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Your garage door and opener get used almost every day, meaning regular garage door preventive maintenance is important to keep them working properly.
Here is what you need to know to make sure your garage door always operates smoothly.
Step 1: Test the Door Balance
If your sectonal garage door is louder than usual when it opens or closes, appears crooked, is moving slowly or simply won't open, it may be unbalanced.
To test its balance, close the door and disconnect the carriage from the chain or belt by pulling the release handle. The door should lift manually. Then open the door about halfway. If it stays in place, the door is balanced. If it doesn’t stay in place, it is unbalanced; call a service technician to repair it. Reengage the carriage by moving it toward the opener.
Step 2: Conduct a Safety Contact Reversal Test
Garage doors use safety contact reversal to prevent them from closing when there is an obstruction. Test this system to make sure your garage door is operating safely.
Open the door and place a scrap 2-by-4 on the ground at the center of the opening, then close the door. When it contacts the board, the door should reverse directions and reopen. If it doesn’t, the downforce control limit needs to be adjusted.
Set it by following the directions on your garage door, then do a force control test following the manual. Repeat the test as needed.
Step 3: Photo Eye Sensor Test
Another important part of a garage door's safety is its photo eye sensors, which also prevent the door from closing if there is something blocking them. Unlike the safety contact reversal, photo eye sensors detect an obstruction without making physical contact with it.
First, make sure the sensors are aligned. Typically, sensors have lights to indicate when they are aligned. Then close the door and wave something through the beam between the sensors. The door should reverse direction. If not, clean the sensors with a damp cleaning cloth or cotton swab and try the test again.
If the photo eye sensor still does not operate correctly, contact a professional to keep your garage door operating safely and avoid accidents.
Step 4: Check the Hardware
If you have a squeaky garage door or notice unusual movements, check that your garage door hardware is in good shape. It's also useful to routinely check the hardware kit even if everything seems to be working normally.
To do this, inspect all the door hinges. Use garage door lube to lubricate them and make sure everything is tight. Then clean the tracks with a carburetor or brake cleaner.
Don’t use a lubricant on the track, as it could cause the door to slip and become unbalanced.
Then make sure all garage door springs, hinges and track hardware is tightly secured.
Step 5: Change Batteries
Some maintenance can help you prevent a malfunction in the future: Avoid getting caught in a dark garage or being unable to open your garage door by changing batteries and lightbulbs before they die.
Check that the backup battery on your garage door opener is working properly. Unplug the opener and try to open the door with the remote or wall button. If it doesn’t open you’ll need to replace the battery. Remove the cover on the opener, unplug the battery and replace it with a new one.
Additionally, replace your garage door motor battery. Check the manual to get the right type. Lastly, replace the light bulbs with bulbs recommended by the manufacturer.
Step 6: Check Chain/Belt Tension
Sometimes garage door openers get a little sag in the chain or belt, but it can be fixed.
Open the door until the carriage is about midway. Disengage it and manually close the door. Loosen the nuts on the turnbuckle with wrenches and rotate it counter-clockwise until the slack is gone. The chain or belt should be at least 1/4 inch from the bottom of the rail on the other side.
Finally, tighten the nuts and manually open the door to engage the carriage to the turnbuckle.
Step 7: Clean Your Garage Door
Keeping your garage door clean will not only improve the appearance of your house but will also help maintain the door's integrity.
Clean the outside of the garage door at least once a year, or more frequently if you live in a salt-air climate.
Wash the door with a soft sponge or cloth and a cleaner appropriate for the surface, then thoroughly rinse the door with a hose. For wood doors, wipe them with a dry, soft cloth. After cleaning, a wood door may also require repainting or staining.
Inspect your door once a year or as needed, depending on finish quality and climate, to determine if it needs to be painted or stained.
Check out our garage door checklist to help you find the perfect door.
Conclusion
To keep your garage door and opener in good working order, you'll need to perform some regular routine maintenance. The steps are general recommendations ,follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for maintenance specifics. Most manuals will have a list of recommended monthly tests.
