Garage door service
Garage door service before winter?
Late fall is a good time for a garage door check, before the first hard freeze. We look at balance, cables, rollers, seals and the opener while the weather is still kind.
Is this what you're seeing?
The leaves have turned and the door has not been looked at in a year.
Your door struggled last winter.
You want to avoid a cold-morning breakdown.
The opener is noisy or slow.
The door is drafty or the bottom seal is cracked.
What's going on
Front Range winters are hard on garage doors. Cold stiffens grease, shrinks rubber seals and makes metal contract. Freeze and thaw cycles drive moisture into hinges and rollers, and a cold snap can freeze the bottom seal to the slab. A door that was marginal in September is often a service call in January.
A seasonal service is a sequence of checks. We test the balance, look at springs and cables for wear, inspect hinges, rollers and track for loose hardware, lubricate the moving parts, check the bottom seal and weatherstripping, and test the opener's force and auto-reverse. The point is to find a problem while it can be scheduled.
None of this guarantees a door will not break, because springs have a limited life and can fail on any day. What it does is reduce surprises, catch worn parts before they fail, and keep the door moving smoothly in cold weather. Our maintenance checklist shows what you can look at yourself.
What to do right now
Do
Do the balance test and watch for a smooth, level move.
Listen for noises that are new since last year.
Look at the bottom seal for cracks or gaps.
Clear leaves and debris from the tracks and the bottom corners.
Don't
Do not use WD-40 as your only lubricant. It evaporates and can attract dust.
Do not touch the springs, cables or bottom brackets.
Do not wait for the first freeze to find a problem.
Do not ignore a door that has been slowing or getting noisy.
How we fix it
A technician performs a full garage door service: safety and balance tests, hardware tightening, lubrication of the proper points, weatherstrip check and opener adjustment. If we find a worn part, we show it to you and explain what it does. Nothing is replaced without your say.
Repair or replace?
Service is the right choice for most doors. If a spring is near the end of its cycle life or the door is badly worn, we will tell you. For people who want it every year, our annual preventative maintenance plan is built for that.
Replacement only comes up when the door is damaged, rotting or no longer balances. We will not push it.
Related questions
Garage door maintenance: how often and what's done
How often should you service a garage door? Once a year is the rule. Here is what a garage door maintenance tune-up includes and why it pays off.
Read full answerWhat's on a garage door maintenance checklist?
What's on a garage door maintenance checklist? Lubricate parts, test the balance and auto-reverse, tighten hardware, and check rollers, cables, and seals.
Read full answerWhy won't my garage door work in cold weather?
Why your garage door won't work in cold weather: stiff grease, contracted metal, a touchy opener, ice at the base, or a brittle spring. Denver fixes.
Read full answerHow often should I lubricate my garage door?
How often to lubricate a garage door: twice a year for most homes, more in dry Colorado air. Learn which parts to grease and which lubricant to use.
Read full answerParts mentioned
Get your door ready for the cold
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