The garage door is the biggest moving object in most homes, and it works so reliably that we stop thinking about it. It goes up, it goes down, and life goes on. But a heavy door powered by a strong opener and held up by tightly wound springs can cause serious harm when something fails. The safety features built into modern openers are only helpful if they still work, and the only way to know is to test them.
The good news is that the most important check takes just a few minutes and costs nothing.
What the auto reverse does
Modern garage door openers are designed with two safety systems. The first is the photo-eye sensors, a pair of small devices mounted near the floor on each side of the door. They send an invisible beam across the opening. If something breaks the beam while the door is closing, the door should stop and go back up. The second is the auto reverse feature. If the door meets resistance while closing, such as hitting an object, it should reverse right away instead of pushing down.
These features exist to protect children, pets, people and cars. A door that does not reverse when it should can trap or crush whatever is underneath.
Test it every month
Most manufacturers recommend testing these safety features regularly, and once a month is an easy habit to remember. Put it on the calendar with the smoke alarm check.
Because the exact steps vary by brand and model, follow the opener manufacturer’s test steps in your owner’s manual. If you cannot find the manual, look up your opener’s model number online, or on the label on the motor unit, and find the instructions on the maker’s website. In general, the checks look like this.
- Test the auto reverse. With the door fully open, place a solid object such as a board or a similar flat item on the floor in the door’s path, as your manual describes. Then close the door with the remote or wall button. When the door touches the object, it should reverse and travel back up. If it does not, stop using the opener until it is fixed.
- Test the photo-eye sensors. With the door open, press the button to close it and wave an object, such as a broom handle, through the beam. The door should stop and go back up. Never use any part of your body to test it.
- Check the sensor alignment. Most sensors have small indicator lights that glow steadily when the beam is aligned. A blinking or dark light can mean the sensor is knocked out of line or blocked. Make sure the lenses are clean and nothing is blocking them, like a stored box or a spider web.
- Look and listen. Watch the door move. It should travel smoothly and quietly. Grinding, shaking, jerking or a door that sags to one side are signs something needs attention.
Check the balance
A garage door is heavy, and the springs carry most of the weight. A simple balance check can show whether the springs and hardware are in good shape. Pull the release handle to disconnect the door from the opener, as the manual instructs, and lift the door by hand partway. A well-balanced door should stay in place instead of slamming down or flying up. If it does not, the springs may need adjustment or replacement, and that is a job for a professional. Reconnect the opener afterward by following your manual.
Be careful when you do this. A door that is out of balance can fall quickly, so keep your hands and feet clear of the edges and the tracks, and do not get under the door.
Never try the springs yourself
This is the most important rule. Garage door springs are under extreme tension, and the cables and brackets attached to them can snap or release with great force. Repairs and adjustments to springs, cables and brackets have caused serious injuries. They are not a good do-it-yourself project, even for handy people, and a YouTube video does not make it safer.
If you notice a broken spring, frayed cable, loose bracket or a door that does not move right, stop using the door and call a qualified garage door technician. If a spring has already snapped, do not try to use the opener. A door with a broken spring can be very heavy, and the opener is not designed to lift it.
Other safety habits
- Teach children that the door and the remote are not toys, and keep remotes and wall buttons out of their reach.
- Keep fingers away from the sections and the joints between panels when the door is moving.
- Never walk or drive under a door that is moving. Wait until it has fully opened or closed.
- Use the manual release carefully and only when the door is closed.
- Replace old remotes and openers that lack modern safety features, as an older opener may not have photo-eye sensors.
- Have a technician look the system over from time to time, especially if the door is old.
It is easy to take a garage door for granted. A monthly test with a board and a broom handle only takes a few minutes, and it can catch a failing sensor before anyone gets hurt. Test it, listen to it, keep it clean, and when anything seems off, leave the springs to a professional. It is a small habit that keeps the biggest door in your house from becoming the most dangerous.
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