After the dust settles, disconnect the opener, wipe the track faces and sensor lenses with a dry or damp cloth, clear grit from the seals and rollers, then test the balance and the safety sensors. Do not use a pressure washer or touch springs and cables. If the door sticks, scrapes or the sensors will not stay lit, call a technician.
Why dust matters to a garage door
NOAA describes a haboob as a wall of dust that moves forward with the gust front of thunderstorms, typically across the central and western deserts of Arizona in the summer monsoon season. Fine grit settles in the tracks where rollers run, on the seals and on the small lenses of the safety sensors.
Dust alone rarely breaks a door. It makes rollers drag, hides a sensor beam and wears moving parts faster. A short clean-up after a storm is cheaper than a service call later.
Before you start
Wait until the dust has settled and any warning has ended. The National Weather Service defines a Dust Storm Warning as visibility of one quarter mile or less, so do not work outside until it clears.
A dry cloth, a damp cloth, a soft brush and a flashlight. Skip solvents, scouring powders and pressure washers. Clopay says not to use a pressure washer on the door or scouring powders, solvents, alkaline or acid cleaners.
Clean the track and sensors, step by step
Close the door and disconnect the opener
Pull the red release handle so the opener cannot start while your hands are near the track.
Brush loose grit out
Use a soft brush on the inside faces of both vertical tracks and along the horizontal tracks as far as you can reach from the floor.
Wipe the track clean
Follow with a damp cloth, then a dry one. Do not add lubricant to a track; Clopay lists the cables at the bottom bracket, the torsion spring, rollers at the bearing (not the tire), hinges and lock hardware as the parts to lubricate.
Clean the sensor lenses
The photo eyes sit on the left and right sides at the bottom of the opening. Wipe each lens with a clean, soft, dry cloth and make sure nothing blocks the beam.
Clear the seals
Brush dust and gravel out of the bottom seal and side seals. Note any tears or gaps; Clopay lists those as items to repair.
Test the balance
Lift the door to the halfway point and let go. It should stay in place. Then move it up and down by hand; it should be smooth and easy to control.
Reconnect and test the sensors
Reattach the opener as the maker's manual says and retest the safety sensors. Clopay says photo eyes should be retested following the opener manufacturer's instructions.
What to avoid
- Do not pressure wash the door or the opening.
- Do not touch springs, cables or the bottom bracket; they are under high tension.
- Do not run the opener if the door scrapes, jerks or looks crooked.
- Do not tape over, bypass or move a safety sensor to make the door close.
- Do not lubricate nylon rollers, according to Clopay's wood door care guide.
When to call a technician
Call if the door binds after cleaning, a roller is out of the track, the door will not stay up at the halfway point, or a sensor light stays dark or flickers once the lens is clean. Those point to alignment, wiring or spring problems that need tools and training. See opener repair for sensor faults and garage door repair for tracks and rollers.
Heavy dust can also settle after a monsoon storm; monsoon storms and your door lists the other checks.
Who to call
Emil Garage Doors repairs garage doors, springs, cables and openers and installs new doors in Arizona, including Mesa, Peoria and Phoenix. Call or send your details with a short note about what you see and we book the soonest visit.
Questions people ask
What is a haboob?
NOAA describes it as a wall of dust that moves forward with the gust front of thunderstorms, mostly seen across the central and western Arizona deserts in the summer monsoon.
Can dust stop my garage door sensors from working?
Dust on a lens or something blocking the beam can stop the door from closing. Wipe each lens with a soft dry cloth and make sure nothing is in the way.
Should I lubricate the track after a dust storm?
No. Wipe the track clean. Clopay lists the parts to lubricate, and the track is not one of them.
Can I wash dust off my garage door with a hose or pressure washer?
Clopay says not to use a pressure washer on the door. Use a soft cloth with mild soap and water, in the shade, and rinse with clean water.
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Read next
Sources
- NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS-WR 290: Blowing Dust and Dust Storms, One of Arizona's Most Underrated Weather Hazards
- National Weather Service Tucson: Monsoon Safety (season dates, thunderstorm wind gusts, dust storm warning, garage door advice)
- Clopay: Care and Maintenance, Avante garage doors (inspection, lubrication, cleaning, photo eyes, fading warranty note)
- Clopay: Care and Maintenance, wood garage doors (sun and moisture, repainting, staining, annual inspection)