A well written article Nick, I like it…
I tested a garage door with my hand and the top panel bent immediately. Realtor represented buyer and seller. Seller was not happy buy agreed later that the door was not in good shape to begin with.
We really need to inspect before we check. A garage door can be screwed up in so many ways that all it takes is a slight bit of force to damage it. I had a spring let go on me last year that scared the h e l l out of the buyer and myself. The door dropped to the floor from half way up. The realtor heard the crash and came running out. She figured I should have to pay for a new spring and door since I broke it. The buyer actually stood up for me saying that the seller would have to pay for it and I did nothing wrong.
Absolutely!
If the door trolley and lift arm are properly installed and the top of the door braced, a failed pressure test will not damage the door. The inspector should not perform a block or hand pressure test if the system doesn’t pass visual inspection first. I’ve had hundreds of doors fail the block test and have never damaged one as a result.
If a door ever does come apart on the block test, I can point to the label and/or the Federal Statute and show that this IS a STANDARD procedure that the homeowner should have been performing on a monthly basis. You can’t claim that you were performing a standard homeowner test procedure if you break it by pushing on it with your hand.