Adjusting the force on the garage door is an important preventive maintenance procedure that should be carried out regularly. Opening and closing force adjustment protects the door while facilitating its movement to open and close as it should. However, this is not a task for everyone as it is quite technical hence best performed by skilled technicians.
Tools required
Getting the proper tools enables you to adjust the force of your garage door successfully. You need to have the following tools at hand;
· Wood block
· Flashlight
· A ladder
· Screwdriver
The procedure
Assess the opening force
A door with adequate closing and opening force should not reverse soon after touching the floor surface when closed. In order to assess the force, close the door of your garage from inside and check if the door lands tightly against the floor. If you notice the door reversing and raising up after touching the surface, you need to work on the closing force of the door.
Work on door opener limit switch
Here, you are to locate the limit switch and the adjustment screws that determine exactly where the door stops. Use the step ladder and a flashlight and spot the limit switch and the adjustment screws. Once you have located the screws, make use of the screw driver to adjust the screws as required. If satisfied that the screws are adequately adjusted, test the door by opening and closing it. Remember to check for any reversals either during opening and closing. If the door is still reversing, contact a professional for assistance.
Assess the opener’s reverse feature
In order to assess if the reverse feature is in need of adjustment, raise and lower the door manually. If the door reverses when you raise or lower it, it is an indication that the reverse feature need to be worked on. To manually lift or lower the door, ensure that that the power is disconnected for you to operate the door manually. In this case, locate and unplug the power output. It is advisable to involve a technician to assess the reverse feature. If you decide to use DIY process, then have an extra person to help you to lift the door due to its heavy weight to avoid injuries. Remember that your safety comes first.
Adjust the reverse feature
Adjusting the reverse feature goes a long way in fine-tuning the down and up force of the opener. Here you need to possess adequate skills and adequate knowledge about the garage doors. To start with, locate the opener’s force adjustment knob. Once you have found it, turn the knob to adjust both the up and down force. Lift the door and lower it, checking for any reversals to test whether you have adequately adjusted the reverse feature. If the door is still having issues, call a technician right away to fix the force on your garage door.