1:55 video with Jacob Swenson
How to Test Your Garage Door Opener's Safety Settings
A quick safety check that tells you if your opener is pushing too hard. Jacob shows how to test the closing and opening force and what to do if it's off.
Step by step
Grab a remote or a helper
You need to run the door while standing next to it, so use a remote or have someone press the wall button.
Test the closing force
Close the door and gently push back on it as it comes down. It should reverse with only light resistance.
Test the opening force
Start with the door closed, open it, and gently hold it back on the way up. It should take just enough force to barely stop it.
Adjust in small steps
If it's pushing too hard or not enough, find the force settings on the opener. Start low and turn them up a little at a time until the door runs all the way without stopping.
Too much force can bend a door or hurt someone. If your door doesn't reverse easily, stop using the opener until it's adjusted.
Filmed in 2012. The basics haven't changed, but newer doors and openers may differ a little. Springs and cables are under high tension, so never adjust them yourself.
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