After months of rain, cold mornings, and heavy use, spring is a natural checkpoint for garage door maintenance. This checklist is about the spring season — not the mechanical torsion spring — and it's focused on undoing whatever the wet months left behind before summer's heavier use begins.
Assess winter wear
- Check the bottom seal for any cracking or flattening from months of cold and moisture.
- Look closely for new rust spots, especially along the bottom panel and seams.
- Inspect weatherstripping along the sides and top for stiffness or gaps that developed over winter.
- Check hardware for any moisture-related corrosion on bolts, hinges, or rollers.
Refresh lubrication
Winter dampness thins and washes out lubricant faster than a dry season would. A fresh application on rollers, hinges, and the opener chain or belt in spring keeps things running quietly through the drier months ahead.
Test safety features
- Run the auto-reverse test with a roll of paper towels in the door's path.
- Clean the photo-eye sensors, which can accumulate grime from a wet winter.
- Check the manual release mechanism works smoothly in case it's ever needed.
Clean the door
Spring is a good time for a full wash — mild soap, water, and a soft cloth — to remove months of road spray, pollen, and grime, followed by touch-up paint on any chips that could let moisture in.
If this spring's inspection is turning up more wear each year, or the door came through winter with rust that's gone past the surface, it may be more cost-effective to replace than to keep patching. Our wizard gives an exact installed price for a new Hörmann door in about two minutes.