How A Simple Toilet Paper Roll Can Help Fix Your Garage Door That Won't Shut

On a perfect sunny day, the last thing you want to deal with is an electrical issue that affects the sensory system that controls your garage door. Unfortunately, reality isn't always ideal – garage door sensory systems can be affected by strong rays of sunshine that hinder the light from the sensors and leave you wondering why your garage door won't close. Thankfully, all you need to address the problem is to make use of an empty toilet paper roll and a cutting device to act as a blockade between direct sunlight and your garage door's artificial sensory light.

Garage door sensors work by using an infrared light to detect motion that occurs around our garages. These sensors are located closer to the ground and at the entryways. When the door detects motion, it lifts itself to prevent anything from getting crushed under the heavy weight of the garage door. When sunlight blocks the infrared light of garage door sensors, it puts people, pets, and objects at risk of having the garage door closed on them. With this toilet paper roll trick, you'll be able to cover the sensor from sunlight without blocking it from doing its job.

To get started, take an empty toilet paper roll, and use a cutting device to take approximately 2 inches off the toilet paper tube. This is to ensure that your toilet paper roll tube isn't so long that it blocks the sensor completely and prevents the garage from doing its job. Once you've cut the tube into its desired shape, slide it over the garage door sensor so that it's directly centered over the sensor's eye. You'll be able to identify the eye by noticing the electronic light placed front and center of your garage sensor. Be sure that the tube is longer than the sensor but not so long that it doesn't stand still over the electronic eye.

After you've identified the correct placement for the tube, you may use duct tape or another preferred adhesive to secure the tube in place and ensure it doesn't move around. You can check if your work is done by pressing the garage door button and seeing whether it opens and closes. If it doesn't, you may have to go back in and make sure the tube is blocking the sun without blocking the sensor entirely. Once any potential adjustments are made, you're finally free to enjoy the sunny day ahead of you.