7 Signs Your Garage Door Needs a Tune-Up Before Winter

1. The door is getting louder

New squeaks, grinding or rattling usually mean dry parts or worn rollers. In the cold, metal parts get stiffer and noises get worse. If it's noisy in October, it'll be louder in January. See what each noise means.

2. It moves slowly or jerks

A door that hesitates, jerks or moves unevenly is working harder than it should. It could be dry rollers, a tight track, or springs that are losing tension. Cold weather makes all of these worse.

3. It reverses before closing

If the door touches the floor and goes back up, the opener thinks something is in the way. Sometimes it's the sensors. Often it's the door getting stiffer and needing more force. A tune-up checks both.

4. You can see daylight under the door

Light under the door means the bottom seal is cracked, flattened or torn. That lets in cold air, snow, water and mice. In winter, water under a bad seal can freeze and glue the door to the floor.

Weather seal replacement starts at $120. You can read more on my weather seal page.

5. The door feels heavy by hand

Pull the emergency release (with the door fully closed) and lift the door by hand. It should lift fairly easily and stay put about halfway up. If it's heavy or drops, the springs are out of balance or wearing out.

Don't try to adjust springs yourself. That's a job for a trained tech.

6. Cables look frayed or rusty

Look at the cables at the bottom corners of the door. Frayed strands, rust or kinks mean the cable could snap under load. Salt and moisture from Ottawa winters are hard on cables, especially near the floor. Don't touch them. Call me and I'll take a look.

7. It's been more than a year

Even if nothing seems wrong, a yearly check keeps small problems small. Fall is a good time for it, before temperatures drop.

What my $79 tune-up covers

My $79 tune-up includes lubricating hinges, rollers and springs, tightening hardware, inspecting springs, cables, drums, rollers and tracks, balancing the door, and testing the opener's force and safety reverse.

If I find something that needs fixing, I tell you what it is and the price before doing anything. You decide.

A few things you can do yourself

Between tune-ups, these are safe and simple:

• Keep the sensors near the floor clean and clear of snow and boots
• Sweep snow and water away from the bottom of the door
• Spray the hinges and roller bearings with garage door lubricant
• Test the safety reverse with a piece of wood on the floor under the door

Why fall is the right time

Once the snow starts, everyone's door gets tested at the same time. Springs that were already tired are more likely to fail in the cold, and seals that were already cracked start to freeze to the floor.

Dealing with these things in September or October means you pick the time, not the weather. It's also a lot more comfortable to work on a garage door when it isn't minus twenty.

If you're not sure whether your door needs anything, book the tune-up and I'll tell you honestly. If everything looks good, I'll say so.

What happens if you wait

Most of the problems on this list don't fix themselves. A noisy roller keeps wearing until it breaks or jumps the track. A weak spring eventually snaps. A gap under the door lets in water that freezes into a ridge of ice, which then chews up the new seal too.

Small fixes are cheaper and easier than emergency ones, and a door that won't open on a snowy workday morning is no fun.

Is a tune-up worth $79?

Think of it like an oil change for the door. A garage door opens and closes many times a week, and every part wears a little each time. Lubrication and adjustment slow that wear down, and an inspection spots the parts that are close to failing.

You also get a straight answer about the state of your door from the person who would fix it. No pressure to buy anything. If a part needs replacing, I'll show you why and give you the price first, and you can decide then or later.