How To Test The Reverse Mechanism Of Your Garage Door

  • Published on August 5, 2014

A good garage door safety maintenance should include regular checking of its reverse feature. Check out our how to video below.

Testing the reverse mechanism will make sure that your garage door will be safely reversing if it comes down on top of something, avoiding any potential damage or harm.

Testing the reverse mechanism of your garage door is quite simple, however very important. The mechanism is designed to force the door to reverse if it is physically obstructed by an object. If the door is obstructed, it should touch the object, detect the extra resistance and open once again.

Reverse mechanisms are commonly installed in garage doors to provide additional safety for the home occupants or pets and to prevent any damage from occurring.

How do you test this?

    1. Use a piece of timber, any timber block or any solid object that doesn’t decompress.
    2. Take the garage door up.
    3. Place the solid object at the centre where the garage door comes down.
    4. Operate the door to close. Observe the motion as it goes down on the solid object.
    5. The door should spring back to the open position when it senses the pressure, showing that your garage door opener and system are safe.

Any Australian-compliant motor will do this, including the Merlin range which we exclusively use and sell.

If you are looking to upgrade the security on your own garage door, contact us at Doors Direct. We have been servicing the Brisbane area since 2008 and have the expertise needed to help you find the best solution for your needs.

You should have the reverse mechanism tested by a professional during your door service.