First-Time Homeowner’s Guide to Garage Door Maintenance

9 Step Home Garage Door Maintenance Checklist

Your garage door works hard every day, but it’s easy to overlook the fact that it needs regular maintenance. Regular inspections can catch small issues before they become major problems. 

Here’s what you need to do step by step for a better garage door lifespan and curb appeal:

1. Inspect The Door

Check how your garage door is working about twice a year. 

• Is it making more noise than usual? 
• Does it move smoothly, or is it jerky? 
• Do all the parts appear to be properly aligned?

Before starting any maintenance, get your tools ready. Get the brake cleaner, safety glasses, and any necessary parts.

Unplug the automatic door opener before you begin. If the door is open while you’re working, place a clamp on the track below one of the nylon rollers to keep it from sliding down.

2. Regular Lubrication

To keep your garage door opening and closing smoothly, it’s important to lubricate moving parts. Lubrication reduces friction between moving parts, helping your garage door operate more efficiently. 

It also prevents wear and tear on critical components, such as rollers, hinges, springs, and tracks, thereby extending the life of the entire system. A light coating is sufficient, as excessive garage door lubricant can attract dust and grime, ultimately doing more harm than good. 

Use a silicone-based lubricant on areas like the rollers, hinges, springs, and tracks. Don’t overdo it. Too much grease can collect dust and dirt. 

3. Check the Door Balance

Garage door balance refers to how the door’s weight is supported by the spring system, typically torsion or extension springs. When the springs are properly tensioned, they offset the heavy weight of the door. This makes it easy to lift by hand or by the automatic opener.

It’s a good idea to regularly test your garage door’s safety features. If the door fails any of these safety tests, stop using it and call a professional for repairs. Springs are under high tension and should never be adjusted by yourself.

• First, disconnect the garage door from the automatic opener so you can manually operate it.
• Lift the door about halfway up and then let go.
• A balanced door should stay in place. If it starts to fall or slide down, the springs may be worn or misadjusted.
• An unbalanced door can strain the opener and pose a safety hazard; call a technician to repair it.
  

4. Test the Mechanical Reverse Feature

The mechanical reverse is a built-in safety feature that stops the garage door from closing on something or someone in its path. If a pet, child, or object is under the door when it’s coming down, this system is supposed to detect the obstruction and automatically reverse direction to prevent injury or damage.

If this feature isn’t working, the door could close on a person, a car, or any other object, causing serious harm or costly damage. That’s why it’s one of the most important safety checks you can do.

If your door doesn’t stop and reverse when it touches an object on the floor, stop using it immediately. This means the safety system has failed, and it’s not something to ignore or fix on your own. 

These systems are connected to the opener’s force settings and sensors, which can be tricky and potentially dangerous to adjust without the right tools or knowledge.

Call a Stewart Overhead Door technician immediately to inspect and repair the problem

5. Test the Photo Eye Sensors

Photoeye sensors, also known as photoelectric sensors, are small electronic devices that sit on either side of your garage door, approximately 6 inches off the ground, facing each other. They send an invisible beam across the door’s path. When something breaks that beam like a child running under the door, the door is supposed to stop and reverse before it hits anything.

If the door does not stop when something is in the way, the sensors might be dirty, misaligned, or faulty. Here’s what you can do:

• Clean the sensors gently with a soft, dry cloth to remove dust or spider webs that may block the beam.
• Check their alignment to ensure both sensors face each other directly; even a slight bump can cause misalignment.
• Look for indicator lights on each sensor; a steady light usually means they’re powered and working.
• If the door still doesn’t reverse after cleaning and adjusting, or the lights are off or blinking, it’s best to call a Steward technician. 

6. Tighten the Hardware

Every time you open or close your garage door, it creates movement and vibration. Over time, this constant use can cause nuts, bolts, screws, and brackets to loosen without you even noticing.

Take a few minutes to check all the hardware. Inspect the entire mechanical system, paying particular attention to the modern garage door tracks, garage door rollers, hinges, and mounting brackets that attach the opener to the ceiling and walls.

Use a socket wrench to gently tighten any components that feel loose. Loose hardware can lead to unnecessary wear, noisy operation, or even severe damage if parts come apart while the door is in motion. Regular tightening helps keep everything running smoothly and safely.

7. Check the Weatherstripping

The weatherstripping at the bottom of your garage door plays an important role in keeping your garage comfortable and protected. It seals the gap between the door and the floor, helping to block out cold air, rain, dirt, and even pests.

Over time, this strip can wear out, crack, or peel away, reducing its effectiveness and potentially leading to higher energy bills or unwanted pests entering the area. You can usually spot minor damage yourself and replace simple weatherstripping strips on your own. 

However, if you notice significant gaps, it’s a good idea to call a Steward Technician. 

We can properly assess whether the entire seal or even the door bottom needs repair or replacement to ensure a tight, lasting fit.

8. Clean and Paint the Garage Door

Keeping your garage door clean and painting it will help extend its lifespan. Whether your door is made of metal, wood, or another material, a little care goes a long way.

Over time, dust, dirt, pollen, and even road salt can accumulate on your garage door, especially if it’s located near a busy street. Use a mild soap mixed with water and a soft brush or damp cloth to scrub the door from top to bottom. Rinse it with a garden hose and let it dry completely.

Tip: Avoid harsh chemicals or pressure washers. They can damage the finish.

9. Check and Replace the Backup Battery, Remote Batteries, and Light Bulbs

Your garage door opener is designed to be reliable, even during power outages, thanks to its built-in backup battery. But like any battery, it doesn’t last forever. It’s essential to test it periodically to make sure everything will still work when the power goes out.

Start by unplugging the garage door opener from the power outlet.

Then, try opening the garage door using the wall control button.

• If the door opens, your backup battery is still working.
  
• If nothing happens, it likely means the backup battery is drained and needs to be replaced.
  

How to replace the backup battery

• Remove the opener cover. Use a screwdriver to carefully remove the cover on the garage door opener housing. Inside, you’ll find the backup battery.
• Swap out the old battery. Take out the used battery and replace it with a new one of the same type. Make sure it’s inserted correctly, matching the polarity markings (+/-).
• Secure the cover again. Once the new battery is in place, replace the cover and reconnect the opener to the power source.
  

Make Stewart Overhead Door Your Go-To for Garage Door Repairs

Taking a little time each season to inspect and maintain your garage door can help prevent unexpected breakdowns, costly repairs, and safety issues. From checking weather seals and lubricating moving parts to testing backup batteries and sensors, these small steps help keep your garage door running smoothly throughout the year.

But sometimes, even with the best DIY maintenance, you’ll need a professional’s help, whether it’s a broken spring, a misaligned door, or a failing opener.

How Stewart Overhead Door helps you

When you need more than just a routine tune-up, Stewart Overhead Door is here to make sure your garage door is safe, reliable, and worry-free.

What we do:

1. Expert repairs by certified technicians. We have highly trained, certified Stewart technicians in fully branded trucks and gear. You’ll always know exactly who’s at your door.

2. Emergency support. Serving over 80 towns and communities across Ontario, we offer same-day maintenance service and emergency support outside of regular business hours. 

3. Full-service care. From replacing broken torsion springs and sensors to complete door and opener installations, we handle all unbalanced garage doors.

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