Should garage door opener automatically reverse when it hits something - Sears Model 139.5365 SR?
Three days after I moved into new leased home - did not pull in far enough - garage door came down and kept coming down on my car until it broke. My landlord says it is my fault since I did not pull car in...I say that the door opener should have automatically reversed when it hit my car. Who is correct?
B b g...
Expert
Well obviously you should of pulled the car in farther, but garage door openers have adjustments on them so that when they hit something they should stop and reverse. It is called the down force. If the unit was installed correctly and adjusted to the manufacturers specifications then this could not happen. Also on the door (if the opener was not installed by a pro) you will find a sticker that states, or should, if an opener is to be put on this door it needs a reinforced top panel. Do some research on google about force limits and reinforcing struts. If it is 16' wide or so then it will have one on it. Most people don,t bother on smaller ones, but should for this exact reason. So yes it should of reversed when it hit the car. Even if the car was not blocking the safety sensors. Imagine if a child or pet was the one under the door. This is a dangerous condition that lot of renters do not comply with. A 2x4 safety test should be done on a regular basis. As far as who is responsible.....BB
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