Once a month, look over the door, test the auto-reverse and check the sensors. Once a year, put a little lubricant on the rollers, bearings and hinges. Leave springs, cables and brackets alone, because they are under high tension. Check your owner's manual for your model, then book a technician for anything that sticks or looks worn.
1Why a short checklist helps
A garage door is often the largest moving part of a house, and you use it every day. Small problems, like a noisy roller or a sensor knocked out of line, are easy to spot if you look on a schedule. The checklists here come from Chamberlain's opener support page and from the door industry's consumer care page. Your own manual comes first when it differs.
2Every month
- Look at the door and hardware for damage, loose parts and worn pieces
- Check the tracks for debris and bends
- Run the door and listen for new noise, sticking, jerking or uneven movement
- Test the auto-reverse: with the door open, put a flat 2x4 (about 1 1/2 inches high) in the door's path and close it. The door should reverse when it touches the board
- Check both safety sensors: clean, firmly mounted, facing each other and not blocked
Chamberlain says to stop using the door if it is damaged, sticks, binds or moves unevenly, and to call a professional. If the door fails the auto-reverse or sensor test, stop using the opener.
3Once a year, before winter
- Put a small amount of garage door lubricant on the rollers, bearings and hinges, then wipe off the excess
- Do not lubricate the tracks if your opener maker says not to. Chamberlain says not to; some guides say otherwise, so follow your manual
- Test the battery backup if your opener has one
- Check the batteries in remotes and keypads and replace weak ones. See remote and keypad batteries in the cold
4Every two to three years
Chamberlain lists the opener rail as a job for every two to three years, if your model needs it: disconnect power, wipe off the old grease and apply a thin layer of white lithium grease where the trolley moves. Skip this step if your manual says the rail needs no grease.
5What you do and what a technician does
| Task | You | Technician |
|---|---|---|
| Look, listen and clean the sensors | Yes | If a sensor will not stay in line |
| Test auto-reverse and the photo eyes | Yes | If either test fails |
| Lubricate rollers, bearings and hinges | Yes | Done with any service visit |
| Springs, cables, rollers, brackets | No | Yes: they are under high tension |
| Door out of balance or sticking | Stop using it | Yes |
Follow your owner's manual where it differs.
6Warnings that matter
Chamberlain warns that springs, cables, pulleys and brackets are under extreme tension and can cause serious injury. Never disconnect the door from the opener while it is open, because a weak or broken spring could let it fall. Look, do not adjust.
A door that is out of balance, noisy, slow or crooked needs more than lubricant. See garage door repair and opener repair for what a technician checks.
7Let us do it with a visit
If you would rather not do the monthly checks, our approved price for a 12-point safety inspection is $89. It covers springs, cables, rollers, tracks, sensors and the opener. Any repair is quoted before we start.
8Who to call
Emil Garage Doors repairs garage doors, springs, cables and openers and installs new doors in Utah, including American Fork, Lehi and Orem. Call or send your details and tell us what you noticed, and we book the soonest visit.
Questions people ask
How often should I maintain my garage door?
Chamberlain lists a monthly check of the door, the auto-reverse and the sensors, a yearly lubrication, and an opener rail job every two to three years if your model needs it.
What can I lubricate on a garage door?
Chamberlain says a small amount of garage door lubricant on the rollers, bearings and hinges, wiped clean, once a year. It says not to lubricate the tracks. Check your manual.
Can I adjust my garage door springs myself?
No. Chamberlain warns that springs, cables and brackets are under extreme tension and can cause serious injury. Call a technician.
How do I test my garage door's auto-reverse?
With the door open, lay a flat 2x4 in the door's path and close the door with the opener. It should reverse when it touches the board. If it does not, stop using the opener and call for service.
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