Easy Steps for Correcting Balancing Issues

Over the years from an extended amount of use, your overhead garage door can become off-balance. Re-balancing the door consist of testing proper functions in addition to making adequate adjustments. This will let you know if your door needs balancing.

Set Manual Operation Mode

The first step in determining if your electronic garage door needs balancing is to set it to manual operation mode. Do this by releasing it from the opener, by pulling the red cord that is attached to the garage door track. At this point, the door should be in a closed position. By setting it to manual, you will be able to lift the door open by hand.

Lift the Door By Hand

The second step is to lift the door, not all the way, just about shoulder level. If it doesn’t raise up effortlessly, there could be a problem. After the bottom of the door is shoulder level, let it go. It should have very little to no movement at all. If the door soars upward to the ceiling or falls back down to the floor, there is definitely a problem.

Sliding From Header

If the garage door has passed this test, the next thing to do is lift it all the way up to the garage door header near the ceiling. Once again, step out of the way and release it. A balanced door will remain there in position or may slide slightly. On the other hand, if the downward sliding exceeds 5-6 inches, there is balancing issue at hand.

Call a Professional

If the door has failed both tests, you probably need to get the door rebalanced. This can be a big job, especially if you don’t have the proper training and unfamiliar with the mechanisms of the garage door system. The door is extremely heavy which places a lot of weight and pressure on the springs and other components. The dangers of trying to repair it yourself are quite severe, so call a professional; that’s the final step.