THE GARAGE DOOR BALANCE TEST:
When a garage door is disconnected from its opener it should be easy to work by hand. A garage door is only going to work with an opener as well as it works for you manually. If your garage door is out of balance in either direction it will stress out your opener. That can decrease the life span of your opener dramatically.
SECTIONAL GARAGE DOORS: First make sure the garage door is closed. Then locate your emergency disconnect. Pull lightly to disconnect the traveler lock. Now you’re ready to work the garage door manually. (PLEASE be careful not to put your fingers in between the sections). Standing inside the garage, open the door from its middle. The garage door should work with little to no effort. You should be able to stop the door almost anywhere in its tracks. If the door won’t sit on the floor or glides up from the floor or won’t stay open and keeps drifting down, it is out of balance and should be adjusted. Springs are dangerous and should only be adjusted by a professional. Contact Cookson Door Sales of Arizona for service. Worldwide homeowners should contact a local garage door repair service.
TILT-UP DOORS (one-piece): First make sure the door is closed. After pulling the emergency release you’ll need to go outside. From the outside open the door about half way. It should stay right there when you let it go. It shouldn’t slam closed or open to fast. It may be difficult for you to tell if a tilt-up door is out of balance. Even letting go of the door in its middle position, older doors tend to drift down. If it is not slamming shut, the drift can be considered normal.
Tags: Garage Door Balance, Operator
