How to Maintain Your Garage Door and Opener

Your garage door is one of the largest and most useful parts of your home. We’ve heard enough frustration in the voices of clients with broken or malfunctioning doors to know that a bit of maintenance is worthwhile. Not to mention, when there are issues with your garage door, it could become a safety risk for your family and pets. 

To keep your garage door functioning well, you’ll need to commit to some regular maintenance. In some cases, homeowners prefer to trust their garage door maintenance in Edmonton to C&W Canada Garage Doors. This ensures that you have a trained garage door tech going over every aspect of your door and opener and keeping an eye on potential future maintenance and repairs. However, there are also many items on the maintenance list that you can check off yourself if you’re handy and have a few tools. 

How Often Should Maintenance Be Completed on a Garage Door?

Regular maintenance on your door should be done at least once a year to ensure safety and efficiency. We recommend bi-annual maintenance as an extra precaution against potential issues (and an extra precaution for your wallet!)

Luckily, maintenance for a garage door isn’t overly costly or time-consuming, which means it’s a minor commitment for a big payoff (i.e. a smoothly working garage door). Most people like to book their garage door maintenance appointments for spring and fall. 

Maintaining Your Garage Door and Opener

Inspect Your Door

Every time you open or close your garage door, take note of any issues. Are the movements jerky or smooth? Do all of the components seem aligned? Are there screeching or grinding noises coming from it? 

Taking note of these issues as they arise can help ensure that you know where to start when you begin your maintenance. Be sure to test your door and opener before your routine maintenance and take note of any problems you notice.

Lubricate the Door

In order to lubricate your garage door, you’ll need a petroleum-based lubricant. There are a few specific pieces of your garage door that you’ll want to lubricate:

• The rollers and their respective hinges. These are located between the panels on either side of your door.
• Center hinges. These hinges in the centre of your panels don’t have rollers attached. Just give these a spray of lubricant and you’re good to go.
• Springs. The garage torsion springs that lift your garage door need only a little bit of lubricant, so be careful not to overdo it.
  After you’re done lubricating, open and close your garage door a couple of times to make sure any noise you heard previously (if that was the case) is gone. 

Check the Hardware
Over time, the movement of your garage door can loosen the hardware. Check your roller brackets and bolts, and give them a good tighten with a socket wrench.

Also, be sure to inspect your rollers and lift cable for any wear and tear. All rollers, whether steel or nylon, deteriorate over time. If your rollers are cracked, chipped, or worn, be sure to buy replacements. 

Don’t remove any roller brackets attached to the cable system, as they are under extreme tension. Check your lift cable for signs of wear like rusting or broken strands, and call in a professional if they appear worn. Don’t try to replace the cables yourself, as that can easily lead to a trip to the hospital! If you think you need a cable replacement, call a reliable garage door company in Edmonton.

Check the Hardware

Over time, the movement of your garage door can loosen the hardware. Check your roller brackets and bolts, and give them a good tighten with a socket wrench.

Also, be sure to inspect your rollers and lift cable for any wear and tear. All rollers, whether steel or nylon, deteriorate over time. If your rollers are cracked, chipped, or worn, be sure to buy replacements. 

Don’t remove any roller brackets attached to the cable system, as they are under extreme tension. Check your lift cable for signs of wear like rusting or broken strands, and call in a professional if they appear worn. Don’t try to replace the cables yourself, as that can easily lead to a trip to the hospital! If you think you need a cable replacement, call a reliable garage door company in Edmonton.

Replace the Weather Seal

The weather seal on the bottom of your garage door can easily become worn and brittle over time. If you notice it wearing out, it’s probably a good time to replace it. Buy weatherstripping at your local hardware store and trim it to the appropriate size. Then, all you have to do is take out the old one, clean the area, and insert the new one – just be sure the door stays in place while you’re working.

Clean Your Garage Door

While the mechanical aspects of your door are important, the door itself should also be well-maintained and clean to keep it looking good for years to come. Nobody wants a garage door full of holes or paint chips, as it doesn’t do much for your curb appeal! 

Wipe down the door with an appropriate cleaner and brush down any cobwebs. If your door is made of wood, check for warps or water damage, and if it’s steel, look out for rust spots you can fix. If you need to repaint or stain the door, now’s a good time! Be sure not to use a pressure washer on your garage door. It’s not necessary and could cause paint and finishing to chip or wear. 

Call in a Professional for a Garage Door Tune-Up

There are a lot of reasons you might not be able to complete regular maintenance on your garage door, whether you can’t find the time or don’t feel confident working with such a large appliance. We know that life gets in the way sometimes, and that’s why C&W Canada Garage Doors offer top-quality, expert tune-ups. 

Whether you need an immediate repair or just regularly scheduled maintenance, we’ve got your back! We even offer preventative maintenance packages that extend your C&W Canada Garage Door warranty by one year! Contact us today to book your first inspection and maintenance appointment.