Tips and Answers to Your Questions

Check out our Maintenance and FAQ sections for information on prolonging the life of your door.

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Wood Garage Door Inspection and Maintenance Guidelines

Inspecting and maintaining the finish of a wood garage door is highly important to help control the effects of moisture and sunlight on the aesthetic appearance and overall integrity of the door. One primary importance factor is how the doors were originally finished and what products and procedures were employed, especially in regard to the prime and finish coat. Always have the door finished prior to install so that all six sides get coverage. Keep in mind that a door finished after installation may void the manufacturer's warranty.

After finishing, wood garage doors should be inspected, maintained and cleaned (no pressure washing) regularly as needed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, generally every 12-18 months. Frequency is dependent on a variety of factors including type of wood, directional exposure, amount of overhang, elevation (ultraviolet rays), the original finish achieved, and the quality of product used. Although the extent of weathering and the possible need for refinishing is a unique concern for wood products, an overall inspection should be undertaken as for any type of garage door in accordance with the following guidelines.

1. Top coat condition. Look for fading, peeling, chipping, or any residual build up. In addition, if the door looks or feels "dry" it is probably a good indication as to the necessity of finish maintenance. In places where the finish appears to be eroded or thin, first clean and properly prepare those areas. Products should be used that are compatible with the original finish. Consult the finish manufacturer's guidelines for further information on cleaning, maintenance and refinishing.

2. Shrinkage/expansion. This condition should be addressed by filling, caulking, sanding, and applying another top coat of finish.

3. Surface smoothness. Light sanding of the entire face of the door may be required prior to reapplication of any paint or stain.

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Safety Tips

Here are some helpful safety tips. This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every safety precaution. Always consult your manufacturer's installation or instruction manual for safety information about your model.

FOR GARAGE DOORS

Replace Old Springs. Your garage door's springs are arguably the most important and most dangerous part of your door. Springs wear out. When they break, injury can result. If you have an older garage door, have your springs inspected by a professional technician and replaced if needed. If your door has two springs, replace both, even if one is not broken. This will not only prevent any damage caused by the breaking of the second spring, but also keep your door working efficiently.

Check Your Cables. Visually inspect the cables that attach the spring system to the bottom brackets on both sides of the door. If these cables are frayed or worn, they are in danger of breaking, which can cause injury. Due to the dangers associated with high spring tension, these cables should be replaced only by a trained technician.

Squeaky Springs? Springs can squeak and be noisy. This is caused by normal use and does not necessarily indicate a problem. Before calling a professional service technician, use a spray-on lubricant (recommended especially for garage doors). If the noise persists, call a professional garage door installer for service.

A Do-It-Yourselfer, Eh? Installing a garage door can be very dangerous and is not recommended for a novice. DASMA recommends that trained door systems technicians install garage doors. If you attempt the installation by yourself, be sure to follow the manufacturer's installation instructions carefully.

Safety Cables. If your garage door has extension springs, you need a safety cable that runs through the spring and secures to the wall or ceiling at each end. When your garage door is down, extension springs are under high tension. If the spring breaks, it may cause injury. A safety cable can keep that broken spring contained. If you have extension springs but do not have a safety cable, call your local dealer for a safety inspection.

Struggling Door? If your door does not go up and down smoothly, you may have an unsafe condition. Even older door systems should operate smoothly. If the awkward operation continues when the door is manually operated, you may have a spring system that is out of balance. This can cause premature wear and tear on other important door components. Spring systems are dangerous and should be repaired only by trained professionals.

Watch Your Fingers! Every year, many unsuspecting homeowners injure their fingers by placing them between the door sections to pull down on the door. According to DASMA Standard 116, if your door lacks pinch-resistant joints, you should have lift handles or suitable gripping points on the inside and outside of the door. Even if your door has an opener, the door must occasionally be operated manually. Never place your fingers between the door sections. If you manually open or close the door, use the handles or the safe gripping points!

Tamper Resistant Brackets. Since the bottom brackets on a garage door are connected to the door's springs, these brackets are under extreme tension. They should be adjusted or loosened only by a trained door systems technician. Many manufacturers now include tamper resistant hardware that prevents loosening of the brackets by a novice.

Use the Old Track? When buying a replacement garage door, some homeowners are tempted to save a few dollars by putting the new door on the old track. However, your old track may not fit with your new door, depending on the thickness of your sections, the weight of the door, the headroom required, the location of the garage door opener, and other considerations. The track and sections work together as a system. For maximum performance and long life, you should use the track that is designed for your specific door.

Regular Service. Your garage door is probably the largest moving part in your home and is typically used every day. Over time, parts can wear out and break, creating potential safety problems. Although you should provide monthly safety checks and maintenance to your garage door system, an annual visit from a trained door systems technician can keep your door operating safely and smoothly for a long time.

Man the Manual. Keep the owner's manuals for your door and opener hanging near the door for easy reference. Every model of door and opener has specific safety instructions unique to that model. Where is your manual?

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Testing and maintaining the garage door opener

Consult the owner's manual for additional recommended maintenance for your model of door opener. If you don't have the owner's manual, look for the opener model number on the back of the power unit and request a manual from the manufacturer.

Reversal Test
Make sure your opener has a reversing feature. If a reversing feature is not present, the opener should be replaced. Garage door openers manufactured after January 1, 1993, are required by federal law to have advanced safety features that comply with the latest UL (Underwriters Laboratories) 325 standards. Contact your manufacturer or installer for additional information.

Test the reversing feature every month.
1. First, test the balance of the door. If the door is properly balanced, then proceed. 2. With the door fully open, place a 1-1/2"thick piece of wood (a 2"X 4"laid flat) on the floor in the center of the door. 3. Push the transmitter or wall button to close the door. The door must reverse when it strikes the obstruction. (Note that the bottom part of "one-piece doors"must be rigid so that the door will not close, but will reverse when it contacts the obstruction.) 4. If the door does not reverse, have it repaired or replaced. Have a qualified technician adjust, repair, or replace the opener or door.

Force Setting Test
Test the force setting of your garage door opener by holding the bottom of the door as it closes. If the door does not reverse readily, the force setting may be excessive and need adjusting. See your owner's manual for details on how to make the adjustment.

Additional Safety Devices
Many garage door openers can be equipped with additional safety devices, such as photo eyes or edge sensors, to protect against entrapment. Keep in mind that adding more safety devices will not make an old opener meet the current UL standards. Make sure the additional safety devices are properly installed and adjusted (see owner's manual).

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Testing and maintaining the garage door

Perform routine maintenance steps once a month. Review your owner's manual for the garage door. If you don't have a manual, look for the model number on the back of the door, or check the lock handle, hinges, or other hardware for the manufacturer's name and request a manual from the manufacturer.

Visual Inspection
Look at the garage door springs, cables, rollers, pulleys, and other door hardware for signs of wear. If you suspect problems, have a qualified person make repairs.

WARNING - Springs are under high tension. Only qualified persons should adjust them.

Garage door springs, cables, brackets, and other hardware attached to the springs are under very high tension and, if handled improperly, can cause serious injury. Only a qualified professional or a mechanically experienced person should adjust them, but only by carefully following the manufacturer's instructions.

The torsion springs (the springs above the door) should only be adjusted by a professional. Do not attempt to repair or adjust torsion springs yourself.

A restraining cable or other device should be installed on the extension spring (the spring along the side of the door) to help contain the spring if it breaks.

WARNING! Never remove, adjust, or loosen the screws on the bottom brackets of the door. These brackets are connected to the spring by the lift cable and are under extreme tension.

Lubrication
Regularly lubricate the moving parts of the door. However, do not lubricate plastic idler bearings. Consult the door owner's manual for the manufacturer's recommendation.

Door Balance
Periodically test the balance of your door. 1. Start with the door closed. 2. If you have a garage door opener, use the release mechanism so you can operate the door by hand when doing this test. 3. You should be able to lift the door smoothly and with little resistance. It should stay open around three or four feet above the floor. If it does not, it is out of adjustment. Have it adjusted by a qualified service person.

This important information is provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the National Safety Council, and the Industry Coalition for Automatic Garage Door Opener Safety.

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How to measure for an overhead garage door

Download the measuring guide

Step 1: Measure the width of the opening at the widest point. This is the distance between the right and left sides of the finished opening. For best results, the inside of the garage door opening should be framed with 2" x 6" wood. Look for general irregularities, such as jambs which are not square.

Step 2: Measure the height of the opening at the highest point. This is the distance between the floor and the top of the finished opening. Look for general irregularities, such as un-level floor.

Step 3: Measure the width of the areas beside the openings. Up to 5" is required on each side for installation of the vertical track. If this is a 2-door installation, center post should be a min. of 10" wide.

Step 4: Measure the area between the top of the door opening and the ceiling (or to the lowest obstruction at ceiling). See headroom requirements on the "Choose Your Track And Spring Options" page when getting an automated door quote on-line.

Step 5: Measure the distance from the opening to the rear of the garage or nearest obstruction. The door's backroom requirement is the door height plus and additional 18" for manual lift doors. If an electric opener is to be installed, the door's backroom requirement is the door height plus and additional additional 4'2".

Additional items to observe:

Verify electrical outlet for door opener use.
Note any lights or stairs in the way.
Verify all wood jambs are in good condition, header is stable.
Verify the level of the floor. Was the previous door a custom fit?
Note any pipes, ductwork, etc. above the door that might obstruct operation of the door.

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Important Tips for any make of garage door or garage door opener

NEVER RELY on your garage door as your sole entrance into your house! A power failure, a broken spring or broken cable, or worn-out garage door openers are just a few ways that you can get locked out of your house. ALWAYS carry a key for your front door.

Garage Door opener problems are the number one cause for service calls

Clear cob-webs off the photoeyes, and keep the area around the photoeyes clear of toys, tools, garbage cans, etc

Cleaning the photoeyes, casual contact, or even a pet can push the photoeyes out of alignment:

Check that the garage door opener photocells are cleaned and properly aligned. - Many brands of photoeyes can light up, but still be out of alignment. If the photoeyes are out of alignment, the door will not close. The open cycle will remain unaffected. If after repeated attempts to clean and align the photoeyes, the door still will not close, the photoeyes may have shorted out and need to be replaced. By holding the wall station in with constant pressure, you can manually over-ride the photocell feature to get the door closed in an emergency situation, or you can simply disconnect the opener from the door using the manual release on the garage door opener.

Invest in a surge protector for your garage door opener. This inexpensive item can save costly repairs for logic boards and photoeyes that may be potentially damaged by lightning strikes and simple power surges. Be sure to research the warranty associated with the surge protector and how to make sure your surge protector is still working over time.

Change the batteries in your remote controls and keypads once every two years.

Clean debris from the bottom rubber or area where the garage door rests while it is closed.

NEVER use grease on any part of the garage door or garage door opener. Grease can harden and collect dust, causing an uneven surface for the rollers to glide in the track.

Lubricate the torsion springs or sheave wheels with a light-based lubricant that is specifically designed for garage door components. This should be done every 6-months.

Check the door for increased noise levels – this will be an indication that it’s time to lubricate again.

Replace sheave wheel pulleys every three to seven years of use, depending upon how often you use your garage door.

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Re-aligning photoeyes

Close the door so it is darker in the garage. Adjust the wing nut on the back of the photoeye to make the light come on or come on brighter.