4 Tests To Make Sure Your Garage Door System Is Working Properly
An automatic garage door opening system needs to be properly functioning at all times to ensure safety. A garage door that opens and closes correctly provides you with a major convenience. If your system is currently broken down or not operating correctly, you should contact a garage door professional immediately to have it inspected and repaired.
Here are some basic tests that you can perform on your own to make sure your automatic opening system is running smoothly:
Visual Test
Starting with a basic examination, give all the components of your system a good look. Every spring, cable, bolt, pulley and roller needs to be checked from inside a closed garage to make sure nothing is missing or damaged before you begin the motion tests. Some things to look for include frayed cables and loose mounting. If everything seems fine, open and close the door a few times and just listen and watch the moving parts. If a foreign sound occurs or piece of mounting starts shaking, you need to schedule an inspection before moving on.
Balance Test
If everything seems to be in working order, you can move on and test the overall balance of your garage door. To do so, release your door from its automatic opening system so that it can be opened manually. Once it is freed, simply attempt to open the door by hand. It should offer little resistance and open and remain open quite easily. If this is not the case, then your door could be unbalanced and would require immediate repair.
Photo Eye Test
The photo eye is the mechanism that shoots an invisible beam across the path of your garage door, usually 1’ off the ground, and detects if objects are in the path of a closing garage door. If it detects a disturbance, it alerts the system and the garage door reverses direction and opens. Test your system by closing your garage door then waving an object, like a broom, from a safe distance into the path of the photo eye. If your garage door changes direction, then your photo eye works properly. If it doesn’t, move the broom out of the way and open the door. Check the photo eye for dust and give it a wipe to make sure it is clean. Try the test again, and if it still doesn’t detect the broom, you will need a garage door professional to inspect your system.
Reversing Mechanism Test
Automatic garage door opening systems are designed to reverse direction if the door strikes anything that might be below the beam of the photo eye. To test this feature, lay something low profile and sturdy, like a wooden plank, on the floor where the garage door will close on it. Close the garage door and wait for it to strike the wood. If it reverses direction, then your system is operating properly. However, if it remains shut on the object, your reversing mechanism is malfunctioning and needs an inspection right away.
While a garage door professional is the best way to thoroughly inspect and repair your automatic garage door opening system, these simple tests will give you an idea of how well your system is currently running. If your system is due for maintenance, contact Superior Overhead Doors today and have a technician take a look at your garage before it’s too late!