As you prep your home for 2026, use this checklist to spot the small parts that save you big money.
1. The $10 Hero: The Bottom Weather Seal
It’s just a strip of rubber, right? Wrong. In Florida, your bottom seal is the only thing keeping palmetto bugs, humidity, and driving rain out of your garage.
- The Risk: Once a seal cracks or flattens, moisture seeps in, rusting your bottom brackets and track.
- The Maintenance Fix: If you see light peeking under the door or the rubber feels brittle, replacing the seal now prevents your door panels from rotting or rusting from the bottom up.
2. The “Bearings” of the Operation: Rollers
Your rollers are the “tires” of your garage door. Most builders install cheap plastic rollers that degrade in the Florida heat.
- The Risk: When a roller stops spinning (seizes), it slides along the metal track instead of rolling. This friction puts immense strain on your opener motor, eventually burning it out.
- The Maintenance Fix: Swap out wobbly or flat-spotted rollers for high-quality, sealed nylon versions. They are inexpensive and can make your door nearly silent while adding years to your opener’s life.
3. The Silent Threat: Frayed Cables
Cables do the heavy lifting, but they are prone to “oxidation” (rust) near the bottom where water collects.
- The Risk: A single frayed strand is a ticking time bomb. If a cable snaps, the door falls unevenly, often bending the tracks and damaging the door panels beyond repair.
- The Maintenance Fix: Look for “brooming” (strands sticking out) or rust patches. Replacing a cable is a standard, affordable part of garage door maintenance Central Florida—replacing a buckled door is not.
2026 Maintenance: A Small Price for Peace of Mind
Data for 2026 shows that the average cost of a professional garage door tune-up ranges between $100 and $250. Compare that to a full system replacement, which can easily exceed $1,500. By investing in a “Spring Health Check,” you aren’t just buying parts; you’re buying insurance against an emergency that always seems to happen at the worst possible time.
Let Dr. Garage Door Handle the Checklist
At Dr. Garage Door, we specialize in the “small fixes” that keep Central Florida homes running. Our maintenance packages include a full safety inspection, precision lubrication, and hardware tightening to ensure your $10 parts never turn into a $1,000 headache.
Give your garage door its spring tune-up today. Contact us to schedule your garage door maintenance Central Florida.
Book your spring checklist service: https://garagedoorsofcentralflorida.com/contact-us
