December 01, 2025

Garage door left open notification

An open garage door is a security risk and can let in weather, pests, or unwanted visitors. This automation notifies you when the garage door has been open too long and optionally closes it automatically.

Use cases

Security and safety

Forgot to close - Get reminded after leaving
Kids left it open - Know when door is forgotten
Night security - Alert if open after bedtime
Away from home - Close remotely from anywhere

Protection

Weather protection - Close before rain or snow
Temperature control - Don't heat/cool the outdoors
Pest prevention - Keep animals out of garage

Products needed

Essential equipment

Garage door sensor

Options: Smart garage controller (Chamberlain myQ, Tailwind, Meross), tilt sensor, or contact sensor on door
Must report open/closed state to smart home platform

Optional enhancements

Smart garage door controller

Brands: Chamberlain myQ, Tailwind iQ3, Meross, Ratgdo
Enables remote open/close and status monitoring

Camera

Visual confirmation of garage status and contents

Motion sensor

Detect activity in garage for smarter auto-close timing

💡 Choosing a garage door sensor

Smart controller: Best option - controls door AND reports status
Tilt sensor: Detects when door tilts (opens) - easy install
Contact sensor: Mount on door frame and door - reports open/closed
Existing opener: Some openers have built-in WiFi (check for myQ compatibility)

Basic automation setup

IF garage door open for 10 minutes AND nobody is in garage (optional) THEN send notification "Garage door still open"

Automation 1: Open too long notification

Triggers

Garage door state is "open" for 10 minutes

Conditions (optional)

No motion detected in garage for 5 minutes
Home mode is not "Away" (separate automation for away)

Actions

Send notification: "Garage door has been open for 10 minutes"
Include action button to close door remotely

Automation 2: Open at night alert

Triggers

Time is 10:00 PM (or bedtime)

Conditions

Garage door is open

Actions

Send high-priority notification: "Garage door still open at bedtime!"
Optional: Auto-close after 2 minute warning

Platform-specific examples

Home Assistant

Trigger Garage door open for 10 minutes (use for: minutes: 10)

Condition Optional motion check

Action notify.mobile_app with actionable notification

Tip: Include action to close door directly from notification

SmartThings

IF Garage door is open for 10 minutes

THEN Send notification to all members

Note: Use Smart Home Monitor for additional alerts

Hubitat

Trigger Garage door open for 10 minutes

Action Send push notification

Setup: Use Rule Machine with delayed trigger
Optional: Use HSM for security integration

Apple HomeKit

When Garage door is open

Condition Add time condition if needed

Action Send notification

Note: May need Home+ app for duration triggers

Alexa

When Garage door is open (if supported)

Wait 10 minutes

Action Send notification, announce on Echo

Google Home

Limitation Limited native support for duration triggers

Workaround Use Home Assistant or IFTTT integration

Note: Can announce status on speakers

Auto-close options

Time-based auto-close

Automatically close after set time:

Trigger: Door open for 15 minutes
Condition: No motion in garage for 5 minutes
Actions: Send warning, wait 2 min, close door, confirm

Departure auto-close

Close when leaving home:

Trigger: Last person leaves home (geofence)
Condition: Garage door is open
Actions: Wait 2 min, close door, send notification

Bedtime auto-close

Part of night routine:

Trigger: Night mode OR time is 10:30 PM
Condition: Garage door is open
Actions: Send notification, close door

Safety warning for auto-close

Ensure garage door has proper safety sensors (photo-eye)
Never auto-close if people or vehicles might be moving through
Always send warning notification before closing
Consider adding a motion sensor for extra safety

Advanced features

Escalating notifications

Progressive alerts if door stays open:

10 minutes: Standard notification
30 minutes: Reminder with close option
1 hour: High priority alert
2 hours: Alert other family members

Weather-aware closing

Close before bad weather:

Trigger: Rain starting within 30 minutes
Condition: Garage door is open
Action: Send notification to consider closing

Dashboard status tile

Always know garage status:

Color coding: green (closed), red (open)
Show time since opened if currently open
Quick action button to close

Voice announcements

Audio reminders throughout home:

Trigger: Door open for 10 minutes
Action: Announce on all speakers

Quiet hours exception

Different behavior at night:

Daytime: Notification only after 10 min
Nighttime: Immediate + auto-close after 5 min
Away mode: Immediate + auto-close after 2 min

Common issues and solutions

Sensor shows wrong state

Problem: Tilt sensor mounted incorrectly or contact sensor misaligned.

Solutions:

Verify sensor mounting - tilt sensors need proper angle
Check magnet/sensor gap for contact sensors (< 1 inch)
Replace battery
Test sensor manually by opening/closing door

Notifications not arriving

Problem: Phone notification permissions or automation disabled.

Solutions:

Check notification permissions for smart home app
Verify automation is enabled and error-free
Test with manual trigger
Add app to Do Not Disturb exceptions

Auto-close not working

Problem: Smart controller offline or safety sensors blocked.

Solutions:

Test manual close via app
Check safety sensor alignment (floor level)
Verify controller is online and connected
Check automation logs for condition failures

Too many notifications

Problem: Delay too short or no cooldown between notifications.

Solutions:

Increase delay time (10-15 minutes)
Add condition: only if door was closed within last hour
Add notification cooldown (1 per hour max)
Use escalating notifications instead of repeated same message

Best practices

Finding the right delay time

Consider your habits:

Loading/unloading car: 5-10 minutes typical
Doing garage work: 30+ minutes
Quick grab from garage: 1-2 minutes

Recommended settings:

Standard alert: 10-15 minutes
Auto-close: 20-30 minutes minimum
Night mode: 5 minutes
Away mode: 2-5 minutes

Safety first

Always verify:

Safety sensors working properly
Warning before auto-close
Manual override accessible
Family aware of automation

Never auto-close without:

Motion sensor verification OR
Significant delay (15+ minutes) OR
Warning notification first

Multiple garage doors

Create separate automations per door:

Different notification sounds or messages
Different timing based on use (main vs. rarely used)
Separate status tiles on dashboard

Related automations: