How to Use and Maintain Garage Doors for Maximum Longevity

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Garage doors see a lot of action daily. You might open and close them at the very least twice a day on the way to and from work, with the numbers only going up if there are more drivers in your household. If you’re not careful, you might end up needing repairs or replacements much sooner than you might generally expect. 

A garage door used and maintained considerately will ensure maximum longevity, so you can offset more extensive repairs and replacements. This article will offer some tips on how to look after your garage door to save you time, money and energy that might be spent on more extensive fixes. 

Regular garage door inspections

It doesn’t matter if you’re working with sectional, roller or up and over garage doors – they all need regular inspections. It’s important to keep an eye out for the obvious stuff: 

• Movement, whether it’s smooth and easy or jerky and rattling
• Noises, such as grinding, squeaking, rubbing or scraping sounds
• Visual cues, such as worn colours, damage and misalignment

After looking at the more macro issues with your door, you should also take a peek at the smaller, elements, such as: 

• Bolts, nuts and screws for tightness or looseness
• Hinges, which could be rusted or bending
• Rollers, which might be chipped, cracked or excessively worn down
• Cables or pulleys, which might be fraying or broken
• Springs, which should be checked for signs of stretching or gaps

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These elements are important to check, however, you shouldn’t attempt to fix them yourself. Make notes of your findings and share them with a professional, as shoddy work could result in more serious damage or even dangerous malfunctions that result in life-threatening injuries. 

Cleaning and lubricating garage doors

Clean your garage doors every few months, avoiding harsh chemicals or power washers that might strip the door’s surface. Be conscious of the main material of your door, as this will influence the cleaning products you should use. Also, consider the area where you live. If you’re closer to the coast, the salty air will require you to clean used garage doors more often. It’s also important to clean out the tracks with a brush or damp cloth, as obstructions can hinder smooth operation. 

In terms of lubrication, you need to use a silicone-based spray or a specific garage door lubricant/grease on moving parts about twice a year. Never use thick grease and tend to avoid WD-40, and don’t lubricate the tracks on roller doors where the slats run directly. All of these choices can be counterintuitive, attracting dust, dirt and blockages. Use a more specific lubricant on hinges, rollers, springs and any chain/screw drive on the opener. 

Garage door safety feature checks

Electric garage doors should be checked to ensure that their safety features work properly. This means checking for things like the auto-reverse mechanisms, which can be done with an obstruction test. The test takes place as follows: placing an item in the path of the closing door, which should lightly hit the item and reverse. If it doesn’t reverse, you should call in professional help. A door not closing at all could be an issue with the photo-eye sensors near the bottom of the tracks, which could be sorted with a quick wipe clean. 

It’s also important to test the emergency release handle, as when pulled this should disengage the door from the opener. Manual opening and closing is especially important in case of power cuts.  

Embrace a yearly professional garage door servicing

Whether you have roller or side-hinged garage doors, make sure to contact a reputable company – ideally the company you purchased the door from – and get servicing done once a year. A professional will be able to notice everything that’s askew and sort it out for you as effectively and smoothly as possible, so you can trust your door will last for years to come without replacements.