Garage Door Care and Maintenance
Regular cleaning and maintenance are key to ensuring your garage door operates smoothly and looks great. As one of the largest openings to your home, it’s essential to maintain both its beauty and functionality. Aim for a routine check twice a year to prevent accidents and damage.
If your garage door is louder than usual or rattles while closing, it’s time for a maintenance check. Not sure where to start? With various components involved, it can be overwhelming. This guide will help you perform a thorough inspection for optimal performance!
Kick off your garage door maintenance with a thorough cleaning! Dust, dirt, and salt can hide surface damage and rust, so it’s crucial to tackle them head-on. While a simple wash with water does the trick, check out these best practices to make your steel or aluminum door shine like new!
How to Maintain Steel and Aluminum Garage Doors
- Wash exterior of the garage door once a year.
- If you live in salt air climates or use salt to melt ice on your driveway, clean more frequently.
- Dilute 1 cup of common household detergent, like Tide®, in 5 gallons of warm water.
- Wash the garage door with a dense sponge or cloth.
- Rinse door thoroughly with water until soap and dirt are removed.
- Use a soft cloth and glass cleaner to clean garage door windows.
- Never blend cleansers or detergents with bleach.
- Do NOT pressure wash a garage door.
Steel Garage Doors and Salt Exposure
- Rock salt, forms of ice melt, and salt spray are harsh on steel garage doors and door components. Since salt is a corrosive, steel garage doors can deteriorate if not washed properly.
- When your doors are exposed to salt or a salt environment, wash the exterior garage doors with warm water and a household detergent such as Tide® to reduce the risk of rust. Do not pressure wash.
- Surface rust damage due to salt spray, salt or others forms of ice melt are not covered by product warranty.
Decorative Hardware
- No special cleaning is required to maintain the appearance of decorative hardware on your garage doors, but some changes in color may occur over time. You can refresh the look of the hardware with a few simple steps.
- Remove the hardware.
- Spray paint the hardware with paint intended for metal such as Rust-Oleum.
- Allow time to dry.
- Fasten decorative hardware back on the garage doors.
How to Maintain Wood Garage Doors
- At least once a year, inspect wood garage door for weathering or deterioration.
- If visible flaws become noticeable, stripping and refinishing of the garage door may be required.
- Clean wood door with water and sponge in between inspections.
- Use a soft cloth and glass cleaner to clean garage door windows.
- As with steel and aluminum doors, pressure washing your wood garage door may damage the generally softer surface. We never recommend that you pressure wash your garage door.
Now that you’ve cleaned your garage door, you’re ready to begin a detailed inspection. Remember, this maintenance check goes beyond the surface area of the door itself. You’re going to need to check the entire system – everything from the tracks to the photo eye sensors will need a good once-over.
Before beginning, take a look at the safety tips provided by the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association International (DASMA). Their guide to a safe garage door system maintenance check is used by our industry professionals, and can make sure your inspection is sufficiently detailed.
Perform a Visual Inspection
- Look at springs, cables, rollers, pulleys and hardware for signs of wear. If problems are visible, contact a qualified garage door installation company to make repairs. Contact a qualified garage door dealer.
- Regularly lubricate the moving parts of the garage door. Do NOT lubricate plastic parts such as plastic rollers and idler bearings.
- Consult the garage door owner’s manual for information specific to your garage door model.
Check the Garage Door Balance
- Periodically check the balance of your garage door.
- Start with the garage door closed.
- If you have a motorized garage door opener, use the release mechanism to operate the garage door manually.
- Lift the garage door, by hand, 3 to 4 feet above the floor.
- The garage door should remain open, if the door does not stay open, it is likely out of adjustment.
- The garage door should remain open. If the garage door does not stay open, the door is likely out of balance and needs adjustment.Contact a qualified garage door dealer for service.
Garage door care and maintenance are pivotal in the longevity of your garage doors. However, performing routine garage door opener maintenance is equally as important. Let’s examine what you can do as a homeowner to make sure your garage door opener is at its peak performance.
Reversal Test
- If your garage door opener does not have an automatic reversing feature, the opener should be replaced.
- Test the balance of the door first.
- With garage door fully open, place a 1-1/2” thick piece of wood on the floor at the center of the door.
- Push the remote or wall button to close the garage door.
- The door should reverse when striking the wood.
- If the door does not reverse, contact a qualified garage door installation and service company for repairs or replacement.
Opener Force Setting Test
- Hold the bottom of the garage door as it closes.
- If the door does not reverse easily, the force may be excessive and need adjusting.
- Check your garage door opener owner’s manual for further guidance.
Safety Photo Eyes
- If your garage door does not close when using the garage door opener remote or wall station buttons, the photo eye beams may be obstructed or out of alignment.
- Remove any visible obstructions.
- If your garage door still does not close, follow the instructions for aligning the photo eyes in the garage door opener owner’s manual or consult a qualified garage door dealer.
What if I Find a Problem?
In order to maintain your warranty, or to ensure the optimal functioning of your garage door system, do not attempt any garage door repair procedures yourself. Your trusted Amarr dealer will have the experience and knowledge required to repair any significant damage. While the temptation for an on-the-spot system or door repair is something we certainly understand, the point of a visual inspection is simply to try and find whatever’s inhibiting your door’s optimal function.
Why Choose an Amarr Dealer for Maintenance Issues?
Amarr has been providing quality garage doors since 1951. Over the years, we’ve learned the value of routine maintenance and cleaning to ensure the optimal performance of your garage door system. We’re also aware of how a clean, fresh garage door impacts the curb appeal of your home.
Our trusted independent, professional garage door dealers can carry out any significant maintenance and repair issues that have arisen. From new torsion springs to lift cable or track repair, they’ve seen it all, and can effectively restore your garage door system to ensure its optimal performance.
Remember, your preventative maintenance schedule is a key factor in reducing repair costs, so be sure to establish a bi-annual inspection routine.
In the event that your garage door opener system needs replacement, a professional Amarr dealer near you can help you match the look and feel of your home with the perfect garage door, and create a system that will perform exactly how it should.