Auto-Reverse Systems
Federal law has required automatic reversal systems on residential garage door openers since 1993. These systems detect obstructions in the door's path and reverse the door before it causes injury or damage. Two types exist, and both should be present and functional.
Photo-Eye Sensors
Photo-eye sensors are the small devices mounted on each side of the garage door opening, about 6 inches above the floor. One sends an infrared beam; the other receives it. When anything breaks the beam while the door is closing, the door immediately reverses.
Photo-eyes became mandatory in 1993. If a house has an older opener without photo-eyes, it should be replaced. The openers themselves are inexpensive ($150-300), and the safety improvement is significant.
Mechanical Auto-Reverse
The mechanical auto-reverse senses resistance when the door contacts an object. If the door touches something while closing, it should immediately stop and reverse. This provides backup protection if the photo-eyes fail or if an object enters the path after the door passes the sensor level.
Mechanical auto-reverse sensitivity is adjustable on the opener unit. If set too high, the door won't reverse when it should. If set too low, the door reverses on its own without contacting anything.
Testing Auto-Reverse
Test photo-eyes by waving a broom handle through the beam while the door is closing. The door should reverse immediately without contacting the broom.
Test mechanical auto-reverse by placing a 2x4 flat on the floor in the door's path. When the door contacts the board, it should reverse immediately without stalling or crushing the board. If it doesn't reverse or takes more than two seconds to reverse, the system needs adjustment.
Both tests should be performed monthly. They take less than a minute combined.
Emergency Release
The emergency release is the red handle hanging from a cord attached to the opener carriage. Pulling this handle disconnects the door from the automatic opener, allowing manual operation. This feature exists primarily for two situations: power outages and opener failures.
How It Works
The release mechanism uses a lever or latch that disconnects the door carriage from the opener chain or belt. When released, the door operates on its spring tension alone. Most doors are balanced so they can be opened manually with minimal effort when disconnected from the opener.
Common Problems
Emergency releases fail when the mechanism corrodes, when the cord breaks, or when the release becomes jammed. In freezing weather, condensation can freeze the release mechanism solid. Rarely-used releases sometimes seize from lack of operation.
I test every emergency release during inspections. Pull the cord, verify the door disconnects, open and close manually, then reconnect. If any step doesn't work smoothly, the mechanism needs attention.
Security Considerations
The emergency release creates a potential security vulnerability. Someone can sometimes fish a wire through the weather seal at the top of a closed door, snag the release cord, and disconnect the door from the locked opener. Security devices exist to prevent this, including shields that block access to the cord and locks that prevent the release from activating.
Spring Systems
Garage door springs counterbalance the door's weight, making it possible to lift a 200-pound door with one hand. These springs are under extreme tension. A broken spring can cause serious injury.
Torsion Springs
Torsion springs mount horizontally above the door on a metal shaft. When the door closes, the springs wind tighter, storing energy. When the door opens, that stored energy helps lift the weight. Torsion springs are generally considered safer and more durable than extension springs.
Signs of failing torsion springs include gaps in the spring coils, visible rust or corrosion, and doors that feel heavier to lift than they used to. A broken torsion spring is obvious: you'll see a gap in the coil or the spring lying in pieces.
Extension Springs
Extension springs run along the horizontal tracks on each side of the door. They stretch when the door closes and contract when it opens. Extension springs should always have safety cables running through them. If a spring breaks, the cable prevents the spring from flying across the garage.
Missing safety cables on extension springs are a common inspection finding. Adding cables is inexpensive insurance against a serious hazard.
Spring Lifespan
Standard residential springs are rated for approximately 10,000 cycles (one cycle equals one open and one close). A household that opens the garage door 4 times per day will exhaust a standard spring in about 7 years. High-cycle springs rated for 25,000-50,000 cycles are available and cost more initially but last significantly longer.
Professional Repair Only
Garage door springs should only be adjusted or replaced by trained technicians. The tension in these springs can cause severe injury or death if released improperly. This is not DIY territory. Spring replacement typically costs $150-350 including labor, a worthwhile expense considering the hazards of amateur spring work.
Door Balance and Operation
A properly balanced garage door operates smoothly and stays in place when partially opened. Balance issues indicate spring problems, track misalignment, or worn components.
Balance Test
Disconnect the opener using the emergency release. Lift the door manually to about waist height and release. A balanced door stays in place. A door that falls closed has weak springs. A door that rises has over-tensioned springs. Either condition stresses the opener and indicates the springs need professional adjustment.
Smooth Operation
The door should move smoothly through its entire travel path without binding, jerking, or making grinding noises. Listen for squeaking hinges, scraping sounds, or unusual motor strain. Watch for the door wobbling side to side or the tracks flexing. All of these indicate maintenance needs.
Additional Safety Features
Pinch-Resistant Panels
Modern garage doors often have panel designs that prevent fingers from being caught in joints as the door operates. Older doors with exposed hinges and open joints can pinch fingers severely, especially children's fingers. Pinch-resistant designs use flush-mount hinges and contoured panels that don't create finger traps.
Bottom Seal and Weather Stripping
The rubber seal along the door bottom creates a weather barrier and prevents pests from entering. From a safety perspective, it also helps prevent the door from contacting objects on the floor as firmly. Worn or missing seals should be replaced for both weatherization and this minor safety benefit.
Interior Door Lock
The door connecting the garage to the house should be a solid-core door with a deadbolt lock, meeting fire separation requirements. Many building codes require this door to be fire-rated. The garage contains vehicles, fuel, and chemicals that create fire hazards. The door between garage and living space is an important safety barrier.
What Inspectors Check
During a home inspection, the garage door evaluation includes testing the auto-reverse systems with both photo-eyes and mechanical resistance, verifying the emergency release operates correctly, checking spring condition and safety cables if extension springs are present, assessing door balance with a manual operation test, inspecting tracks and hardware condition, and verifying the opener model and installation meet current safety standards.
Findings that commonly appear in inspection reports include missing photo-eye sensors on pre-1993 openers, auto-reverse sensitivity set incorrectly, emergency releases that don't function smoothly, missing safety cables on extension springs, and springs showing wear or approaching end of service life.
Maintenance Schedule
Garage door safety features require periodic maintenance to function properly.
Monthly
Test photo-eye sensors with a broom handle or similar object. Test mechanical auto-reverse with a 2x4 on the floor. Listen for unusual sounds during operation. Visual check of springs for gaps or damage.
Quarterly
Lubricate hinges, rollers, and springs with garage door lubricant (not WD-40, which is a cleaner rather than a lubricant). Test emergency release and manual operation. Check track alignment and mounting hardware.
Annually
Perform the balance test with opener disconnected. Check all fasteners for tightness. Inspect weather stripping and seals. Consider professional inspection if the system is over 10 years old or showing any issues.
Related Terms
Force Setting
The adjustment on the opener that controls how hard the door pushes down when closing. Higher force settings overcome resistance but reduce auto-reverse sensitivity. Lower settings are safer but may cause the door to stop on minor resistance like cold weather stiffness.
Travel Limit
The adjustment that sets where the door stops in open and closed positions. Incorrect travel limits can cause the door to not close fully or to push too hard against the floor when closed.
Photo-Eye Alignment
The sending and receiving units must be aligned precisely for the safety beam to work. Misaligned photo-eyes cause the door to reverse randomly or refuse to close. Most units have indicator lights showing alignment status.