Garage doors have to be some of the most utilized parts of the home – they can go into cycles twice or more every single day. While we rarely think of how it functions, it can be a glaring problem when there’s an issue with garage door adjustment. You may have experienced this in the past, but sometimes you’ll end up with a garage door crooked or uneven at the bottom.
And besides being unattractive, an unbalanced garage door can also cause complex problems. Because the movement is already unpredictable, it might suddenly crash down on a vehicle – or worse, on a person!
How to Check Garage Door Balance
To determine if you have a crooked garage door that needs some adjustment, you must first understand what a balanced garage door looks like.
A balanced garage door features a weight that’s evenly distributed across the tension of the springs. Think of it as a weight lifting session: the springs should provide a counterbalance to the heavy doors’ weight. The opener can effortlessly move the door up and down the tracks if the weight is evenly supported.
On the other hand, an unbalanced garage door won’t move evenly because the tension isn’t counterbalanced by the springs in the right way.
How can you check if you need professional garage door adjustment? Follow these steps:
- It would help if you first disconnected the door from the opener. If you have a belt- or chain-drive opener, pull the manual release straight down. And if it has a T-shaped rail, pull the release rope directly and then back towards the motor.
- Check how the door hangs without the opener controlling the movement. Even if you do it manually, the doors should be able to move freely. Run the door up and down on its own in several tries – if it’s sticky, you may need lubrication on the hinges. And if you notice any garage door crooked tugging, then that’s the time to call a garage door repair company.
- You can also test balance by lifting the door halfway and then releasing it. If it stays in one place, it is properly balanced. If there are any snapping or closing movement, the door is off-balance.
We can’t stress this enough – garage door adjustment is best made by garage door service professionals. If left without the attention of a garage door service professional, the imbalance could cause the opener to malfunction or a spring or cable to snap. We don’t want any of these accidents to happen! It’s best to learn more about how to balance garage doors before any major problems occur. Here are some solutions that experts will perform on unbalanced doors:
Extension Spring Adjustment
Garage door repair technicians will look at the extension spring suspension. They will first open the door all the way and keep it propped open with a ladder and securing with clamps on both sides. The safety cables will be removed, then the springs will be gradually loosened and the tension released. If the technician finds that the spring has a lot of give, that’s a sign that a replacement is due. Any loose extension spring could contribute to how the unbalanced movement of the garage doors. Tightening the pulley cable could also help balance the door.
Torsion Spring Adjustment
Compared to extension springs, torsion spring counterbalances considerably more tension from the garage door weight. This fact makes any DIY attempt dangerous. You can cause significant injuries if you’re not experienced.
But with a licensed garage door repair technician, he can secure the torsion tube with special tools. Like the extension spring, all the spring manipulation must be made after the doors are properly secured and propped open – no risk of the door lifting while the adjustments are made.
The technician will use a set of winding bars and a wrench to adjust the screws, and with manual strength, release the tension from the torsion tube. Again, if there is a bit of give, the spring will need to be replaced.
Call A Garage Door Repair Technician Today
Garage doors will need maintenance every so often. If you observe any garage door crooked movement, always rely on a licensed professional to fix the problem. Once you’ve done the balance test and found some issues, call a garage door repair promptly.
Our garage door maintenance crew will proceed with utmost care and precision to troubleshoot any concerns. We perform a comprehensive inspection first, and we even have 24/7 emergency service if you need it! If you’re interested in learning more about how to balance the garage door, talk to us today!