Adjust The Chain On Your Chain-Driven Garage Door
Chain driven garage door openers will need some attention every so often. One thing that you'll need to do is adjust the chain. This is due to the fact that the chain will stretch slightly and prevent things from operating as smoothly as they should. Here, you'll learn how to adjust the chain on your garage door opener.
Step 1: Close the garage door. Unplug the garage door opener. If you don't have direct access to the plug, you can cut the power at the breaker panel in your home or garage.
Step 2: Find the rope on the garage door opener. This is the emergency release and should be located right on the motor carriage. Tug the rope gently to release the garage door from the motor.
Step 3: Position the ladder just below the garage door opener so that you can reach the carriage assembly safely. Locate a bolt connected to the rail of the garage door opener – it should be on the side of the unit. This is the chain adjustment bolt.
Step 4: Turn the wrench to loosen the nut near the assembly. Tighten the chain by turning it clockwise. Continue to work with the chain until it is tight, but not too tight. The amount of slack you want in the chain is only about a half-inch worth of slack.
Step 5: Give the emergency rope a tug towards the motor assembly. Lift the garage door open manually until the assembly engages with the door. Restore power to the garage door opener and press the button. As the door opens, watch the chain – if the chain bounces, it needs to be a little tighter.
Safety Check
Now is the perfect time to do a check of the safety features on the garage door opener.
Open the garage door. Look at the base of the rail of the garage door. You should see a small sensor. This sensor is there to prevent the door from crushing anyone that may cross under the door while it's closing.
To test this feature, simply press the button to close the garage door. Use a broomstick to break the beam coming from that little sensor. The garage door should reverse and go back to the fully open position. If it doesn't, the feature isn't working properly, and you'll need to contact your local garage door technician for assistance.
If you don't feel comfortable adjusting the chain on your garage door opener on your own, contact a company like R & S Erection Of Richmond to have it done for you.