Your garage is designed to keep your vehicles and possessions safe and can’t do its job if the door is not opening or closing properly. If your garage door isn’t opening all the way or bounces back open after closing, your opener settings may be incorrect.
Adjusting multiple garage door opener settings as part of routine maintenance can help keep your opener performing at its best.
Adjusting Garage Door Opener Settings
Whether mechanical or electronic, all garage door openers have some type of adjustment that determines how far the door will open and close. In order to make adjustments, you will need to refer to your owner’s manual.
Force Settings
The force settings on your garage door opener are an important safety feature. They regulate the amount of power required to open and close the door and there is an up limit and a down limit. Force settings also detect obstructions that might impede the operation of the door.
If you must set these limits higher than a medium setting, there is probably a problem with your door.
To test the down limit setting, place a 2×4 on the ground beneath the bottom of the door (do NOT place anything valuable under your garage door). The door should reverse when it comes in contact with the block.
Many home inspectors use this wood block method. We like to use a slightly softer item to make the door more sensitive to obstructions and increase safety.
Up and Down Travel Limits
The travel limit setting tells your opener how far it should lower the door to close it.
An inaccurate travel limit means your opener thinks the floor is closer or farther away than it actually is. If it thinks the floor is closer, your door will bang on the floor and probably bounce back up a bit. If it thinks the floor is farther away, there will be space or a draft under the door.
The optimal travel limit creates a proper seal at the bottom of your garage door – no banging on the floor, and no draft underneath.
In addition, the garage door opener should be adjusted so that it opens completely and does not block the garage opening.
Professional Assessment
If you suspect that your garage door opener is not adjusted correctly, Precision Door experienced technicians can correctly assess the problem, recommend a solution, and quickly repair your garage door or garage door opener.
Contact Us
A garage door is an important security feature on any home and it is essential to keep your garage door in working order. Whether your garage door opener simply needs adjustment or requires major repair, Precision Door Service provides complete garage door service and parts. Contact us today to learn how we can solve your garage door problems.
