Maintaining Your Garage Door

Garage doors can break down at inconvenient times, so it is important to identify and fix issues with your garage door before they escalate into major problems. Regular planned maintenance is the best way to assure safe, smooth, and reliable operation, fewer unexpected repairs, and extended life, lowering your cost of ownership.

Planned maintenance includes inspection, cleaning, and lubricating mechanical systems, checking door operation, testing safety systems, and then addressing issues. The following general guidelines are provided for reference and apply to most garage door systems. Please refer to your garage door and garage door opener manuals for specific instructions on maintaining your equipment. Unplug the automatic door opener before doing planned maintenance. If working with the door up, affix a clamp on the track under one of the rollers to prevent the door from slipping down. 

Door Spring, Components Under Tension

The spring and associated components are under extreme tension and can cause injury if released. Your garage door can weigh hundreds of pounds, and these components carry the full weight of the door. If any of these components fail, you will not be able to open your garage door, so maintaining them is important. If you find a problem with any of these components, please contact a dealer to promptly address the issue. Never try to adjust the garage door torsion springs or any fasteners that are painted red or otherwise identified as requiring service by a professional only.  Do not put yourself at risk by attempting to repair or replace these components.

Torsion Shaft: This shaft supports the springs and rotates as the door opens and closes. Inspect the torsion shaft for wear, bending and rust.
Center Bracket and Bearing: The center bracket supports the torsion springs. Check for bending or warping. The center bearing holds the torsion shaft in place. Check for wear. When bearings begin to deteriorate there is often a small pile of debris under the bearing.
End Bearing Plates and Bearings: The end bearing plates are at each end of the torsion shaft, allowing it to move as the door operates. Check for damage, rust, or if the plates are loose or broken. The end bearings support the torsion shaft. Check if the bearings are loose or worn.
Spring: The spring lifts the weight of the door and unwinds as the door opens. There may be one or more springs on a door. Garage doors generally use torsion springs that are mounted above the door opening on the torsion shaft. One end of the spring stays fixed to the center bracket and the other rotates as the door opens or closes. Some garage doors use extension springs, which are thin, long springs that go along the horizontal part of the door tracks. Clean dust and debris from the springs and inspect the springs for deterioration, rust, or damage. Look for stretched or gapped springs, wear, slipping, cracking, or fractures.
Cable Drum: There is a cable drum on each end of the torsion shaft. The cable drum connects the torsion shaft to a cable and winds up the cable when the door opens. Check that the cable winds up uniformly in the grooves of the cable drum and that the drum is securely fastened to the torsion shaft.
Cables: The cables are on both sides of the door and connect the cable drums to the bottom bracket to lift the door. Since they are under a considerable amount of tension, you should only inspect the cables and drums attached to the garage door’s bottom brackets. Check for fraying, broken strands, wear, kinks, stretching, or damage. If your cables look frayed, try to figure out what might have damaged them. Clean them and avoid using heavy lubricants that attract dirt.
Bottom Bracket: The cable is attached to the bottom bracket on each side of your door. Check that the bracket is not bent, warped, or loose. Check that the bottom bracket is securely attached to the door by watching that the bracket does not move relative to the door as the door opens or closes.

Garage Door

Your garage door is assembled from many parts. Inspecting, cleaning, and tightening fasteners on the major components can help to assure that your door stays in top condition.

Door Panels: Clean dirt and debris off the panels with a mild detergent and a soft-bristle brush or rag. Rinse stained and painted surfaces with a low-pressure garden hose to protect the finish. Wash both the interior and exterior of the door. As you clean, inspect the door for dents, cracks, corrosion, sagging, deterioration, moisture, signs of insect damage, and mold. Garage doors are made from varied materials, and each type of material is maintained differently. For steel doors, check for rust spots, or corrosion near any of the fasteners. Any areas with rust can be wiped off with a cloth soaked in white vinegar, primed, and repainted. Inspect wooden doors for warping, water damage or rot around the trim and the bottom of the door, or faded, chipped, blistered, or cracking paint. Scrape away peeling or chipped paint, and sand and repaint the door. To fix scratches or other blemishes on the garage door panels, paint over the marks
- If you have glass panels, clean the glass, and inspect for warped, loose, or broken glass. Step back away from your door and check if the parts are evenly aligned. If not, fasteners may have come loose or cables may not be properly wound on the drums, causing misalignment.
- A modern garage door usually comes with polyurethane or polystyrene insulation between two steel or wood panels. Insulation protects your garage from temperature extremes and makes your door more durable against heavy winds. If you have an insulated garage door, verify the insulation is secure and fastened.
Struts: Struts are a U-shaped metal channel mounted to the inside of the door panels to provide structural support. Multiple struts may be installed. Check the fasteners for each strut and assure they are tight.
Hinges: Door sections are held together with hinges that attach adjacent sections using fasteners. There are 3 or more hinges between sections. Inspect all hinges. Check for loose fasteners and tighten. Check that the hinges are not bent.
Rollers: The rollers on the edge of the garage door and the brackets holding them in place allow the door to move along the track. Check that the rollers stay inside the track during operation and while the door is fully open and fully closed. Check for broken rollers, bent shafts, worn-out bearings, chips, warping, or cracks. Worn steel rollers may look lopsided, while nylon rollers tend to crack as they age. Even though you can replace these rollers, contact a professional if you need to remove the bottom roller brackets on each side of the door, since they are under extreme tension. Rollers wear out and may need to be replaced every five years to seven years. Replace a roller if it has cracked, chipped, or worn.
Door Lock, Handle: The door lock and handles allow you to manually open and close the door and lock it closed. Check the lock and handles for loose, cracked, malfunctioning, missing, or loose components. Tighten any loose fasteners. Test the door lock for smooth operation and lubricate the lock mechanism.
Seal or Stop Molding: The door side seal or trim seals the sides and top of the door when the door is fully closed. Ensure the seal pieces are also providing a proper seal and are not warped or damaged. If your garage door does not have a tight-fitting seal, it can easily let in water, frigid air, and debris. The easiest way to check the seals is to stand inside your garage with the door closed. If you notice light peeking through, there is a gap or break in the seal.
Weather Strip: The bottom of the door is sealed with a weather strip to keep water, snow, and ice out of your garage, and helps insulate your door and keep pests and rodents out, as well as protecting your door itself from moisture damage. Clean the weather strip and as you clean it, inspect for mold, cracks, cuts, gaps, tears, and wear. Signs of wear include rusted or brittle metal around the garage door, gaps, or cracks under or around your garage door, puddles of water around your garage door, and drafts coming in through the door. If the seal is cracked, dried, brittle, worn, or appears to be breaking off, or is not sealing the space under your door, it should be replaced. Make sure you get the right kind of weather stripping that matches what you currently have so it can be installed correctly. The weather strip could be nailed into place or slid into a groove along the door. Removing the damaged material and not replacing it or leaving the damaged material in place could reduce the life of your door.
Track: The garage door track guides the door path. The track assembly consists of vertical tracks and jamb brackets that connect the vertical tracks to the door frame on either side of the opening, and horizontal tracks that hold the door up when the door is open. Dirt, grease, and dried leaves can build up along the tracks over time, blocking the door’s path and potentially causing damage. Start by vacuuming up dry, loose debris. Spray the tracks with disc brake cleaner. Wipe the tracks with a clean rag to remove the cleaner and any grease or debris that remains. Check that the track is secure and that all fasteners are tight, and the jamb brackets are securely mounted to the wall. Check for bending, creases, rust, damage, and loose or missing bolts, and fix or replace the garage door track.

Garage Door Opener

Garage Door Opener Mount: The garage door opener is secured to the ceiling or wall by brackets. Check that the garage door opener is securely mounted to the brackets and that the brackets are securely mounted to the ceiling or wall. For trolley operations, check that the rail connection to the wall is secure. All garage doors should have a bracket reinforcing the opener attachment to the wall. Operate the door up and down to assure that the rail and garage door opener do not move. Tighten any loose nuts and bolts and replace any fasteners that are rusted or damaged.
Trolley and Carriage: For ceiling mounted operators, the trolley or carriage is a rail that houses the chain, belt, or screw, and the carriage assembly. Check the trolley is not warped or bent. Open and close the door and verify that the trolley does not flex up or down. The garage door motor is connected to the door through a chain, belt, or screw that move the carriage assembly. Check that the carriage assembly moves freely in the trolley rail. Check that the belt or chain is not loose or rubbing against the trolley rail. Adjust the tension of the belt or chain to take out any excess slack. Check for cuts or wear in the belt or damage or wear in the chain or screw.
J Bar or Coupling: On a ceiling mounted operator the carriage assembly connects to the door with a J bar. Check that the J bar is not bent and that the fasteners that connect to the door and the bracket on the door are secure. Tighten any loose nuts or bolts. For wall mount operators make sure that the coupling to the spring shaft and any gearing is aligned and not loose.
Safety Photo Eyes: Safety sensors are mounted near the bottom of your door, 6” or less off the ground. The safety sensors have a transmitter on one side of the door and receiver on the other. If an object crosses the path of the safety sensor when the door is closing, the door will reverse and return to the open position. The safety sensors must be installed and working properly to assure safe operation of the garage door. Check that the sensor is mounted 6” or less from the ground. Check that the wiring is securely attached to the eyes, not loose or frayed. Clean the photo-eyes, removing dust on the lens with a soft dry cloth. Check that the photo eye brackets are securely attached to the wall and that the photo eye is securely attached to the bracket. Tighten any loose fasteners. Check that the photo eyes are aligned by observing the LED.
Wall Buttons and Remotes: The garage door typically comes with a push button that is mounted near the pedestrian door to the home and remotes to operate the door while you are outside or in the car. If the wall control is wired, check that the wiring is securely connected and not frayed or damaged. Test the push button and remotes. If remotes are not working, change the batteries and retest.
Keypad: If the garage is equipped with an outside keypad, test the keypad. If the keypad is not working, change the batteries and retest. If the keypad is programmed to operate more than one door, test the operation with all doors. Program the keypad if necessary.
Lightbulbs: Check the lightbulbs and replace any burned-out bulbs. Some LED lights can interfere with RF signals from your remotes or keypads, so it is better to purchase LED lightbulbs from the garage door opener manufacturer.
Power Cord: Your garage door opener plugs into an outlet. Visually inspect the power cord for any tears or cracks. Make sure that is fully plugged into the outlet. Consider connecting the opener to a surge protector to protect electrical components in the garage door opener.

Lubrication

Lubricating a garage door keeps the system moving smoothly to prevent wear, damage, and loud noises. Lubrication takes less than 10 minutes and helps prevent rust and wear. Decide between the two types of garage door lubricant, either penetrating oil or grease. Penetrating oil spray reaches into tight spaces, protecting, preserving, and waterproofing garage door components. Grease creates a moisture-reducing barrier and helps prevent friction and keep your door operating smoothly and quietly. Its best to use lubricants specifically made for garage doors. Lay down a tarp to protect the floor from stains and have a rag on hand to wipe away any drips. Lubricate the following components:

Lock and keyhole: Lubricate where surfaces slide or turn.
Rollers: If your garage door has metal rollers with unsealed bearings, spray the bearings with grease. Do this after using an old toothbrush and a rag to remove any debris. Do not lubricate nylon roller bearings only spray lubricant into and around the roller stems.
Hinges: If your garage door has metal hinges, lubricate them with penetrating oil where they pivot and wipe away excess lubricant. Do not lubricate plastic hinges because the lubricant could break down the plastic.
Springs: Lubricate garage door torsion springs to decrease friction between coils. You just want to spray enough so the components can move better. Do not spray so much that lubricant is dripping off the springs. When working anywhere near the springs, be sure to practice extreme caution. They are under immense tension and can be hazardous if handled incorrectly.
Bearing Plates and Bearings: Depending on whether you have extension or torsion springs, you can lubricate various parts of the system. For an extension spring, lubricate the bearings in the pulleys with grease. With a torsion spring, you can lubricate the bearings that support the torsion shaft with grease.
Cable Drums and Cables: Spraying lubricant on the cable drums allows the cable to move into the grooves smoothly.
J Bar: Lubricate where the J bar rotates at the attachment to the door and to the carriage assembly.
Garage Door Opener Chain: If the garage door opener uses a chain drive on the trolley, lubricate the chain. Do not lubricate a belt drive operator.

Door Operation Checklist

Door Operation: Open and close the door: Your door should operate smoothly and not have a jerky motion. As you run it, listen for loud noises, squeaking, grinding, or scraping that may indicate a problem with one of the parts. If you hear groaning or slapping sounds as the door operates, check the drive chain or belt for excess slack.  If you hear a clicking or whirring sound, the springs may need lubrication. Watch to make sure your door does not get caught in certain places or go off track. If the door opens slowly, it could indicate that the door may be unbalanced or there mechanical binding slowing door operations. When your garage door is not lubricated, aligned, or if it is balanced, you may hear strange noises, such as grinding or scraping. Your door should be quiet as it opens or closes. If you notice it making odd noises it did not make before, it is time for maintenance and, in some cases, repairs.
Door Limits: Press the wall control and observe the door position when it is fully open and repeat and observe the position of the door when it is fully closed. The door should open completely without driving the trolley into the operator and close completely without driving the door into the ground. If the door is not fully open or the trolley is close the operator, adjust the door up limit. If the door does not fully close or overdrives the door into the ground, adjust the door down limit.
Door Balance: When the spring tension is adjusted so that it matches the weight of the door, the door is balanced. If the door is unbalanced, it puts unnecessary pressure on the garage door opener. Significantly unbalanced doors can be a safety hazard. Check the balance by pulling the release handle on the opener and carefully lifting the door manually until it is halfway open and testing if the door remains in place. If the door begins to close or open by itself, the door is not balanced. If the door is not balanced, contact your dealer to adjust the spring tension. This task is too dangerous to perform without training.
Back up Battery: Check backup battery. The opener connects to the home’s electrical system, but some garage door openers have a backup battery that operates your door if you lose power. To test it, unplug the opener and try opening the door. If the door does not open, replace the backup battery.

Test Safety Systems

Mechanical Reverse:  If the door is closing and impacts and object, it should stop and reverse. To test this capability, place a piece of wood or a brick on the garage floor in the path of the door. Close the garage door. When the door contacts the block, it should reverse direction. If the door does not stop and then reverse and open, it must be repaired to assure safe operation.
Safety Photo Eye Test: With the door open then press the wall button or remote to close the door. As it closes, wave an object across the sensor path. The door should immediately reverse. Test at least three different points in the beam's path. The door should reverse and return to the open position. If the garage door fails this test, it must be repaired to assure that the door operates safely. Garage door openers over 20 years old may lack safety photo eyes. Consider upgrading your garage door to assure safe operation. Keep objects away from the door. Blockages near the pathway of the photo-eyes can prevent them from controlling your garage door. Avoid putting your belongings near the opening.

Adjustment and Replacement

Adjust Chain / Belt Tension: Raise the garage door to about chest height, detach it from the opener, and then close it by hand to work on the chain. Disconnect the opener from the power source. Locate the adjustment bolt that connects to the chain or belt. There should be nuts on either side to adjust the drive mechanism. Use a wrench to turn the first nut at the side of the assembly counterclockwise. Then, move to the other nut and turn it clockwise. The chain or belt should pick up slack. Tighten until the chain or belt is about a quarter inch from the bottom of the rail. Do not overtighten, as it could lead to a break. Reattach the door to the opener and reconnect the opener to the power supply.
Weather Strip Replacement: Detach the garage door from the opener so that it operates manually. Raise the garage door to about chest height. Secure a clamp over the track under the roller to keep the door in place while you work. Use a screwdriver or pry bar to unseat the old weather stripping from the channel at the bottom of the door. Once loosened, the weather strip should slide out if you pull a free end from the side of the garage door. Clean the door groove to be free of any debris. Then, slide a new piece of weather seal into the door groove. If the weather seal has trouble sliding into place, pull it all the way back out and apply penetrating oil to the groove. Then re-insert the new weather seal strip. Trim the weather strip to about four inches beyond the door edge. Slide the strip to the left, fold the overage back in on itself, then slide back into the door groove.
Replace Backup Battery: Using a screwdriver, remove the cover on the garage door opener and then unplug the battery. Replace the dead battery with a new one, connect the wiring, then replace the cover.
Fix a Stuck Roller: You may need to fix wheels that get stuck or bind in the garage door tracks.  Reduce the friction between the door and the track by adjusting the track brackets. Loosen the nuts that hold the brackets to the door frame, and then make sure there is about a quarter inch to a half inch of play between the door and the tracks.
Reduce Friction Between Door and Stop: Adjusting the track brackets can reduce friction between the door and the door stop. To adjust the track brackets, loosen the nuts that hold the track to the brackets, then move the track until the door does not bind.