DIY Garage Door Maintenance: What You Can Do to Keep It in Top Shape
Your garage door is likely the hardest-working appliance in your home. We open and close them thousands of times a year, often neglecting them until that one morning they decide not to open.
At Element Doors and Garages, we’re all about longevity. While some repairs like torsion spring replacements should always be left to the professionals, there is plenty of preventative maintenance you can do yourself with just a few minutes and a can of spray.
Here is your DIY checklist to keep your door running smoothly and quietly.
The Inspection
The best tool you have is your own senses. Once a month, stand inside your garage and open the door.
Listen: Do you hear scraping, grinding, or loud "pops"?
Look: Does the door move smoothly, or does it jerk or hesitate?
Catching a small noise now prevents possibly needing to replace a part later. If something sounds "off," it usually means a part is out of alignment.
Inspect and Tighten the Hardware
Think about how much a garage door vibrates. Over time, that vibration can loosen the nuts and bolts that hold the tracks and hinges in place.
Check to see if any screws on the hinges are missing or if any nuts and bolts along the track are loose. If you notice hardware is missing or loose, get a professional opinion on what needs to be done to fix the issue.
If you are comfortable tightening loose hardware with a socket wrench, you can add years of life to your garage door. Never overtighten any hardware and only attempt if you know what you are doing! Leave it to the professionals to avoid potential injury.
Clear the Tracks
Homeowners often think they need to grease the inside of the garage door tracks. Actually, that is not what you should do. Grease in the tracks acts like a magnet for hair, dust, and dirt, which eventually creates a "sludge" that jams the rollers.
Take a damp rag and wipe the inside of the tracks to remove debris. If there is sticky residue, a little bit of WD-40 on a rag can help clean it off. Your garage door rollers (wheels) should be able to roll freely within the tracks. If your rollers are being dragged through the track, your opener is essentially towing your garage door through the mud/grease and working harder than it should be. This will decrease the lifespan of your garage door opener.
Lubricate your garage door
To keep the door quiet, you need to lubricate the moving metal parts. You’ll want a silicone based (available at any hardware store).
Rollers: Spray the bearings inside the rollers (if they are metal).
Hinges: A quick squirt at the pivot points.
Torsion Springs: Lightly coat the overhead springs. This prevents "clinking" and protects the metal from rusting.
As much as we love lithium based greases, they leave residue and attract dirt and dust.
Test the Balance
This is the most important DIY test. A balanced door saves your opener from burning out.
Close the door and pull the openers red emergency release cord.
SLOWLY lift the door manually halfway up and see if the door stays in place or not.
If the door stays in place (or hovers slightly), it’s perfectly balanced. If it falls towards the ground wanting to slam shut or if it wants to shoot upward and stay open, your springs are out of tension and need a professional adjustment.
Check and clean the Sensors
Those "photo-eye" sensors at the bottom of your tracks are sensitive. If they get covered in cobwebs or dust, your door might refuse to close.
Wipe the lenses with a soft, dry cloth. Ensure they are pointing directly at each other. If the little LED lights are solid (not blinking), you’re good to go!
If you have a “Chamberlain” or “Liftmaster” opener, one sensor light will be green in color, the other will be yellow in color. If you have a “Genie” brand opener, one sensor light will be green and the other will be red.
When your sensors are aligned, the lights will stay on/solid light. If the sensors are misaligned or if there’s something in the way, the sensor light will blink.
When to Put the Tools Down
DIY is great for maintenance, but Safety First. If you notice a frayed cable, a gap in your torsion spring, a door that is hanging crooked, or even a noise that sounds concerning, please stop what you are doing. These components are under extreme tension and can be dangerous.
At Element Doors and Garages, we’re here to handle the heavy lifting. If your DIY inspection turns up something concerning, give us a call for a professional tune-up!
