When it's working correctly, your garage door remote offers a convenient way to access your garage from outside and close it when you leave. This system relies on a radio signal that is usually unique to your garage door, but it can be interrupted by signals on a similar wavelength. These signals can come from an unexpected source: the LED light bulbs in your home.

How Can LED Lights Affect My Garage Door Remote?

Visible light and radio waves are on the same spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. LED bulbs emit both visible light and radio signals at the same time. Depending on the frequencies emitted by the bulb and used by nearby devices, a single light bulb on your porch, in your garage, or indoors can cause interference on radios, televisions, and any remote-controlled device--including your garage door.

With enough interference close to the receiver, this can drown out the signal telling your garage to open or close. As LED light bulbs have become more common in recent years due to their energy-saving benefits, this type of interference is also rising in frequency.

What Can I Do?

The simplest solution is to buy a different kind of light bulb or try a different model or brand, but if you're attached to your LED lights, there are other workarounds. You can make sure all your lights are off before you leave the home, so there will be no interference to contend with when opening and closing the garage.

You should also carry a house key with you whenever you leave, instead of relying on your garage door opener to let you in. If your garage door's signal settings are adjustable, you can also try setting it to a different range that may get less interference.

For help troubleshooting your garage door remote issues, choose Central Garage Door in Columbia, MO. For 10 years, they have been Boone County's specialists in garage door installations and repairs, offering superior products and excellent customer service. To schedule a visit, call them at (573) 886-7810 or get in touch online.