Seasonal Garage Door Maintenance Guide

Year-round maintenance is a must for garage doors because each season presents different challenges. Following the right maintenance routine for the season can keep your door and its components in working order. Follow our seasonal garage door maintenance schedule to know which maintenance and repair tasks to do throughout the year.

Benefits of Regular Garage Door Maintenance

Maintaining a garage door offers several advantages for homeowners. Learning how to maintain a garage door can:

• Save you money since fixing minor repairs is more affordable than a total door replacement.
• Keep your garage door components operational.
• Increase the life span of your garage door and its parts.
• Maintain the structural integrity of your garage.
• Enhance security by preventing access to your home.
• Prevent damage to your vehicle and other belongings.
• Keep you and your family safe from garage door hazards like broken springs.

Garage Door Maintenance Tips by Season

As the seasons change, the way you maintain your garage door should change too. Follow this schedule for garage door maintenance throughout the year.

Spring

After the cold weather, it’s time for spring cleaning — and that should include your garage door. Cleaning your garage door removes the salt, dirt and other debris accumulated over the winter. Wash your garage door with a mild cleaning agent like a detergent or soap. You can clean fiberglass doors with an all-purpose cleaner. Don’t use a pressure washer because it can damage the door surface. Dry the door with a microfiber cloth.

As you’re cleaning the door, take the time to look for damage to the door surface. Steel doors can get rust spots, which you can repair by sanding, priming and painting the area. Wooden doors can warp or have water damage.

Summer

The summer is a great time to check your garage door hardware and the door surface. A summer garage door maintenance routine should involve these areas:

• Garage door structure: Check the garage door for loose or missing parts or rust. Remove the rust and apply a primer to prevent spreading.
• Garage door finish: If your door has peeling paint, take advantage of the pleasant weather to apply a fresh coat of stain or paint. Remove chipped or peeled areas, sand them and apply the stain or paint. Make sure the weather is low humidity with no chance of rain to let the new coat dry properly.
• Hardware: Inspect the door hardware for loose, rusted or missing parts.
• Insulation: Replace damaged or missing insulation immediately to keep the summer heat out of your garage.
• Photo eye: Use a soft cloth to remove debris from the photo eye. Test its function by waving an object in front of the eye while the door is in motion — the garage door should stop immediately.
• Emergency reverse: Test the emergency reverse function by placing an object like a paper towel roll under the garage door. The door should reverse when it reaches the object when trying to close.

Fall

Autumn garage door maintenance focuses on preparing your door for the harsh winter weather. After your summertime inspection, do another inspection in the fall to check these areas:

• Balance: The door’s position should be balanced to prevent excessive wear to the garage door opener. The door may be unbalanced if the door jerks when halfway opened.
• Roller tracks: Lubricate rollers with high-grade spray lubricant and white lithium grease to make the garage door’s motion smooth and reduce tension between the door and rollers.
• Cables and pulleys: The cables and pulleys support the garage door in motion, so inspect them for fraying strands and other damage to keep your garage door operation safe.
• Weatherstripping: The garage door weatherstripping should have no gaps or cracks. Intact weatherstripping keeps your home energy efficient and prevents animals from entering your garage.
• Hardware: Tighten the nuts and bolts on the garage door track to prevent operational issues.

In addition to these areas, inspect the repairs you made in the summer to make sure they’re intact.

Winter

Winter weather can test your garage door’s performance and strength. A thorough maintenance routine during the rest of the year can prevent issues in the winter, like the door getting stuck.

After snowfall, clear the snow and ice away from the door threshold. Ice can make the weatherstripping stick to the garage floor and cause the opener mechanism to have to work harder than normal to open the door, increasing wear and tear.

Common Questions About Garage Door Maintenance

Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about seasonal garage door maintenance:

How Often Do Garage Doors Need Maintenance?

You should have your garage door serviced by a professional at least once a year, even if no issues are present. Preventive maintenance makes your garage door last longer and prevents major operational issues down the road. Your seasonal inspections will help you notice any changes and allow a professional to fix your garage door faster.

Is Do-It-Yourself Garage Door Maintenance Safe?

Some aspects of maintaining your garage door are safe to do on your own, such as repairing rust spots or applying a new coat of paint. However, a professional should handle any concerns with your door’s moving components. Garage door technicians have the tools, parts and experience to make these repairs safely.

Who Can Do Seasonal Garage Door Maintenance?

A garage door repair professional like Garage Door Specialists, Inc. will help you with any installation or maintenance needs. We have provided quality garage door services for the western North Carolina area since 1976.

When you contact us for seasonal maintenance, our professional technicians will bring the appropriate tools and expertise to get the job done. We can easily identify the cause of garage door malfunctions and make the repairs needed right away.

Contact Garage Door Specialists, Inc. to Maintain Your Garage Door Year-Round

Maintain your garage door in any season with the team at Garage Door Specialists, Inc. Our family-owned company offers a variety of garage door services to keep your family safe. Schedule your service with us today to get started!