Garage Door Sensor Replacement in Broward County
Door opens but won't close? Blinking sensor lights? Your safety photo-eyes are misaligned or dead. We realign or replace sensors for Chamberlain, LiftMaster, and Genie — usually the same day.
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What Garage Door Safety Sensors Do
Safety sensors — the small photo-eye units mounted 4 to 6 inches off the floor on each side of your door — shoot an invisible infrared beam across the opening. If anything breaks that beam while the door is closing, the opener instantly reverses. They've been federally required on every new opener since 1993 (UL 325), and they're the reason garage doors don't close on kids, pets, or cars. When they fail, most openers refuse to close the door at all — the door will start down, then immediately reverse, or the wall button will only work if you hold it down.
Signs Your Sensors Are Bad
The telltale sign: one or both sensor LEDs are blinking or completely dark instead of glowing steady. A green receiving eye and amber sending eye should stay solid. Other symptoms: the door reverses for no reason, closes only when you hold the wall button, or worked fine until a bump, a spiderweb, or Florida sun glare knocked the alignment off. Before assuming replacement, we check the simple stuff first — dirty lenses, loose wiring at the opener head, and direct sunlight blinding the receiving eye (a surprisingly common Florida problem we solve with a simple sun shield).
Alignment vs. Replacement
About half of sensor service calls end with a realignment, not a replacement — a 15-minute fix. But sensors do wear out: moisture intrusion, corroded wire connections, and UV-degraded plastic housings are common after 10+ years in South Florida. When replacement is needed, the sensors must be compatible with your opener's logic board. We stock OEM and quality aftermarket photo-eyes for Chamberlain, LiftMaster, and Genie openers, and we test the full safety reversal system after every install.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my garage door open fine but won't close?
That's the classic sensor symptom. Openers are designed to always allow opening, but closing requires a clear sensor beam. Check for blinking sensor lights, dirty lenses, or something blocking the beam path 4–6 inches off the floor.
Do replacement sensors have to match my opener brand?
Usually yes — Chamberlain, LiftMaster, and Craftsman (all made by the same parent company) share compatible sensors, but Genie uses its own. We carry the right photo-eyes for every major brand and verify compatibility before installing.
Can sunlight really stop my garage door from closing?
Yes, and it's one of the most common Florida service calls. Late-afternoon sun shining directly into the receiving sensor overwhelms the infrared beam. We fix it with a simple sun shield or by repositioning the sensor slightly — no parts needed.
How much does sensor replacement cost?
Sensor replacement typically runs $90–$180 including parts and labor, depending on your opener brand. A simple realignment is even less. We quote upfront before any work.
How long do garage door sensors last?
Quality sensors last 10–15 years, but Florida humidity and UV exposure shorten that. If your sensors are over a decade old and acting up, replacement is usually smarter than another realignment.