Garage Door Maintenance Checklist to Prevent Costly Repairs

Orange County's warm winters and hot, sometimes humid summers can do a number on a garage door, causing rusting, warping or other failures if the door is not regularly checked. Consistent seasonal garage door maintenance will ensure any door (sectional, tilt up, roll up or carriage style) operates smoothly and securely. Proper maintenance gives you peace of mind, prevents breakdowns and helps extend the life of your door.

Below is a thorough seasonal checklist (spring through winter), for OC homeowners, to follow to avoid costly repairs and achieve optimal performance.

Spring Maintenance Checklist

Spring is a great time of year to refresh and inspect your garage door after the winter months:

• Inspect & lubricate moving parts: Inspect rollers, hinges, springs and tracks for signs of wear or rust. Use a silicone based lubricant to lubricate the moving parts so everything glides smoothly. Smooth operation now results in eliminating noisy and jerky movement down the road.

• Test door balance: For this test, you will need to disconnect the opener, then manually lift the door halfway. The door should stay in place. If not, your springs may be out of adjustment, which is a safety hazard since the door doesn't properly hold its weight. If your garage door does not balance properly, call a professional.

• Clean tracks and sensors: Remove any leaves, dirt or debris from the tracks, as any blockages can impede the door's travel. Clean the photo-eye sensors and consider realigning the sensors so that the auto-reverse safety feature works correctly.

• Clean door panels: Wash or wipe down the door to remove the buildup of dirt, pollen and grime. A clean surface will more easily allow you to spot cracks, rust spots or damaged weather seals before they become larger concerns.

• Inspect weather seals: Check for cracks or gaps in the bottom seal and at the rubber strips on the side and top. Replace any worn weatherstripping to help prevent moisture and pests from entering.

Summer Maintenance Checklist

Summer heat and sun can accelerate the deterioration of materials, which is why you should give special attention to the issues arising from the wear on your door, such as:

• Conduct the opener & safety reversal check – operate the door opener and check that the auto reverse feature does operate properly. Clean and re-align your photo-eye sensors – dust from hot weather can misalign the sensors causing plat-form reversals.

• Tighten all hardware – inspect all bolts, nuts and brackets on track, hinges and motor plate and tighten all fasteners. Vibration from summer storms or wear from frequent use can loosen hardware, tighten it up to avoid a part failure.

 • Clean the doors surface – use a mild detergent to clean the front face of the exterior panels. The summery dust and grime hides deteriorating paint and rust from you, cleaning it off helps you pay attention to it and stop it from spreading quicker.

• Inspect the lift cables and pulleys – check for fraying or wear on the lift cables and pulleys, If you can actually see any broken strands of wire or worn-up pulley wheels, summon a technician to replace both immediately to avoid them suddenly snapping.

• Re-lubricate components – re-apply silicone spray on the hinges, rollers and tracks. Summer heat can dry out lubricants on mechanical components and re-apply lubricant reduces friction and noise and protects the metal from corrosion and rust in humid weather.

Fall Maintenance Checklist

Fall is marked on the calendar as a period of transition into cold weather.Follow these steps to complete a pre-winter spring tune-up:

• Inspect insulation & weather sealer: Check for damage within the insulated door panels, and check all seals. You may need to replace cracked or loose weather stripping to keep the cool air (and rain) outside your garage.

• Test safety sensors and auto-reverse: Ensure that the door reverses with ease and makes contact with an object. It is also a good idea to check that the photo-eye sensors are free of the leaves or debris that would block them.

• Re-lubricate moving parts: Lubricate the springs, rollers, and hinges again. Cooler temperatures and falling humidity can allow parts to become stiff, so applying fresh lubricant means that your door will operate smoothly into the winter months.

• Clean the tracks: Clean leaves, twigs, and dirt from the tracks. You can prevent jams during freezing periods of weather by keeping the track clear.

• Examine the panels and hardware of the door: Look for any warping, cracks, and panel damage. Tighten any hardware that you haven’t already tightened.

• Replace batteries: Replace batteries in door remotes, and keypad. The cooler weather can shorten the life of batteries, so replacing the batteries means that your remotes will remain responsive.

Winter Maintenance Checklist

While the winters in Orange County are pretty mild, there are still steps that can be taken to protect your door during the cool months:

• Inspect for damage: Check all panels, springs, cables, and hardware during the cooler temperatures to verify any cracking, rust, or damage from seasonal swings in temperature. Take care of any issues before they escalate.

• Ensure sealed correctly: Check the bottom seal and weatherstripping again replaced if needed. The less drafts and moisture that gets into your garage door, the better it will protect the mechanicals.

• Check opener battery: Check to see that the backup battery (if applicable) is working as well as the remote batteries. It doesn’t take long for the cold to drain a battery, and a quick once-over will verify that you won’t find yourself with a dead opener in a rainstorm.

• Reapply lubricant: Use a winter-grade or silicone lubricant on all the springs and joints. Winter temperatures will prevent the lubricant from thickening and washing away.

• Check door balance and auto-reverse: Finally, do another round of balance test by hand and check the auto-reverse one last time, just to be safe. This ensures your door is aligned, and safe until warmer weather comes.

If You Need Help, Contact the OC Garage Door Guys

Even if you maintain a regular schedule of maintenance, there are some repairs and safety checks that are best left to professionals. OC Garage Door Guys is your locally owned expert garage door company in Orange County. Family-owned since 1999, OC Garage Door Guys is fully insured and licensed and can provide same-day, 24/7 service at no additional cost for night or weekend calls.