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Garage Door Maintenance Tasks

garage door maintenance

1,500

That’s the number of times the average garage door is opened and closed.

The garage door, however, remains one of the most overlooked areas of the home.

That is until something goes wrong with either it or its automatic opener.

You can help ensure trouble-free operation, thus preventing the inconvenience of a malfunctioning system, by getting into the habit of performing a few routine garage door maintenance tasks.

Enlist the help of a friend or family member and set aside an hour or two this weekend to perform the following garage door maintenance tasks. If you’re not comfortable completing these jobs, play it safe and contact a local garage door repair professional for a safety inspection and maintenance service.

Look and Listen

A simple visual inspection can sometimes detect hidden problems. With the door closed, check for damaged panels, bent tracks and any corrosion. Now operate the door to open. As the door moves up and down its tracks, make note of any jerky movements, roughness or unusual noises.

Tighten Nuts and Bolts

Disconnect the garage door opener so no one opens the door before proceeding.

If your inspection revealed any loose nuts or bolts, go ahead and retighten using a standard screwdriver, wrench and socket set. Be careful not to overtighten the hardware though. Any adjustments of the springs, cables, or pulleys should ONLY be made by a local garage door repair professional.

Clean Out the Tracks

Disconnect the garage door opener so no one opens the door before proceeding.

Over time, dirt and debris can build up inside your tracks. Wipe the tracks with a clean, damp cloth, allowing sufficient time to dry before operating the door. The tracks do not require and should not be lubricated. Tracks can get bent too. If they appear damaged or out of alignment, call in the experts for repair.

Lubricate Moving Parts

Disconnect the garage door opener so no one opens the door before proceeding.

Certain components such as the rollers, hinges, and springs require periodic lubrication. This is used to prevent binding and noise. This job requires a lubricant made specifically for garage doors (do not used WD-40!) Replacing metal rollers with nylon 13-ball bearing rollers can also quiet a noisy garage door. Professional installation is required.

Check Weatherstripping

Disconnect the garage door opener so no one opens the door before proceeding.

Check the condition of the rubber gasket at the bottom of the door. Is it missing or badly deteriorated? If yes, remove and replace with new material following manufacturer instructions. Threshold seals can be purchased at most any local hardware or home improvement store and cut to size at home.

Test All Safety Features

The International Door Association (IDA) recommended testing the following safety features monthly:

Photo Eye Test: Installed on both sides of the door, 6” above the floor, the photo eyes are designed to prevent the door from closing should something or someone cross their path. To test, press the operator button to close the door, and wave a long object in front them. The goal is automatic reversal of the door. Professional repair is required if the door fails this test.

Door Balance Test: With the door closed, disconnect the garage door opener. Manually lift the door to waist height. It should lift smoothly and remain fully open. If there is resistance or the door closes, it is out of balance and professional adjustment is required.

Reversing Mechanism Test: With the door fully open, place a 2×4 on the floor, directly centered with the garage door opening. Press the operator button to close the door. The door should automatically reverse upon contact with the wood. The door should be serviced by an expert if it fails this test.

Arizona’s Best Garage Door and Repair Company is proud to install, repair and service all makes and models of garage doors, as well as automatic garage door openers. We provide these services to residents throughout the greater Phoenix Metropolitan area. Contact us today at (480) 485-5505 to learn more about the services we offer.

Category : Garage Door Repair, Preventative Maintenance

1,658 Reviews Google Reviews Review Us On Google!

Brian D.
five stars

Great Guys and Great Work

The tech was on time to the second I think, very professional and super nice Chris – nice work my friend!   The opener they selected for me is a terrific and great price, Wifi and the myQ app are great as well.

Carrie F.
five stars

They sent someone out right away at 4:30pm on a Monday. Tre was our technician and did an amazing job getting our door back to working condition without breaking the bank. I will always suggest them to anyone who asks.

Conrad C.
five stars

For the past few months, my garage door would not shut. It will close halfway get stuck and the motor would bring it back. Not to mention it sounded like a blender filled with nails while closing and opening. Finally decided to get it to check out and these guys were the first to respond. Had an appointment sent within 15 min. A technician named Jimmy came over the next day and got it all done. My garage door never sounded so silent and go down as smooth once new parts were added. Definitely will be recommending these guys!

Joe S.
five stars

This company is very responsive, contacted them on a Sunday night and they replied right away.  Then set an appointment at a time convenient for me.

Very polite and easy to work with.  Travis, the owner, is hands-on.

Karen P.
five stars

I had an extremely positive experience with this company, and I have to praise Michelle in the front office for her patience and customer service attitude.

When my 20-year-old Liftmaster garage door opener began to fail, I spent a ridiculous amount of time researching new openers and my options.  The logicboard wasn’t working – so the unit still moved the door up and down, but responded only to the wall switch and not the remote. While that was inconvenient, I had time to look around.

After months of exploration and repeated estimates, when I finally decided on a model, they didn’t have it in stock. Michelle quickly located one and offered an appointment the next business day.

The technician who showed up, Zach, was relatively new, but assured me that he had great training and mentoring by the company.  And so far, I am very pleased with the work.  I thought he was polite, clean, well-skilled, and astute — and at my request, also diagnosed and repaired a squealing in the door.  The door is quiet and the alignment is good.

I would definitely have them back for any additional work! (which I hope doesn’t happen soon!)

Leonard G.
five stars

When it was time to change the garage door, we called these pros for help, and they responded to our needs immediately.

The team arrived exactly when they said they would, and explained everything they were going to do, along with different options for me. It took them an hour to complete the job, and it was amazing! Very precise and clean!!!

Will use them again for all my garage door needs!

Lori R.
five stars

Honestly, I haven’t had such great customer service in years. From the first phone call to the minute they left I never felt pressured, a hard sell or that I was being sold something I didn’t “need”. So informative and honest. So refreshing!! The background checks their employees for safety. They text/email your appointment time, when the technician is on the way, and the estimate. Makes the whole experience a positive one. Thanks, Travis, Chris, and Cody. Keep up the great work. You prove that great customer care is still important.

Patricia C.
five stars

We were so thrilled with the excellent quality of service and quick response we received yesterday. Jimmy Tafoya was quick, honest, and pleasant. The door went off the rails so we called on a Saturday afternoon for emergency service. He fixed the problem in 2 hours. We thought we would need a new door it was so screwed up but he fixed it very well at a lower cost. We are very thankful.

Robert Z.
five stars

My hinge was bent. Jay came out the same day. Repaired and realigned. Very efficient, knowledgeable, and did a great job. Would definitely call again for garage needs.

Tara L.
five stars

I wish this company provided other random services because I would use them for anything!

I sent a request for a quote via Yelp at 3:56 pm and received a reply from Travis at 3:57 pm. He said he could have a technician to my home between 4-6 pm That Day! Like within the next 2 hours. Before I committed, though I had to ask a few questions. First, could the technician please wear a mask and gloves because we have high-risk people in our home during Covid? Answer – no problem at all. Second, could you provide a ballpark estimate based on my description of the problem? Yup!

I then received a text with my appointment confirmation, and 20 minutes before the technician arrived, I received a lengthy text with a photo, background check information, and instructions on what to expect when he arrives. Then Jay called personally to let me know to expect him.

When he arrived, he looked at the job, gave me an estimate, and went to work. 20 min later, he was done, with no extra hidden fees. He accepted my credit card verbally so that we didn’t have any close contact.

The garage works perfectly!

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