Navy system messing with garage door remotes

MONTVILLE, Conn. (WTNH) -- Many in Montville have been left frustrated with garage door openers that don't work anymore because of a Navy communications system that's in use in Connecticut.

"I'm gonna hit the button now and nothing is happening to the door," said Al Tuchman.

He used to be able to open his garage door from the street.

"Until you get to a certain point, there it goes," he said.

Now radio frequencies from the communication system used at the submarine base in Groton seem to be jamming up more than 60 garage door remotes in one Montville neighborhood.

"Now we can go out of our car," said Sondra Tuchman, "but come the winter we don't want to have anyone come out of their car, slip on the ice if it's snowing or raining."

The SUBASE says, "because garage door openers are unlicensed devices, they are not offered any protection from interference by licensed users in the same frequency band..." However, Overhead Door can change the frequency it assigned for some folks.

"They quoted $35 a piece for these, $95 for what they have to put on the inside, and $130 to come down," Al said.

The company offered $25 off the service call, but is it enough? The frequencies have been reserved for military use for some time now.

"We're just wondering if there's something that the company can do or is doing to try to help them out, defray any costs," said News 8's Tina Detelj.

Overhead Door called us back offering some discounts on equipment as well.

Some folks who have windows on the top of their garage door say they have to aim the remote there to get the door to open.

"We would hope someone would take care of it," said Salvatore Garro.