After an earthquake, check for gas leaks and other hazards first, then look at the garage door before you run the opener. Shaking can leave tracks bent or out of line and rollers popped, and it can leave a door heavy or crooked. If anything looks off, do not run the opener, keep clear of the door and call a technician.
1First, the house, then the door
The Earthquake Country Alliance says that until you are sure there are no gas leaks you should not re-enter your home, that aftershocks can continue for weeks and some can cause additional damage, and that you should not use anything that could create a spark, such as light switches. Many garages hold a water heater or gas line, so treat the wall button and the opener the same way until you are sure the air is clear.
Only look at the door when it is safe to stand in the garage. It can wait; a garage door is not an emergency compared with gas, structure or fire.
2What shaking can do to a door
A garage door hangs in the house frame on tracks, springs and cables. When the frame moves, the parts attached to it can move too. After a quake, the things worth checking are track alignment, loose or pulled brackets, rollers that have left a track, cables that have slipped off a drum, and sensors that no longer face each other. None of this is certain after any given quake. The point is that a door can look normal and still be out of line.
A door that has jumped a track can drop without warning, so do not stand under it. Read off-track garage doors if you see a gap at the rollers.
3A post-quake checklist
| Check | What is fine | What is a warning sign | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tracks | Straight, tight to the wall, joined at the curve | Bent, pulled from the wall or twisted | Do not use the opener; call |
| Rollers | In the track on both sides | One or more out of the track | Stop; call |
| Cables and drums | Taut and seated | Loose, slack or off the drum | Stop; call |
| Springs | Intact, shaft level | A gap in the coil, a shifted shaft | Stop; call |
| Photo eyes | Facing each other, steady light | Blinking or knocked out of line | Realign per the manual, retest |
| Opener head and rail | Firmly mounted | Cracked mounts or a rail out of line | Do not run; call |
Look from the floor. Do not touch springs, cables or the hardware attached to them.
4Testing the door after a quake
Photograph first
The Earthquake Country Alliance advises photographing any damage and keeping repair records, which helps with insurance.
Look before you press
Check the table above. If anything is bent, loose or slack, leave the opener off.
Try the release only if it looks sound
With the door closed, pull the red release and lift gently. Garaga says a well-balanced door lifts easily with one hand, and that if it takes significant effort a spring has likely broken.
Stop at the first sign of trouble
If the door binds, drops, rises on its own or sounds wrong, lower it carefully and stop.
Run the safety tests
Once the door is sound, repeat the checks in garage door safety tests.
They hold a lot of energy. See why springs and cables are dangerous and leave them to a technician.
5Preparing before the next quake
You cannot make a door quake-proof, but you can make a problem easier to catch. Keep a record of how the door runs and sounds now, so a change after shaking stands out. Know where the red release handle is and how to use it. Do the monthly checks in the maintenance checklist. A door that is already worn, out of balance or loose on its brackets has less margin than a well-kept one.
6Calling for help
Emil Garage Doors repairs tracks, rollers, cables, springs and openers across California; see garage door repair and spring repair. We work in cities such as Pasadena, San Jose and Santa Rosa. Call (213) 340-4232 or use the estimate form. Our 12-point safety inspection is $89.
Questions people ask
Should I use my garage door opener right after an earthquake?
No. Check for gas leaks first, then look at the tracks, rollers, cables, springs and sensors. Run the opener only if everything looks straight and tight.
Can an earthquake knock a garage door off its track?
It can happen if shaking bends a track or moves a bracket. A door that is off its track should not be run or stood under.
How do I know if a garage door spring broke in a quake?
A door that feels heavy, will not stay up or sounds different is a warning. Garaga says that if a door takes significant effort to lift, a spring has likely broken.
Do I photograph garage door damage?
Yes. The Earthquake Country Alliance advises photographing damage and keeping records of repair costs.
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