A Winter Maintenance Checklist for Your Garage Door

Cold is hard on a garage door. It is when a spring already near the end of its life finally snaps and when dry, stiff rollers start to bind. A little attention before the deep cold saves you the 7 AM surprise. Here is the checklist we would run.

The ten-minute fall check

• Lubricate the moving parts. A light garage-door lubricant on the springs, rollers, hinges, and the opener rail cuts friction and slows rust. Skip household oils and grease, which attract grit.
• Check the weatherseal. The rubber strip along the bottom of the door gets brittle and cracks in the cold. A fresh seal keeps the garage warmer and blocks snowmelt.
• Test the balance. With the door closed, pull the manual release and lift the door halfway by hand. It should hold roughly in place. If it drops or flies up, the springs are out of balance and worth a look before winter.
• Test the safety reverse. Lay a scrap of wood flat under the door and close it. It should hit the wood and reverse. If it does not, the opener needs attention.

What cold weather exposes

Metal contracts in the cold, grease stiffens, and a door that was merely tired in October can quit in January. The most common winter calls we get are snapped springs and openers straining against a stiff, unbalanced door. Both are easier and cheaper to handle before they fail. If your door is groaning, slamming, or lifting unevenly, do not wait for the cold to finish the job. Read up on spring repair and opener repair, or call the shop for a ballpark.