Adjusting the garage door: this is how you align different types of doors

Setting and adjusting the garage door is necessary immediately after installation to enable smooth opening and closing. Otherwise the door could be difficult to move, make squeaking noises or not close properly with the floor. Depending on the type of gate, this measure can be comparatively simple or complicated. However, some basic principles apply to all garage doors.

safety

The size and weight of the garage door, as well as the tension on the springs, pose a potential risk of injury. In addition, the work must be carried out from a ladder. Anyone who wants to or has to adjust a gate should therefore proceed with great caution. It is advisable to carry out the procedure in pairs to minimize the risk of injury.

Manufacturer's information

For a targeted adjustment and alignment of the garage door, the manufacturer's instructions should always be taken into account. Adjusting screws and other adjustment options are precisely indicated in this. If the instructions are missing because the door is not a new model, but has been taken over together with the garage, you can inquire directly with the manufacturer. They can also provide the respective instructions for older models.

need

As mentioned, adjusting the garage door can be useful or necessary for various reasons. The need is obvious when the gate is not completely and straightly flush with the ground. Other possible causes include:

• Difficulty opening when opening
• Clamping or stalling
• Squeaking when moving
• visible gaps or gaps
• adequate lighting

Fine adjustment is required in almost every case immediately after installation so that the garage door can be adjusted accordingly.

Utils

The following tools are required to adjust the garage door:

• Screwing tools
• Tape measure or folding rule
• ladder
• helper
• Spirit level

It should also be noted that the changes should be carried out as parallel and step-by-step as possible. During the adjustment, the garage door should be open and not moved. Otherwise there is a risk of injuries as well as damage to the gate.

control

Before any settings are made, the gate or the position should first be checked. To do this, proceed as follows:

1. The alignment of the door leaf is checked with a spirit level. If the door leaf is crooked, the degree of deviation should be noted. Ideally, this is just a few millimeters, so only a few changes are required. The inspection is carried out with the half-open and fully-open gate.

2. The closing behavior is checked. To do this, the garage door is again first opened halfway and then fully. If the opening is too wide, the tension is too great and must be reduced. If, on the other hand, the gate has a tendency to close again, the tension is too low and must be increased.

3. As the last step of the check, the suspension and the tensioning cable or the spring tension are checked. Even inexperienced eyes often notice deviations, damage or problems. A comparison with the manufacturer's information provides information.

To avoid unnecessary effort, the door should be observed from all sides when opening and closing. Squeaking and sluggishness do not always have to be the result of a wrong or missing setting. It is also possible that, for example, rust has formed or a foreign body is stuck.

preparation

In preparation, it is only important to inspect the suspension and prepare the appropriate tools. Furthermore, sufficient lighting and a stable position of the ladder should be provided. It is particularly important that the moving components or adjusting screws are precisely identified. Again, the manufacturer's information is decisive for this.

Spring tension

In garage doors with spring tensioning systems, setting the tension is comparatively easy. Adjustment screws can be found on both sides for adjustment. To adapt it, proceed as follows:

1. Depending on whether the tension needs to be increased or decreased, the adjusting screws are gradually turned in or out. Unscrewing it reduces the tension. Tightening the screws increases the tension.

2. After each rotation, the setting is checked by proceeding as in the preliminary check.

3. If the tension but not the position has been adjusted, the adjusting screws must be changed by the same number of turns on both sides. If the position is changed because the door leaf was previously not set horizontally, several steps are necessary to adjust it. This should be done in small steps and only by half turns of the screw.

Attention: The adjusting screws should remain in the nut for at least three full turns. Otherwise the required stop is no longer given.

Tension rope

With some types of doors, the setting and tension is carried out using a tension cable. The adjustment here is similar to that of the spring systems. First the rope is checked. If it is twisted and the rotation cannot be resolved, it must first be removed and then reinstalled. If the tension is too low, the tension is increased again by adjusting screws or the corresponding moving components. If the tension is too high, however, it must be loosened. This should also be done step-by-step. A new check is carried out after each change. It should also be noted that the tensioning cable usually has to be kept in a certain pre-tensioned state. If the voltage is reduced too much, the function of the gate can be impaired.