Guide
Garage door spring safety
Leave the springs alone. You can still check whether they're doing their job, and it takes a few minutes a month.
Say the town and what the door is doing.
Why springs are dangerous
The springs carry the weight of the door, so they hold a lot of force all the time, even when the door is closed. If one lets go or is loosened by hand, it can seriously injure you.
Check the balance
The Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests inspecting the door and opener every 30 days.
With the door closed, pull the release cord and lift the door by its handle. A balanced door moves easily and stays where you stop it. A badly unbalanced door can crash to the floor, so if it feels heavy, drops or sticks, ease it closed, stop and have a professional look at it.
Test the reverse
Reconnect the opener. Lay a 2x4 flat in the door’s path and close the door. It should reverse when it hits the board. If it doesn’t, disengage the opener until it’s adjusted, repaired or replaced.
Protect children
Mount the wall button as high as practical, keep remotes out of reach, and tell children to stay clear of a moving door.
If something has already failed, read the broken spring page.
Call about your door
Say the town and what the door is doing. You will be connected with an independent garage door contractor.