 to $150 |
| Dual Sensor Replacement (with alignment) | $100 to $225 |
| Full Wiring Run Replacement | $150 to $350 |
The Cost of Not Fixing Sensors: The repair cost is trivial compared to the potential safety consequences or the insecurity of an open garage. Fixing your family's safety system is one of the most important maintenance tasks you can perform.
Click here to Call (888) 670-9331Accurate Diagnosis: We confirm sensors are the problem before replacing them, preventing wasted money on unnecessary parts.
Wiring Expertise: We trace and repair connections, addressing the root cause rather than just swapping components.
Sun Interference Solutions: We apply shields and repositioning specific to Connelly Springs's intense solar conditions.
Safety Verification: We do not leave until the door passes both normal closing and obstruction reversal tests.
Upfront Pricing and Warranty: Clear pricing before we start, backed by our full warranty on parts and workmanship.
Kustom provides garage door safety sensor repair throughout every neighborhood in Connelly Springs and the greater metro area. Call (888) 670-9331 to confirm coverage.
Your sensors are doing their job, but they need help. Kustom fixes the misalignment, dirty lenses, or damaged wires that are preventing your door from closing safely.
Kustom restores the safety system your family depends on. One visit, precise repair, and verified safety. Call (888) 670-9331 today.
Click here to Call (888) 670-9331