If you have ever been stuck inside or outside of your garage because that was the day when the door quit opening, you already know how frustrating that can be...and how unpleasant it can be to pay the person who comes by with little notice to repair the issue. Since nobody is suggesting that you become a garage door repair expert overnight, given the complexities of that work, the next best thing is to make sure that the unit is regularly and appropriately maintained. One example of essential preventive maintenance for a garage door is verifying that it is consistently balanced, as shared below.
Checking To See That The Door Is Properly Balanced
If a door isn't balanced properly, over time it's quite possible that it will become unsafe to use. In addition, it can also permit your garage door opener to wear out faster due to the increased workload. Fortunately, making sure that it is balanced is easier than you might think.
In this instance, you will need to assess the balance of the door by hand. Therefore, you'll first need to disconnect or otherwise remove the electricity from the opener and also unplug its emergency backup. Assuming that you are both familiar with the minor work of reconnecting that unit and comfortable on a stepladder, you'll need to stand on that device. Gradually pull up and push down the door and if it doesn't maintain an even position without your assistance, it's out of balance.
Restoring Balance To The Garage Door
It's important to note that two of the most common causes of an unbalanced garage door relate to its springs. The two springs that you need to be aware of are the torsion and tensions springs.
Tension springs are also known as extension springs and present as a coil of metal. Their repair can often be facilitated in minutes by moving the hooks they use or the areas they attach to. However, it's essential to be sure that if that unit is moved on one side, it's also moved on the other to maintain continuity or your efforts to maintain balance might be useless. If those efforts are unsuccessful, it might be due to the other springs used by the door...but that's not usually a good thing.
Unfortunately for most homeowners, torsion springs should not be touched or adjusted by amateurs in any way, due to the very real risk of catastrophic injury due to even a minor error. They are located on the torsion rod, roughly a foot or so from the adjuster and unless you have a lot of experience with that aspect of the door, you should consult with a professional.
In conclusion, there is no doubt that an intact and functional garage door provides both security and comfort to everyone in the home. Since an unbalanced door can negatively impact both of those needs, the above information will be very useful.
Share18 August 2017
I'm Megan Moore. I have always been very security-conscious ever since I woke up to find an intruder rummaging through my belongings in my living room. I never wanted this to happen again, so I purchased a state-of-the-art security system. But despite the security measures that I put in place, my home was still burglarized. The problem was with my garage door. Somehow, a burglar was able to get the code to the garage door opener. I realized that my garage was my weak link and I set out to learn everything I could about garage doors and garage door security.