Garage Door Balancing

How to Test Your Garage Door's Balance

With the door closed, pull the red release cord to disconnect the opener, then lift the door by hand. A balanced door feels like it weighs only twenty or thirty pounds all the way up, and it stays put wherever you let go. If it feels very heavy, lower it gently and stop there.

A door that slams down or is heavy to lift has lost spring tension, or the springs were undersized from the start. A door that pulls itself upward has springs that are too strong, which is less common but makes the door hard to keep closed and sealed. Either way, call us before adjusting anything.

Why Garage Door Balance Matters

Your opener isn't built to lift the door. On a balanced door it moves very little weight. On an unbalanced one, it's doing the springs' job, and the drive gear, motor and rail are carrying loads they weren't designed for. Openers that fail early have usually spent years fighting a heavy door.

Balance is a safety issue, too. An unbalanced door is unpredictable when the opener is disconnected, and it can come down fast.

Spring Adjustment vs. Spring Replacement

A door that's slightly out of balance can often be fixed by adjusting the tension on the existing torsion springs. That's the right fix when the springs have relaxed a little but are otherwise healthy.

A door that's far out of balance, or has visibly worn springs, needs new springs sized to its weight. Adding tension to a tired spring buys a little time and shortens the life it has left. We'll tell you which your door needs and give you a firm price before we start.

Garage door spring repair →