Why You Should Have a Balanced Garage Door

A new garage door can be lifted and lowered by hand with very little effort, even with the opener disconnected. That's because it's balanced: the springs are set to carry the door's weight. A balanced door isn't just easier to open; it puts far less strain on the opener, rollers, cables and hinges.

Signs Your Door Is Out of Balance

• It looks crooked or one side lifts before the other.
• It's loud or creaks as it moves.
• It's heavy to lift by hand.
• It won't stay open, or it slams down when it closes.
• The opener strains, slows down or stops partway.

How to Check the Balance Safely

1. Close the door and make sure nobody, including pets, is near it.
2. Pull the red emergency release cord to disconnect the opener.
3. Lift the door by hand to about waist height and carefully let go, keeping your hands and feet clear.
4. A balanced door stays put or moves only slightly. If it drops or shoots up, the springs need adjusting.
5. Lower the door and reconnect the opener (run the opener and it will usually re-engage).

Why an Unbalanced Door Is a Problem

• Wear and tear: the opener and hardware take extra strain, so parts fail early and the door may need replacing sooner.
• Cost: small adjustments today are cheaper than a new opener or door later.
• Safety: a door that isn't properly counterbalanced can drop suddenly onto a car or a person.

Leave the Fix to a Professional

Balancing a door means adjusting springs under high tension, which can cause serious injury. Our technicians rebalance the door, replace worn springs and check the whole system. New springs carry a 3-year warranty. Call 604.398.4009 for an on-site assessment.