Garage Door Maintenance and Tune-Ups in New Jersey

A tune-up is a full check of the door and opener by a technician. It catches worn parts before they fail and leaves the door running smoothly and safely.

A maintenance visit covers the whole system: springs, cables, rollers, hinges, tracks, bearings, weather seals and the opener with its safety features. The technician inspects each part, lubricates what needs it, adjusts what has drifted and reports what is worn.

DASMA recommends annual inspections and maintenance by a trained door systems technician. It also says routine cleaning and visual checks are the homeowner's job, while repairs and adjustments belong to a technician.

• The door is noisy, with squeaks, rattles, grinding or scraping.
• It moves unevenly, shakes or jerks, or looks crooked.
• It feels heavier than it used to, or the opener strains.
• The door does not stay put when stopped partway open.
• Cables look frayed, rollers look worn or hardware looks rusted.
• You can feel a draft or see light under the door.
• It has been a year or more since a technician looked at it.

See why a garage door is noisy, by sound and our annual maintenance checklist.

The technician inspects first and does not change parts that are in good shape. If something needs repair, we explain what we found.

1. We look over the door, panels, hinges and fasteners for wear, rust, cracks and loose hardware.
2. We inspect the springs, cables, drums and brackets, without adjusting anything outside safe technician procedures.
3. We check the tracks and rollers for alignment, wear and binding.
4. We lubricate the moving parts that need it, using a product suited to garage door hardware.
5. We check the door balance by releasing the opener and testing how the door holds when partly open.
6. We inspect the weather seals along the bottom of the door.
7. We test the opener, the safety reverse and the sensors.
8. We report what we found and what, if anything, needs repair.

One manufacturer advises lubricating hinges, rollers (not nylon rollers), bearings, springs and cables about once a year, with a silicone-based lubricant and never grease. Use whatever your door's manufacturer specifies. Our guide on what to lubricate on a garage door has more.

A balanced door stays in place when stopped at any partly open position, according to CPSC. CPSC also advises inspecting the door and opener every 30 days. Our guide to the balance check shows what you can look for, and the safety reverse test covers the opener.

• Keep the door and tracks clean, and wipe sensor lenses gently.
• Listen and watch for changes in sound or movement.
• Check that nothing is stored where the door travels or where the sensor beam passes.
• Test the opener's safety reverse monthly as CPSC advises.
• Keep the owner's manuals near the door.

Do not adjust springs, cable tension, bottom brackets or track hardware. Winter brings extra wear in New Jersey, as our winter care guide explains.

• Door type, size and whether it has one or two springs.
• Opener type and the safety features installed.
• The age and condition of the springs, cables and rollers.
• Rust or wear that was not visible from the floor.
• Whether any repairs turn up during the inspection.

See what affects garage door repair cost.

If the inspection finds a problem, we can handle it: garage door repair, spring replacement, roller replacement or weather seal replacement. A door at the end of its service life may be better replaced. See how long a garage door lasts.

This service is available across New Jersey through our three regional teams.

• North Jersey
• Central Jersey
• South Jersey