Garage Door Balance Test: How to Check Your Door in 2 Minutes

What "balanced" means

Your garage door is heavy — often 150 pounds or more. The springs are supposed to carry almost all of that weight, so the door feels light and the opener only has to guide it. As springs wear, the door gets heavier and the opener ends up doing lifting it was never designed for.

Before you start: safety first

• Only do this test if the springs and cables look intact — no gap in the spring coils, no loose or frayed cables. If anything looks broken, stop and read what to do if your spring broke.
• Keep your hands clear of the springs, cables, bottom brackets and the gaps between panels.
• Never force a door that feels very heavy or stuck.
• Keep kids, pets and cars away from the door during the test.

The balance test, step by step

1. Close the door fully using the opener.
2. Disconnect the opener by pulling the red emergency release cord. Only do this with the door fully closed.
3. Lift the door to waist height — about halfway — by hand, using the handle or bottom edge.
4. Carefully let go and watch what it does. Keep your hands ready and stay out from under it.
5. Reconnect the opener before using it again: close the door by hand, then run the opener once to re-engage it.

What the results mean

• The door stays put (or drifts slowly): it is balanced. Nothing to do.
• The door falls: the springs are weak or one is broken. Your opener is doing the lifting, which wears it out early. The springs need re-tensioning or replacing.
• The door rises: the springs are over-tensioned. The door can fly up when released and needs adjusting.

If your door fails the test

Do not try to adjust the springs yourself. Torsion springs are under enormous tension, and adjusting them takes proper winding bars and training. Re-tensioning or replacing worn springs is a quick job for a technician, and it can add years to your opener's life.

Related services

• Garage Door Tune-Up
• Torsion Spring Replacement
• Torsion Spring Pair Replacement
• Garage Door Opener Replacement

More from the blog

• Garage Door Spring Broke? What to Do — and What Not to Touch
• Garage Door Won't Close? 5 Things to Check, Safest First
• Why Is My Garage Door So Loud?