The Importance of Routine Garage Door Maintenance

The Importance of Routine Garage Door Maintenance

Maintenance and Care Guide

Your garage door works hard for you every single day.

Whether you’re heading to work in the morning, taking out the lawn mower, grabbing holiday decorations, or running errands, you probably open and close your garage door dozens of times a week.

With constant use and natural wear and tear, a quick, regular checkup is one of the easiest ways to avoid unexpected breakdowns, costly repairs, and safety risks.

As a trusted brand with more than 100 years in the industry, SoarShine has put together a simple 10-point maintenance checklist to keep your garage door reliable, safe, and long-lasting.

1. Look and Listen

The simplest and most important step: pay attention every time you use your garage door.

Watch for uneven movement, shaking, or strange sounds like squeaking, grinding, or rattling. Catching small issues early can prevent big, expensive problems later.

2. Tighten All Hardware

Your garage door is one of the largest moving parts of your home.

Over time, vibration can loosen nuts, bolts, and brackets.

Regularly inspect all hardware and tighten any loose parts. This quick step greatly extends the life of your door.

3. Lubricate Moving Parts

Smooth movement starts with proper lubrication.

About twice a year, apply a high-quality lubricant to hinges, rollers, and other moving parts. Run the door through a full open-and-close cycle to spread the lubricant evenly.

4. Check Door Balance

A poorly balanced garage door strains springs and openers, causing faster wear.

To test balance:

Disconnect the opener

Lift the door manually to the halfway point

A well-balanced door will stay in place.

If it slams down or rises on its own, have a professional adjust it immediately.

5. Keep Tracks and Door Clean

Clear dirt, leaves, and debris from the door tracks so the rollers move smoothly.

Clean the door surface with a mild household cleaner and check for rust, peeling paint, or damage.

For wooden doors, inspect for warping and re-seal or re-finish when needed.

6. Inspect and Replace Weatherstripping

The bottom seal keeps out dust, water, wind, and extreme temperatures.

Over time, rubber weatherstripping becomes dry, cracked, or worn.

Replace it when damaged to improve energy efficiency and protect your garage interior.

7. Test Auto-Reverse Safety Feature

All modern garage doors have an auto-reverse safety system. Test it regularly:

Place a small object (like a box) in the door’s path. When the door touches it, the door should reverse immediately.

Wave an object like a broom in front of the photo eyes while the door is closing. It should stop and reopen right away.

8. Check Rollers

Inspect the rollers inside the tracks.

If they are cracked, worn, chipped, or damaged, replace them promptly.

Bad rollers cause noise, rough movement, and even derailment.

9. Inspect Pulleys and Cables

Check the cables and pulleys that lift and lower the door.

Important: Do NOT touch or adjust them yourself — they are under high tension and can be dangerous.

If you see fraying, rust, or damage, call a professional right away.

10. Schedule Professional Service

Even with regular at-home care, a yearly tune-up from a trained technician is highly recommended.

Our experts can inspect, adjust, lubricate, and repair every part of your garage door system.

With over a century of experience, you can trust SoarShine to keep your garage door safe and dependable for years to come.