Modern steel garage doors are designed to require very little maintenance, but there are a few things you should do to keep your garage door and garage door opener working smoothly. First, steel garage doors have a long lasting baked on finish, but an occasional cleaning with a soft sponge or rag and a little mild soap will help keeping it looking like new. Once you are done, rinse it with a hose and let it dry.
Next, check to make sure all of the safety features are working properly. With the door in the open position, activate the garage door opener and check to see that the door reverses and moves to the fully open position when the photoelectric light beam is broken.
Now, with the door in the open position, place a block of wood such as a 2 X 4 flat on the garage floor in the path of the door and activate the door opener. When the door reaches the wood block, it should reverse and go to the fully open position. If there is a problem with either of these safety mechanisms, you should have the door serviced by a trained technician.
Be sure to keep the area clear of children and pets and be very cautious when working around a moving garage door. Be very careful not to get your fingers pinched in the hinges, rollers, or tracks.
Finally, with door closed, lubricate the hinges, rollers, and springs with a non-silicone based spray lubricant. Remember, the springs are under very high tension so any garage door repairs or adjustments related to the springs, cables, or pulleys, should only be performed by a trained garage door technician.
