How To Maintain A Garage Door

When doing home maintenance, you might only think about things like fire detectors, the HVAC system, and so on. But another part of your home that you should regularly maintain is the garage door.

Your garage door will see a lot of use throughout the year, especially if you are parking in the garage. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to keep your door working as efficiently and safely as possible.

In this blog post, we are breaking down how to maintain a garage door in 6 easy to follow steps. Let’s jump right in!

Why Is It Important To Do Regular Maintenance On Your Garage Door

Think of how often you open your garage door in a day. If you leave the house at least once, the door is likely opened at least twice. If two people park in the garage, then the door is opened at least four times.

Added to that, your garage door also has to withstand severe temperatures and seasonal changes.

All of this is to say that your garage door experiences a lot of wear and tear which is why it is so important to maintain. Doing so will help to ensure your garage door lasts a long time without costly maintenance repair bills, or worse, replacement.

How Often Should You Do Garage Door Maintenance?

It is highly recommended that you do a good maintenance check of your garage door at least twice a year; once before the hottest season and once before the coldest season.

How To Maintain A Garage Door

You can do all the maintenance items included in this list yourself, or you can hire a professional. If you do decide to hire someone, make sure they are experienced and have good reviews.

Perform Safety Tests 

Garage doors can weigh more than 350 pounds, so you want to make sure it is operating safely at all times to avoid injury or damage to your vehicle. These doors have been designed to automatically reverse the moment it touches something which is what you want to test.

To do this, place an object, such as a small box or piece of plywood on the floor directly underneath the door. The item should not be tall as you want it to sit below the sensor on either side of the garage door.

Once you have your item in place, push the button to close the door. Once the door touches the item, it should automatically stop and reverse. If it doesn’t then you will need to call a professional and potentially have the safety relays replaced.

During this test, you can also ensure the sensors work by placing an object directly in front of them. When you push the button, the door shouldn’t even attempt to close since something is blocking the safety sensors. If the door does start to close, then you will need to have a professional come out and fix the issue.

Check The Balance Of The Door

Something that can cause a lot of strain on your garage door opener or even cause your door to get stuck midway up is if the door is no longer balanced.

To check the balance of your garage door, you will need to first disconnect the power to your garage door opener. Once it is disconnected, you can then manually open and close the garage door by pulling the red cord that hangs down from one of the side tracks.

First, you want to try opening and closing the door fully. If the door is easy to move and looks balanced when closed, then this is a good sign that your door is balanced. If it is hard to move, gets stuck, or is uneven, then your door may be out of balance.

Next, you want to open your door and leave it partially open. If it is balanced, it will stay in place or move up or down ever so slightly as it is being supported by the springs. If the door slams up or down extremely hard, then your door is definitely out of balance.

If you find your door is out of balance when doing this test, you can try adjusting the springs on either side of the door. However, this can be dangerous if not done correctly. So, we recommend hiring a professional to come and do this repair on your door. 

Check The Hardware

While your garage door is disconnected from the opener, this is also a good time to check all the hardware. This can include the springs, cables, hinges, tracks, rollers, and so on.

As you are checking the hardware, you can:

• lubricate any moving parts (rollers, hinges, chain or belt, etc.)
• tighten any loose screws or bolts
• clean the tracks and rollers

If any of the hardware looks damaged or worn out, then you should have a professional come out and replace them for you.

Replace Battery & Bulbs

During your routine maintenance, this can also be a good time to replace batteries in the overhead opener or your garage door remote. This is important if you don’t want to get stuck in or outside of your garage, especially during the cold winter months.

You can also use this time to replace the lightbulb which can help to light up your garage when the door is opened. 

Repair or Replace The Weatherstripping

The weatherstripping around your garage door is incredibly important as it helps keep your garage warm and the pests out. Be sure to take time to make any repairs or a replacement as needed during your maintenance checks.

Replacing the weatherstripping is easy to do yourself as it usually just slides into the groove that is on the bottom of the door. You can find weatherstripping at most hardware stores or even online.

Clean And Paint

The exterior of your garage door is exposed to the elements, so, understandably, it will start to look a bit worn down over time. To help keep your garage door looking like new and to protect it from the elements, you should clean it at least once a year and repaint or reseal it if necessary.

You can use a non-abrasive cleanser to wash off any dirt, pollen, or other debris, and then rinse it completely. After the door is dry, you can paint or reseal it to help protect it from further damage.

These are a few of the key maintenance items that you should regularly check when maintaining your garage door. If you find anything wrong during any of these checks, be sure to call a professional right away. If you catch an issue early, it can save you time and money in the long run to avoid more costly repairs.

What Garage Door Repairs Are Covered Under Home Warranty

The most common garage door repair that is covered under a home warranty is the garage door motor. This component can easily wear out if not maintained properly and is one of the most common garage door service calls for technicians.

Thankfully, HomeMembership‘s warranty program covers this. Learn more about Home Memberships’ pricing in your area as well as what is covered under your warranty.

Maintaining your garage door regularly is the key to keeping it working properly and safely for years to come. So, be sure to set aside time every 6 months to complete this maintenance checklist.