The Importance of Garage Doors in a Home Inspection
In a recent video, Mike Vakos from Tri County Inspections discusses a critical aspect of home safety that often gets overlooked: inspecting your garage door. You might not think of your garage door as a potential hazard, but as part of a comprehensive home inspection, it’s essential to ensure everything works smoothly.
Key Areas of a Garage Door We Inspect
When inspecting your garage door, we focus on a few important components:
- Garage Door Opener: We ensure the door opener works as it should, whether it’s manual or automatic. This is a vital part of your garage door system.
- Photo Eyes: These sensors, located near the bottom of the door, detect if anything is in the path of the closing door. If they aren't working properly, it could be a safety risk, especially if you have children or pets.
- Safety Reverse Mechanism: During the inspection, we perform a pressure test by activating the door and applying some pressure. This ensures the door reverses if something is in its path. If this safety feature isn’t functioning, it’s definitely something you want to address.
From Mike Vakos, owner and head home inspector:
"Hey guys, Mike here with Tri-County Inspections, and in today's video, real quick, I wanted to talk to you about inspecting the garage door: the hardware, the opener, the photo eyes, etc. One of the things we do look for is obviously making sure it works and operates, making sure the opener works, which is up there, and making sure it has the proper photo eyes, which are down there, and then making sure they work properly. We also do a pressure test, so we activate the door and put a little pressure on it to make sure the safety reverse mechanism goes up.Another thing we look for is the safety spring, which is right here. As you can see on this one, it's actually snapped or cracked, basically broken. This happens over time because garage door springs can snap after extended use, but it's recommended to get that replaced. Otherwise, it'll put a lot more weight on your door because that spring essentially takes off the tension and makes it easier for the door to go up and down.That's just one of the things we look for. It's not a super costly repair, but it’s something we would recommend getting done. Again, this is Mike with Tri-County Inspections, and that’s one more reason to get a home inspection. Have a great day!"
The Importance of Inspecting the Garage Door
Cleveland Home Inspection
The Garage Door Spring: A Common Issue
One of the most critical components we check is the garage door spring. This spring is essential because it helps balance the weight of the door, making it easier to open and close.
In today’s inspection, we found a broken spring—something that can happen over time. When the spring snaps, it puts more weight on your garage door, making the motor work harder and increasing the chance of malfunction. While it’s not the most expensive repair, it’s definitely something you’ll want to take care of sooner rather than later.
Why Regular Inspections Matter
A broken spring or faulty sensors might not seem like a big deal, but these issues can lead to bigger problems down the line. That’s why regular home inspections, including your garage door system, are so important. Even small repairs now can prevent costly fixes later.
At Tri-County Inspections, we take pride in giving homeowners peace of mind by ensuring that every part of their home is in top condition, including areas like the garage door that are often overlooked.
Don’t wait for something to go wrong—schedule your home inspection today and let us take care of the details!
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