How to Check the Balance of Your Garage Door

By:   Niki D'Angelo | Published:
Arched Wood Carriage House Garage Door with Complement Front Door

A garage door is an incredibly helpful and convenient appliance that makes life at home so easy. To work as smoothly and efficiently as it does, your garage door includes a number of features and operates under an array of settings and limits. One important factor for any garage door is its balance.

Fix My Garage Door

If you’re wondering what balance is and how to balance a garage door, here are the answers to your questions.

Table of Contents

What Is Garage Door Balance?

Balance refers to the relationship between your garage door and your garage door springs. When the door is properly balanced to its springs, it should move up and down easily and freely. Also, a properly balanced garage door should stay open when raised, closed when lowered, and it should even stay in place when opened manually to the halfway point.

The Garage Door Balance Test

Balance issues can create all sorts of problems for your garage door, including failure to open all the way or close all the way, as well as moments when the garage door starts to open or close but then automatically reverses.

Is garage door balance alignment the issue you’re experiencing? Here’s a test you can try.

First, disconnect your garage door from its automatic opener. This is usually done by pulling down on the red handle, but different garage door openers may have different methods for disconnection.

Once disconnected, open and close the door by hand. It should move easily and freely and you shouldn’t have to exert much effort. The door should stay closed when lowered and stay up when raised.

Now, try to leave your garage door halfway open. It should rest in the halfway position or it may gently drift up or down, which is acceptable. But if your garage door crashes closed or flies open, those are signs you have a balance problem.

Always Stay Safe

Testing balance is one thing, but solving balance problems is another. It’s always a good idea to call on a professional for assistance when rebalancing a garage door. Garage doors and their springs are under massive amounts of tension. This tension is what makes a garage door open and close so smoothly, but this tension can also pose a safety threat to inexperienced homeowners trying to execute do-it-yourself repairs.

Get the Help You Need at Banko

At Banko Overhead Doors, we’ve been helping homeowners make the most of their garage doors since 1984. We provide installation, repair and maintenance services in the Tampa Bay area as well as throughout Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Manatee, Sarasota and Polk Counties. If you’re having trouble with your garage door’s balance, make sure you get support you can trust when you call on the team at Banko.

Get an Estimate

Contact us today to schedule a service appointment.


Additional Resources on Garage Door Tips and Tricks:


 

latest blog post

view all posts

Hurricane Preparedness Week at Banko Overhead Doors: How to Get Ready for Storm Season

The week of May 7 – May 10 marks Hurricane Preparedness Week, and at Banko Overhead Doors, we’re committed to helping you stay safe and prepared for the upcoming storm season. Hurricanes can bring destructive winds, heavy rain, and flooding, so it’s crucial to take the right steps to protect your home, especially your garage […]

Read more

How to Keep Bugs and Pests Out of Your Garage

Your garage is an essential part of your home, but it can be vulnerable to invaders that wreak havoc on your property and impact its structural integrity. Insects and other pests find their way inside garages because they provide shelter from the elements. Thankfully, there are several ways to minimize a pest presence and keep […]

Read more
SHARE ON SOCIAL:
BBB Accredited Business logo Clopay Master Authorized Dealer logo 2018 Garage Door Repair in Tampa Award logo LiftMaster power by myQ garage door opener logo Tampa Bay Builders Association logo Nextdoor logo 2020 People's Choice Best of the Best Logo Neighborhood Favorite Award Nextdoor logo Best of Venice 2021 Award Logo
Get an Estimate Schedule a Repair