I've had weather issues mess with sensors too, so you're definitely not alone. Mine was actually sunlight—believe it or not. Late afternoon sun would hit the sensor at just the right angle, and the door would refuse to close. Took me ages to pinpoint the issue because it always happened at random times. Ended up sticking a small cardboard flap above the sensor to shade it slightly... problem solved. Sometimes it's just these quirky little fixes that do the trick, huh? Glad your scrap wood shield worked out!
"Ended up sticking a small cardboard flap above the sensor to shade it slightly... problem solved."
Cardboard might work temporarily, but honestly, I'd be cautious about relying on it long-term. Moisture, dust, or even insects can degrade cardboard pretty quickly—especially in a garage environment. A simple metal or plastic bracket would probably hold up better and look cleaner. I get the appeal of quick fixes, but sometimes spending an extra 10 minutes on something sturdier saves headaches down the road.
Cardboard's definitely a quick fix, but I've seen it turn into a soggy mess after a few months—especially if your garage gets humid or damp. Had a client once who did something similar, and it ended up attracting spiders (they love cardboard for some reason...). Swapping it out for a small plastic shield or even bending a scrap piece of aluminum flashing would probably hold up better. Did you notice any difference in sensor sensitivity after shading it?
Cardboard's handy in a pinch, but yeah, dampness can turn it nasty quick. Good call on the aluminum flashing—it's cheap and holds up way better. I've used plastic covers myself, no issues yet. About the sensor sensitivity, shading mine actually seemed to help a bit with false triggers from sunlight reflections. Curious if anyone else noticed that too...
I've noticed shading helps too, especially if your garage faces south or west. Mine used to trigger randomly late afternoons—drove me nuts until I figured out it was sunlight bouncing off my neighbor's windows. Aluminum flashing is solid advice; I tried plastic covers once, but squirrels chewed right through them (little monsters...). Metal's definitely the way to go if wildlife's an issue in your area.
