If you have noticed that your garage door is struggling to open and close, you may be wondering what could be causing the issue. If you have already checked to make sure the rollers are firmly in place inside the tracks and checked the garage door opener, the possible cause of the issues could be that the door is off-balanced. 

To move smoothly at a steady rate, the garage door needs to be balanced and even. Even if you do not see any sagging on one side of the door, the door can still be off-balanced, which can be determined in a couple of ways such as those discussed below.

1. Look and Listen for Signs the Door Is Off-Balanced While It Is In Motion

One way to tell if your garage door is no longer balanced is to look and listen for signs while it is in motion. You may see that the door will jump open or closed while it moves, especially as it approaches either endpoint.

You also may hear creaking or popping noises while the door is moving, which usually indicates that it is uneven. If you see or hear these signs, you should proceed with a balance test, as explained in the next section.

2. Conduct a Balance Test by Detaching the Garage Door's Manual Release

Another way that you can determine whether or not your garage door is off-balanced is to conduct a balance test. To start this test, you should detach the garage door's manual release rope or bar, which is usually marked with a coating of red paint.

Once you have detached the manual release, you need to open the garage door until it is at its halfway point then release it. If the door falls open quickly, the door is no longer in a balanced state and should be inspected by a repair technician.

If you find signs that the door is no longer balanced and fails the balance test, one or both of the tension springs may be broken, worn, or stretched. Because these springs are under a lot of stress, it is dangerous to try to fix or replace them without the proper training and tools. Contact a business in your area that offers garage door repair services to speak to someone about making an appointment for a professional to inspect the springs and fix or replace them for you.

Reach out to a company that offers garage door repair services for more info.