The garage door is possibly the largest moving object in your home, the main entryway for your family, and a huge chunk of your curb appeal. Yet, most homeowners ignore the garage door until it refuses to open on a Monday morning.

At Element Doors and Garages, we want your door to run smoothly, quietly, and safely all year long. Whether you have a brand-new or a 20 year old garage door, here are our top 10 pro tips for 2026.

A variety of better lubricant spray options (in no particular order)

1. Replace WD-40 with a better Lubricant

This is the #1 mistake we see. Standard WD-40 is a solvent, and not a lubricant. It actually strips away grease and attracts dust. Instead, pick up a can of Silicone-based spray. Give your hinges, rollers, and springs a quick spray every few months to keep them quiet and healthy.

2. The Safety Sensor Test

Your safety sensors are the only thing stopping the door from closing on a child, pet, or car. In 2026, safety is non-negotiable.

While the garage door motor is closing the door, you can test the sensors by waving a broom in the way of the safety sensors. The door should immediately stop and reverse. If it doesn't, call us immediately.

If you have to hold your wall button down for the motor to close your garage door, call us immediately. Your sensors may be incorrectly installed or even misaligned.

Used Garage Door with No existing weatherstrip

3. Check Your Weatherstripping

Look at the bottom of your door. Is the rubber seal cracked, brittle, or showing gaps where light peeks through? A bad bottom seal is an open invitation for rain, leaves, and rodents to enter your garage. Swapping this out is a fix that makes a big difference.

4. Upgrade to Nylon Rollers

Is your garage door sounding like a freight train? If you have old black plastic or metal steel rollers, they are likely the reason why. Upgrading to white nylon rollers with ball bearings is one of the best ways to make your door whisper-quiet. It’s like putting high-end tires on your car.

5. Test the Balance

ONLY try this when your door is safely closed/down. You can test the balance of your garage door by disconnect your opener (pull the red emergency cord) and lift the door by hand slowly until about halfway.

Good: The door stays in place or floats gently.

Bad: The door slams down feeling heavy or shoots upwards making you have to force or hold the door down.

Solution: Your spring tension needs to be adjusted properly. Do not adjust this yourself! Springs are under extreme tension and can be very dangerous.

6. Upgrade Your Security with Smart Monitoring

In 2026, you shouldn't have to wonder, "Did I close the garage?" Smart openers now integrate with Amazon Key (for secure package delivery) and offer real-time alerts. If your opener does not say “Wi-Fi” on the cover, upgrading to a Wi-Fi-enabled unit or purchasing a gateway that allows your opener to be Wi-Fi compatible is a game-changer when it comes to peace of mind.

7. Don't Ignore the Cables

Look at the steel cables running up the sides of your door. Do you see fraying, rust, or loose strands? Stop using the door. These cables hold the weight of the door; if they snap, the door can crash down. This is strictly a "call a pro" situation.

8. Keep the area clean

We know keeping the entire garage clean can be difficult, but to make sure your door runs smoothly and uninterrupted, you should try to keep the garage door and the area around it clean. The last thing you want is a damaged garage door because something got in the way of the garage door opening.

**©Chamberlain Group - Battery Backup Openers**

9. Upgrade to Battery Backup

Power outages happen. Smart Homeowners know to invest in an opener with a backup battery so they can still open their garage door even if there’s no power. If you already have an opener with a backup battery, you can test it by unplugging the opener from the wall and seeing if it still runs. A dead battery backup means your car is trapped inside when the power grid fails.

10. Schedule an Annual Tune-Up

We recommend a professional inspection once a year. Think of it like an oil change for your home. A pro can spot a hairline fracture in a hinge or a spring that is about to snap before it becomes an emergency repair bill.

A little maintenance goes a long way. If you ran through this list and found a balance issue, a broken sensor, or just want to upgrade those noisy rollers, Element Doors and Garages is here to help.

Call For A Free Quote

10 Garage Door Pro Tips for 2026