10 Garage Door Maintenance Tips to Extend Its Lifespan

10 Garage Door Maintenance Tips to Extend Its Lifespan

Firm believers of ‘Don’t mend what’s not broken’? But does that mean an absolute neglect? No. Garage doors act as the first barrier to your home’s security. Neglecting it until it’s broken means tampering with your home’s security and inviting large repair expenses. Instead, it’s wiser to conduct frequent maintenance sessions that help lengthen your garage door’s shelf life.  

This may leave you confused about how to maintain a garage door. To make the maintenance procedure more convenient, we have laid out a list of 10 garage door maintenance tips. Keep reading to unlock the hacks and let your garage door function without hitches and glitches.  

Garage Door Maintenance Checklist  

It’s already transparent that regular upkeep keeps severe garage door issues at bay. So, there’s no point in beating around the bush. Let’s dive right in.  

1. Garage Door Opener Inspection 

Garage door openers are mostly operated with remotes. So, users don’t notice if the opener is slacking until it’s making loud noises.  

To develop better efficiency, follow the next steps:  

• After mounting the garage door, unplug the garage door opener to reset.  

• On both ends of the opener chain are bolts. To adjust the chain, tighten both the bolts.  

• Don’t overdo it. Or it could result in garage door opener damage.  

• Now, lubricate all the components of the garage door opener. However, you may have one that doesn’t require lubrication; follow the maker’s guidelines.  

• Lastly, check the battery backup by trying to move the garage door while the opener is unplugged. If there’s no movement, you need a backup battery replacement.  

2. Test the In-Built Features of the Garage Door Opener 

Modern-day garage doors come with auto-reverse functions. These act as safety measures when opening or closing the door. As garage doors weigh above 200 pounds, not having a functioning auto-reverse feature is quite risky.  

Garage doors consist mostly of two kinds of sensors: pressure and laser sensors. So, to make sure the sensor is working efficiently, conduct an inspection.  

To do so, follow the next steps:  

• For pressure sensors, place a 2*4 building block vertically in the sensor’s pathway. Now, try to close the door using the remote. If the door doesn’t detect the blockade, the sensor isn’t working. 

• For laser sensors, position an object in the path of the sensor. Now, try to bring the garage door down; if it doesn’t reverse, the sensor isn’t working properly.  

• In both cases, you need to contact professionals for garage door repair.  

3. Keep the Garage Door Tracks Free of Dirt 

Clean garage door tracks are very important for maintaining the efficiency of the garage door mechanism. Dirt-filled tracks mean slowed and rough garage door performance. So, here are a few steps to keep the tracks clean.  

• Spray clutch cleaner inside the tracks. It will remove any existing corrosion.  

• Use a cleaner that has bristles to clean all corners and edges.  

• Now, use a dry cotton mop to clean off any remaining clutch cleaner.  

4.  Adjust Your Garage Door’s Functional Speed 

Every garage door opener has a preset speed. It allows the door to open and close at a set speed. However, if the opener speed is adjusted to a very slow or fast setting, both can adversely affect the garage door’s longevity.  

If the speed is too slow, the mechanism will become very time-consuming. However, if it’s too fast, the motion will put added pressure on the door. Causing ruptures and damages.  To manage this, do the following: 

• Follow the instruction manual.  

• Remember, setting the opener at a very fast speed will make your movement easier. But it will tamper with the door’s shelf life.  

• So, set it at a moderate speed. Upon completion, check the door by using it. Ensure the pace is fine or regulate it again.  

• After you’ve selected the ideal door, make sure you’re picking up the quickest garage door opener that’s compatible with your garage door. 

Read More:
Top 10 Maintenance Tips for the Smooth Running of Your Garage Door

5. Clean the Surface of the Garage Door  

Cleaning the garage door won’t show you any rapid changes in the garage door’s performance. Cleaning the surface is a must because this is how dust accumulation begins. Soon enough, you’ll find dirt heaps on the garage door tracks. Resulting in corroded tracks.  

Instead of letting water run so deep, take the following precautions: 

• Wooden Garage Doors: Look for chipped paint or cracks on the garage doors. If detected, repair the same.  

• If not, brush off the dust with the help of a dry cloth. 

• Aluminum Doors: Take a bucket full of lukewarm water and mix in soap. Then, use a hose to apply the same mixture on the garage door surface.  

• Now, clean it with pure water. Your garage door is as clean as an OT.  

• Garage 

6.  Door Balance Adjustment  

The torsion springs present in a garage door are responsible for the balance of the garage door. When unbalanced, it puts extra pressure on the torsion springs. Resulting in very frequent wear and tear of the torsion springs.  

So, fixing your garage door’s balance is essential. This is how you do it: 

• Unplug the garage door opener when the door is closed.  

• Find the release cord on the opener. Pull it out. 

• Now, lift the door and let it hang in the middle.  

• If the door stays in position, you’re on the safe side.  

• If not, get in touch with garage door experts.  

7. Replacing Weather Stripping on Garage Door  

Garage door weather strips are made of rather delicate rubber strips. It helps your garage door prevent pest attacks and extreme climates. So, weather stripping is mandatory for the longevity of your garage door. If the weather strip has gone bad, here are a few things you need to do: 

• Find the old strip at the bottom of the door.  

• Pull it out with the help of a screwdriver. Once the edge has come off, pull it out using your hand.  

• For wooden doors, the removal will require a claw hammer. Take out the pins attached to the weather strip. 

• If you know how to install new weather stripping, do it yourself.  

• If not, call mechanics and get the old weather strip replaced.  

8. Garage Door Hinge & Bolts 

In a garage door, multiple components are attached with the help of nuts and bolts. From the roller to the tracks, the garage door anatomy is filled with fasteners.  

The worst thing that happens to these nuts and clamps is they often get corroded or become loose. In case of corrosion, replacement is the only option.  

However, the loosening of clamps and other fasteners affects the garage door’s functions. Often resulting in a complete shutdown.  

To keep such a problem at bay, follow the next steps: 

• Check the bolts and hinges on the track of the garage door. Secure the attachments with the help of a wrench.  

• Look at the track brackets. Position them in such a way that there’s a small gap between the door and the track. 

• Inspect the steel rollers. If they are in dire condition, the ball bearings within are in even worse condition. Replace such rollers.  

• Lastly, look at the lift cables on both sides. Inspect carefully.  

• If you find any worn strands hanging or notice specks of rust, get in touch with professionals.  

9. Lubricate Your Garage Door 

A garage door’s entire purpose is movement and security. Thus, a garage door performs frequent movements throughout the day.  

Your garage door opener experiences less strain and friction when those parts are lubricated. However, lack of lubrication often leads to corrosion.  

To keep the components of your garage door lubricated, follow the next few steps: 

• Unplug the garage door opener.  

• Now, use a lubricant to oil the different components of the garage door.  

• Lubricate the rollers, tracks and the hinges. 

• Spray oil on the torsion springs to prevent it from getting corroded.  

10. Minimize Garage Door Usage  

Constant movement and performance of the garage door opener lead to its shortened shelf life.  However, these are the basic functions that are designated for a garage door, so consistent usage comes with the package.  

 But there are still some measures that you could adapt to minimize the number of times you open or close the garage door. Including: 

• If you make several trips in a day, don’t park inside the garage each time. Only while making your last trip, bring it back to the garage. This will limit the number of cycles. 

• If your garage serves as a storage unit, you keep going out for air often. Instead, install an HVAC system.  

The Final Word  

At the end of the day, garage doors are pieces of metal panels placed one upon another to achieve enclosed security. So, all garage doors – manual and automated, are prone to damage. They also demand extra care to avoid large garage door repair expenses.  

The extra care is nothing but the above checklist of garage door maintenance tips. Following these tips will help keep your garage door as efficient as new. Let us know if you have more in mind!