Now is the perfect time of year to give your garage door the once-over and carry out any maintenance you might need to keep your space in top condition. Any faults or inefficiencies in this area could let all manner of things into your garage space with everything from rodents to rainwater entering through gaps. If you want to know what maintenance you should be doing, we have the answers. We’ve pulled together our top garage door maintenance tips to help keep your space in top condition year-round.
The first step you want to cover is to visually check the entrance system and see how it opens and closes. Look out for any signs of wear and tear and make sure it’s working smoothly without making too much noise as loud noises may mean there’s an issue in which case you may need to contact a specialist.
Lubricating all the metal parts like hinges and springs can majorly extend the life of your door, especially if you tend to use it quite often. This is because the friction that opening and closing causes can wear down the hardware a lot. One sign that lubrication may be overdue is hearing squeaky noises as the entrance opens and closes.
Tracks and rollers should be kept clean as if there’s any dirt or grime, this creates a ‘break’ that the motor then needs to fight against. Giving those a wipedown will help your door move more smoothly. Make sure not to spray lubricant directly onto the tracks as this will just attract more dirt, only ever lubricate the moving parts (hinges / springs).
Give the door a good wash, you can use a power washer for this if you have it as it’ll be quite easy to remove any dirt accumulated with one of those. If you don’t, you can simply use a bucket of water and mild detergent to wipe it down.
Use a standard socket wrench or spanner to tighten any bolts and screws that might have loosened as this will help keep tracks aligned and expand the system’s lifespan. Make sure to tighten around the hinges, roller brackets, track supports and opener arm but never adjust the spring bolts or bottom bracket bolts as these are under extremely high tension and can lead to injuries if not handled properly.
Look for any reddish / brown discolouration or pitting / flaky material around the springs. If there’s only surface rust you could preserve the metal by lubricating the area, however if there’s damage already the springs may need replacing in which case you’d need to contact a professional.
Close the entrance from the inside then run your hand along the edges to feel for cold air, or if it’s dark out, you can also use a flashlight to check for any visible light gaps. If there’s a draught this might mean your bottom seal needs replacing.
To check whether water can get in, you can use the same methods as for checking for draughts, simply run your hand along the edges or use a flashlight to check if there are gaps. If air and light can get in, this means water can too.
Check the garage door seal for any signs and wear and tear, especially if you’ve noticed issues with draughts or leaks. Even if you haven’t, replacing the seal when needed (e.g. if it has become deformed or if any cracks are visible) will help you prevent those and help with energy efficiency for your space, too.
Garage door maintenance includes all the routine upkeep tasks that keep your entrance system in working order and safe e.g. lubricating the springs and hinges, testing for draughts, cleaning, replacing damaged seals and anything else that extends its life and helps your space stay dry and secure.
Some of these tasks only need to be done about once a year. Others are season-specific or need doing on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. If it sounds complicated, don’t worry: once you establish a routine, the maintenance process becomes quite easy!
Regular garage maintenance is how you keep your space dry and clear from debris. If you’re wondering ‘How can I extend the life of my garage door?’, some DIY garage door maintenance can go a long way. In fact, according to StormStop technical specialists who have over 30 years of experience, regular maintenance on your entrance system can add up to 10 to 15+ years to its lifespan. By regularly maintaining it, you could avoid costly repairs in the future or even the need for a brand new one due to damage.
Checking things like door seals and searching for any gaps that might appear over time will help to keep out damp weather and draughts which could all be having knock-on effects on your heating bills if your garage is joined to your home. Doing these checks also helps ensure no pests such as rodents are sneaking in through the gaps.
In terms of professional servicing, at least one check up a year is recommended especially if there's heavy use. However, there are tasks you should be doing yourself on a weekly/bi-weekly basis like visual checks, seasonal / monthly (e.g. cleaning, checking for damage) or yearly basis (checking springs and bolts, for example).
Below, we offer a guide to help you create a routine for your garage door maintenance with different tasks and how often each should be completed to make sure your system stays functional and safe.
There are some essential parts of our garage door maintenance checklist that will help keep your entrance system in perfect working condition. We’ve split these down into weekly or bi-weekly tasks, seasonal tasks and yearly maintenance tasks to help you keep track of your upkeep.
If you haven’t done any of these checks for a while or since you bought or moved into your home, it might be worth running through all of these checkpoints just to be sure.
These are tasks that should be carried out on a regular basis to keep the system's general health up:
These tasks can be performed on either a monthly or seasonal basis as they take slightly longer than your weekly upkeep tasks.
Around once a year it's a good idea to check the workability of your entrance system to ensure no wear and tear has occurred.
One of the most important garage door maintenance tips our specialists give is to never compromise on quality when caring for your garage. By choosing high-quality garage door seals from the start, your space will be protected from rainwater, draughts and pests more efficiently and for longer with fewer issues of wear and tear.
Stormstop has been creating high-quality seals in the UK for almost 30 years and pride ourselves on being industry leaders in quality. To find out more about our range of made-to-last garage door seals, take a look at our range now.
Alternatively, contact our team to find out more about how we can help keep your space in perfect working condition.
