The automatic garage door opener is one of the most hardworking machines in your house. High-quality models last a long time, but all are subject to wear and tear. Proper maintenance is crucial to delaying a costly replacement. How can you extend the life of your garage door opener? LiftMaster^® — the top brand of professionally installed residential garage door openers — shares the best practices and highlights the other merits of DIY maintenance.

6 Tips for Extending the Life of Your Garage Door Opener

Some automatic garage door openers may require special maintenance, but these six precautions apply to most models.

1. Review Opener Settings

Programmable openers operate based on their settings. Check the unit’s open and close limits. Use its digital controls or adjustment screws to change the settings as needed to ensure the garage door fully closes without damaging itself or the opener. They need adjustment when the door partially opens or closes. Consult your owners manual for guidance on navigating the settings correctly.

Ensure the photoelectric sensors are aligned and meet the manufacturer’s recommended height. They should be low enough that a reasonably sized object can break the infrared beam, halt the door’s operation and prompt it to move in the opposite direction when something is in its path. Adjust the sensors at the bottom of the door tracks if they are misaligned.

2. Inspect the Garage Door System

Use the opener’s manual disconnect to disengage it while the door is closed. Inspect the door panels, hinges, rollers, and springs for signs of wear.

Contact a qualified technician for assistance when you find any damage to them. Springs are under high tension and can cause garage door accidents when mishandled. Accidents involving garage door springs can lacerate limbs and eyes and can be fatal.

3. Tighten Loose Hardware

Watch out for loose screws, bolts and nuts on the opener and door mechanism. Tighten them with a screwdriver or wrenches.

Less secure mechanical fasteners cause vibrations, negatively impacting the unit’s performance and efficiency. Vibrations unfasten loose hardware even further, helping accelerate your opener’s deterioration.

Stabilize a sagging chain. Check your opener’s turnbuckle to find the adjustment bolt. You should see nuts on either side of it. Loosen the chain nut closer to the opener, and fasten the other. Doing so should tighten the chain. Stop until the chain rests slightly above the base rail, so it is tight but flexible enough to operate correctly.

4. Lubricate Moving Parts

Lubricate the metal components to minimize friction when they move and prevent premature wear. Unlubricated parts make strange noises when in contact with one another since friction resists their movement.

The chain or belt, hinges, rollers and springs generally need regular lubrication. Review your owners manual to determine how often you should lubricate them and what other parts need attention. Use a silicone-based lubricant instead of grease to avoid attracting dust and dirt.

5. Check the Door for Proper Operation

Open and close the door manually using suitable gripping points or handles. It should move freely, balance and stay suspended a few feet above the ground. Contact a technician when you notice anything wrong with the door’s operation.

6. Test the Door’s Safety Features

Reconnect the opener to the door using the manual disconnect to operate it through a wall-mounted push button, remote control or mobile app. Change batteries if the garage door does not respond when using a remote.

Open the door, and place an object to block its path without interrupting the infrared beam. Attempt to close the door to see if it detects the obstruction. The garage door should stop when it comes into contact with the object and go in reverse.

Ensure the sensor is clean and debris-free. Try to close the garage door while blocking it without manually holding the wall-mounted push button during operation. The door should not close. Call a technician for assistance when any safety feature does not work as intended.

LiftMaster Powers Clopay^® Garage Doors

LiftMaster develops long-lasting, intuitive garage door openers for Clopay, North America’s leading garage door manufacturer. LiftMaster with Clopay simplifies the upkeep of garage door systems with robust components and advanced functionalities — such as built-in Wi-Fi for smartphone control and LED lighting. The company’s DIY maintenance resources make it easy to extend the life of your garage door opener.

DIY Maintenance — More Than Extending Your Garage Door Opener’s Life

Prolonging the useful service life of your garage door opener delays the need to buy a replacement. Maximizing the value of your current device is only one of the many benefits of regular DIY maintenance. The others are as follows:

• Smooth performance: Garage door openers are designed to open and close at certain speeds. Satisfying your unit’s upkeep requirements ensures it moves as intended and without difficulty.
• Reliable operation: A faulty opener can trap your vehicle at the worst time. Routine maintenance reduces the risk of a sudden mechanical failure.
• Increased home security and safety: Many intruders break into houses through garage doors because many homeowners forget to reinforce them as much as the front and back doors. Maintaining your garage door opener properly helps ensure these secondary entrances close fully and are more resistant to forcible entry.
• Enhanced home safety: A garage door opener is a motorized system that can hurt you or your loved ones when it malfunctions. Regularly check if it operates correctly to prevent injuries.
• Guaranteed warranty protection: Irregular maintenance can void your product’s warranty. The manufacturer of your opener may refuse to fix your broken device if you disregard your duties and responsibilities as an owner.
• Minimal repair costs: Properly maintained garage door openers can break down but require fewer repairs throughout their life. Their components do not wear out prematurely.
• High chance of insurance claim approval: A functional opener can help you receive compensation after a burglary. Willful neglect is grounds for insurance claim denial, and home insurance providers expect policyholders to take basic precautions to prevent damage. An insurance adjuster might conclude you were partly culpable for the break-in if they discovered your garage door opener was ineffective in deterring criminals because it was already in bad shape before the intrusion occurred.

Extend the Lifespan of Garage Door Openers With Regular Maintenance

Garage door opener inspections and tune-ups should be part of your regular home maintenance routine. The task may be overwhelming, but these simple tips prove how easily you can extend your garage door opener’s life.