Almost every emergency call we take between December and March could have been prevented by twenty minutes of work in October. Here is the list, in the order we would do it.
1. Test the balance
Pull the emergency release so the opener is disconnected. Lift the door by hand to about waist height and let go.
It should stay roughly where you left it. If it slams down, the springs are losing tension. If it flies up, there is too much. Either way the opener is compensating for it every single cycle, and that is what burns out openers in winter.
This is the single most useful test on the list, and it costs nothing.
2. Lubricate, properly
Use a garage door lubricant, not WD-40. WD-40 is a solvent and it strips the protective film off springs.
- Springs: a light coat along the length
- Hinges: at the pivot points
- Rollers: on the stems, not the nylon wheels
- Bottom seal: silicone spray, which stops it bonding to concrete
3. Check the bottom seal
Run your hand along it. If it is cracked, flattened or torn, replace it before winter. A worn seal is how water gets under the door and freezes it to the slab.
4. Tighten the hardware
Go along the hinges and brackets with a socket wrench. Snug anything loose. Do not overtighten, and do not touch the bottom brackets, which are under spring tension.
5. Test the safety reverse
Put a block of wood flat on the floor in the door path and close the door. It should hit the wood and reverse immediately. Then wave something through the photo eyes as it closes. It should stop and go back up.
If either test fails, that is a safety issue, not a convenience one.
6. Look at the cables
You are looking for broken strands, fraying near the drum, or rust. Do not touch or adjust them. A frayed cable is a call, not a DIY job.
7. Clear the track of debris
Leaves and grit in the track in October become frozen grit in January.
What to leave alone
Springs and cables are under enormous tension. Adjusting them without proper winding bars is how people end up in the emergency room. Everything else on this list is safe to do yourself.
If the balance test failed or you found a frayed cable, call (646) 960-8060. Free estimates across Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse.
Garage door trouble in Upstate New York?
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