Garage Door Auto Reverse Pressure

There are two common safety features with a functional auto reverse system.

Garage door auto reverse pressure.

The auto reverse test evaluates the pressure activated auto reverse function of a garage door. I the opener motor and ii infrared sensors. If the door does not automatically reverse when it hits the 2 by 4 the opener must be adjusted. This is real safety hazard.

On the garage door motor there will be two knobs or dials to adjust the opener and the reverse sensor. To access the controls use a stepladder to reach the main part of the opener s motor. Make small adjustments at a time to the force limits retesting after each adjustment. If the door continues to close the opener is not safe and should be released from the overhead door until repairs can be made.

You can also call it the contact reversal test pressure test and performance test. Home inspectors aim to protect their inspection clients and their clients families from potential perils by testing this safety feature. If you ve tested your garage door opener s auto reverse and found it requires too much force for the door to reverse or it doesn t reverse at all you can adjust the settings on the garage door opener controls. Test door opener monthly.

The weight and pressure involved in closing a garage door can cause serious injury to someone in the path of the door especially children. In approximately half of my inspections the automatic garage door opener does not auto reverse when met with resistance. The garage door must reverse on contact with a 11 2 inch object or a 2 by 4 board laid flat on the floor. Failure to adjust the opener properly may cause severe injury or death.

If the garage door reverse by itself without grasping the bottom of the garage door then increase the down close force by turning the adjustment screw clockwise. After adjusting either the force or the limit of travel retest the door opener. Test it by placing a 2 by 4 flat on the garage floor and under the path of the door. Injuries from garage doors account for about 20 000 er visits every year and 60 children have been killed since 1982 from garage doors that did not auto reverse when met with contact.