Avoid costly surprises with regular servicing
Most garage doors open and close thousands of times a year. Regular servicing catches worn parts before they fail, keeps the door running quietly, and helps you avoid unexpected repair bills.
What a tune-up typically covers
- Inspecting springs, cables and pulleys for wear
- Checking rollers, hinges and tracks for wear and alignment
- Lubricating moving parts
- Checking the door’s balance
- Testing the opener’s safety reverse and photo-eye sensors
- Checking the bottom seal and weatherstripping
How often should a door be serviced?
Once a year is a good rule of thumb for most homes. Doors that cycle many times a day – busy households or commercial doors – can benefit from more frequent checks.
Sacramento’s hot, dry summers are hard on weatherstripping and lubrication, so late spring is a good time to book a tune-up.
Between visits
Simple monthly checks you can do yourself
- Watch and listen. Run the door and look for jerky movement, and listen for grinding or scraping.
- Look, do not touch. Check springs and cables visually for gaps, rust or fraying – never adjust them yourself.
- Test the safety reverse. Place a roll of paper towels where the door closes. The door should reverse when it touches it.
- Check the sensors. While the door is closing, pass an object through the photo-eye beam. The door should stop and reverse.
- Keep the tracks clear. Wipe away dirt and keep stored items away from the tracks.
If anything fails these checks, stop using the opener and request a service visit.
