Look over a Massachusetts garage door every month and run the balance, reverse and photo eye tests. Lubricate the hinges and rollers once or twice a year, check the bottom seal before winter and clean the tracks in summer. Leave springs, cables and bottom brackets to a technician, because they are under tension.
Quick answers
How often should I maintain my garage door?
Look at it and run the tests monthly, per the International Door Association. Clopay suggests a fuller review at least once a year and as often as every three months.
What should I use to lubricate a garage door?
Clopay recommends a silicone-based lubricant on hinges and rollers (not nylon rollers) and says never to use grease. Check your door maker's manual too.
Can I adjust the springs myself?
No. Springs, cables and bottom brackets are under tension. Clopay lists them as jobs for a professional.
What if the door does not reverse in the test?
Stop using the opener and book service. A door that does not reverse on a 2x4 or at the photo eye is not safe to run automatically.
The full explanation
Why a seasonal checklist works here
Massachusetts gives a garage door a long cold season. NOAA's state climate summary puts winter lows below 20°F in the west and near 30°F near the coast, and it describes nor'easters as cold-season storms with heavy precipitation and strong winds. A short check every month and a longer one each season finds a worn part before it fails on a winter morning.
The steps below come from the International Door Association and from Clopay's service page. They are written for a home with an automatic opener.
Every month
- Tell everyone in the house you are checking the door, so nobody presses the button halfway through.
- Look at the springs, cables, rollers, pulleys and hinges from inside with the door closed. Frayed cable strands, a broken spring or a bent hinge means stop and call.
- Balance test: pull the red release handle, lift the door by hand to about halfway and let go. A balanced door stays where you leave it. If it drops or shoots up, book a spring check. Do not force a door that is hard to lift.
- Reverse test: lay a 2x4 flat on the floor where the door lands and close the door with the opener. The door should reverse when it touches the wood. If it does not, stop using the opener and book service.
- Photo eye test: while the door closes, pass a long object through the beam. The door should reverse. Wipe the lenses with a soft, dry cloth and check that both sensors are lined up.
Spring and summer
Clopay suggests a bigger review at least once a year, and as often as every three months. In spring and summer it lists these jobs:
- Check the bottom seal for cracks, wear and drafts after the winter. Replace a damaged seal before fall. See weatherstripping a garage door for Massachusetts winters.
- Spray a silicone-based lubricant on the hinges and roller bearings. Skip nylon rollers and never use grease, which attracts dirt and dust.
- Clean the tracks with a small brush, then wipe them with a damp cloth.
- Check sensor alignment and think about a professional tune-up.
Do not spray or adjust the springs and cables yourself. Your door maker's manual says what it wants lubricated, and a technician can do the rest.
Fall and winter
- Inspect the bottom seal and feel for drafts along the floor.
- Wash the outside of the door with mild detergent and a soft brush, and look for peeling paint, rust and dents.
- Test the emergency release and confirm you know how to open the door by hand. See opening your garage door in a power outage.
- Keep snow and ice away from the bottom of the door. A frozen seal can tear if the opener pulls on it; see ice on the bottom seal.
What you do and what a technician does
| Task | You | Technician |
|---|---|---|
| Visual check of springs, cables, rollers and hinges | Every month, by eye only | Replaces worn or broken parts |
| Balance test | Every month, with the opener disconnected | Adjusts or replaces springs |
| Reverse and photo eye tests | Every month | Repairs or replaces sensors and opener settings |
| Lubrication | Hinges and roller bearings, once or twice a year | Springs, cables and bearings that need more |
| Bottom seal | Looks and feels for drafts each season | Fits a new seal and checks the track |
Spring and cable work stays with a technician.
When to stop and call
Clopay lists springs, frayed cables, door sections, track, bottom brackets and spring adjustment as jobs for a professional. If the door is heavy, crooked, off its track, or a spring or cable is broken, stop using it and book spring repair or garage door repair. Do not bypass a sensor that fails the test.
Who to call
Emil Garage Doors repairs garage doors, springs, cables and openers and installs new doors in Massachusetts, including Newton, Boston and Brookline. Our 12-point safety inspection costs $89 and covers springs, cables, rollers, tracks, sensors and the opener. Call or send your details and we book the soonest visit; the final price for any repair is confirmed after we see the door.
Our related services
Cities near you
We repair and install in these cities. Each page has local notes, prices and reviews.
Read next
Sources
- International Door Association: Care and maintenance of a garage door (monthly inspection, balance, reversing and photo eye tests, lubrication)
- Clopay: Garage door service and maintenance (seasonal checks, lubrication, weatherstripping, jobs left to a professional)
- NOAA State Climate Summaries: Massachusetts (winter lows, snowfall, nor'easters, coastal storms, sea level)