Will Garage Door Work Without Sensors? (Easy Steps For Fast Bypass)

The use of sensors on garage automatic doors is a great security option.

They save time every time you have to get in and out of the car to open the door. Additionally, garage door sensors help to prevent accidents by stopping when they detect something or someone in the way.

But what happens when the garage door sensors go bad and don’t work anymore? Is there any way to open the garage door by bypassing the security of garage door safety sensors?

Don’t worry, because there is. In this guide, we will go step by step through how to circumvent security sensors when they do not work.

Before you have to use your door manually, we will examine other possibilities, such as why your security sensors are not working.

So if you want to be an expert in the malfunction of garage door sensors, keep reading this guide for a more extensive understanding of the subject.

Why do the Garage Door Opener Sensors no longer work?

Before we move on to the steps you need to know to bypass your garage door sensors, we need to know what is the reason why the sensors are no longer working.

Perhaps the solution is easier than you think and you will save time and effort if you manage to find out the root of the problem.

1. Obstructions Around The Door

Check first if any obstructions are preventing the door from closing normally. Remember that the sensors will perceive the smallest detail, so any object that is near the door may be causing the garage door not to close.

So the first thing you need to do is clear the garage door area. Do not leave things leaning near the door such as broomsticks or garden lamps. Check the outside and inside of your garage door to make sure all the space is clear.

2. The Sensor Lens

If you have not found anything that prevents the garage door from closing, then we must focus on the sensor lens.

Check that the sensor lenses are clean. You can use a microfiber cloth to clean the lenses, that way you will avoid scratching the delicate components of the sensors.

You should not use woolen or cotton cloths to clean the sensors. These are constantly filled with dust and dirt, even more so if you are in a location close to hills or with a lot of wind and dust around.

3. The Alignment Of The Sensors

Finally, you must verify if the alignment of the sensors is correct, otherwise, they will not work.

On the sides of the garage door, the sensors are always located in the supports. They are usually installed with wing nuts on the far left and right side of the door.

First, check that the wing nuts are securely attached to the brackets. Sometimes it is the supports themselves that get out of adjustment, so for this you will have to have a screwdriver and adjust the supports to the maximum, taking care that they are aligned with each other.

If your sensors use LED lights, the job will be easier, since you will be able to check the correct alignment of your sensors every time the green light does not blink but stays on constantly.

4. Wiring problems

The problem may not have anything to do with the sensors, but with the wiring that feeds the sensors. Check if you have frayed or burned cables, if that is the case you must turn off the automatic door immediately so as not to cause a short circuit and avoid any additional problems.

The best way to deal with faulty wiring is to call a professional.

Go to your trusted electrician to do the job and for no reason venture to do it yourself if you do not have prior knowledge.

How to disable and use your garage door without sensors?

Our only option if the sensors cannot be fixed is to put the door in manual mode until someone can fix the sensors.

The idea is that when doing this operation the garage door is closed. Because if it has been left open or between open when it comes to manual mode it can close suddenly and cause a loud noise. It can also be dangerous if you have pets or small children around the place.

Before starting this process, make sure that no one is around and, if possible, ask an adult relative or friend to help you.

Step 1: Take Security Measures If The Door Is Not Fully Closed

If your door has gotten stuck halfway, it is important to take security measures so that when we disconnect it does not fall unexpectedly.

The first thing to do is get some 2x4s to try to buttress the door and cover the gap between the garage door and the floor.

If you do not have 2×4 boards or the door is stuck at a lower distance, you can find some furniture, easels, or ladders of the same size that fit the space between the floor and the door.

You must put two wooden boards at the sides of your garage door. Some people prefer to put even three wooden boards, two at the ends and one in the middle for added security, but just two wooden boards at the ends are enough.

Use a hammer to hit the wooden boards and that they are well adjusted, that way they will not slide due to the weight of the door and they will fulfill their function of propping up the garage door 100%.

Step 2: Switch The Door To Manual Mode

This is the next step you should take if your garage door has stopped working closed or if you already propped it up with boards or a piece of furniture that can support its weight.

Locate the manual door release cord. It is usually red in color and is located next to the motor that powers your automatic garage door.

Pull the cord down to disconnect the car from the automatic opening system. This will be enough for you to open and close your garage door manually.

If the door is left open, ask someone to help hold it while you remove the boards or furniture that support it so that the door does not slam shut. Proceed carefully, always coordinating with the person who is helping you.

How To Open The Door?

To reopen the door you just have to pull the red cord down and into the garage door motor. Be careful that the cord does not get caught in the door tracks. That’s why to do it smoothly and slowly, there is no need to use a lot of force or do it quickly.

If you are having trouble doing it yourself, you can ask someone for help.

How To Back To Automatic Mode?

To return to automatic mode you simply have to do the same movement but in reverse. That means you’re going to pull the red cord down and out of the garage.

The moment you pull the cord out of the garage, open the door simultaneously or ask someone to do it for you.

By pressing the button on the remote control, you will be able to open the door again in automatic mode.

Data To Take Into Account

Before you go into the trouble of bypassing the sensors or disengaging your garage’s automatic mode, you should make sure your garage door opener comes with a diagnostic system.

Diagnostic systems tell you what went wrong or what is the problem and why your gate is not working properly. This can be very helpful and will save you a lot of time trying to identify and fix the problem.

Most of those systems come with lights, emitting a blinking signal when they detect a problem so the gate can be closed properly.

Another indicator that there are problems is the lights on dimly or some models come with signs such as arrows that tell you that there is a problem with the alignment of the sensors.

If everything is in order, usually the green lights will stay on constantly.

If you can completely shut down your system to open gates or the power supply, it’s definitely the best option. Since by circumventing the security sensors and pulling the cord for the gate to close or open, the sensors are not fulfilling their function and the gate will not be able to perceive if there is someone or something that gets in the way while it is moving.

This is very dangerous if you have small children or pets always hanging around the garage.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are ways to circumvent your garage door sensors to open them manually. However, we do not recommend that you do so, since you will be losing the safety features of your garage system.

The best thing is to completely disconnect the system until you have new sensors or call a technician so that he can change the necessary replacements for optimal operation of your gate.