Sectional garage door maintenance: a simple checklist
Once a month, look and listen: test the auto-reverse with a soft object, check cables for fraying and keep the tracks clean and dry. Lubricate hinges and roller bearings lightly a couple of times a year. Leave springs, cables and force settings to an engineer, and book a service once a year for a powered door in daily use.
Monthly checks you can do
- Watch the door open and close: it should run smoothly and evenly on both sides.
- Test the auto-reverse with a soft object such as a cardboard box.
- Check the photocells by breaking the beam as the door closes.
- Look at the lift cables for fraying or kinks, without touching them under tension.
- Clear grit and leaves from the bottom seal and tracks.
Twice a year
- Apply a light lubricant to hinges, roller bearings and springs. Do not grease the inside of the tracks.
- Wash the door with mild soapy water and rinse; avoid solvents and pressure washers on seals.
- Change handset batteries if range is dropping.
Leave these to an engineer
Springs, cables, bottom brackets and force settings. Springs hold a lot of energy and cables are under tension; adjusting them without the right tools and training can cause serious injury.
How often should a door be serviced?
For a powered door used every day, once a year is sensible. A lightly used manual door can go longer, though we would not leave it more than two years. Commercial doors need more frequent visits, with records kept.
Warning signs
- A loud bang from the garage, then a heavy door: likely a broken spring.
- The door hangs lower on one side: a cable or roller fault.
- Grinding or scraping: worn rollers or a misaligned track.
- The door reverses for no reason: photocell alignment or force settings.
If you see any of these, stop using the door and book a visit.
Sources
- Manufacturer user and maintenance instructions for sectional doors
This guide gives general information, not legal or professional advice. Rules change; check with your council or a qualified adviser for your situation.