A well operating garage door is important to the maintenance and safety of your home.

Put the door into the manual mode (normally by pulling the release handle hanging on a rope) and lift it by hand. A properly balanced door should lift easily and smoothly and stay open on its own about 3 feet off the ground. If it doesn't, hire a garage-door technician to counterbalance the overhead spring.

Return safety latch to auto mode (usually by sliding it until it clicks).Set the reversing force on the opener as low as possible by placing a 2x4 board on the ground under the door, wide side down. The door should pop back up when it hits the board. If it doesn't, call a garage-door pro.

Test the photoelectric eyes by blocking the beam between them. The door should reverse direction; if it doesn't, have it checked by a pro. Lubricate all rollers, tracks and hinges (white grease or silicon works well).