Key Facts About Garage Door Safety and Standards

• The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends testing a garage door's automatic reversing mechanism monthly by placing a 2-inch block in its path — if the door doesn't reverse within 2 seconds of contact, the opener should be disconnected until repaired.
• According to the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA), a properly balanced garage door should lift with roughly 8-10 pounds of manual force when disconnected from the opener — anything heavier signals a spring or balance problem.
• Per the Florida Building Commission's wind-borne debris region code, Miami-Dade and Broward Counties require every garage door to meet large-missile impact ratings, regardless of whether the door has windows.