How Salt Air Affects Your Garage Door on the Grand Strand

Living near the ocean has plenty of perks. Unfortunately, your garage door does not enjoy the salt air nearly as much as you do. Along the Grand Strand, from Garden City and Surfside Beach to Litchfield and Pawleys Island, salt spray and humidity quietly work on every metal part of your door.

What Salt Air Does to a Garage Door

Salt particles carried on the breeze settle on springs, cables, rollers, hinges and fasteners. Add the high humidity we have most of the year and you get the perfect recipe for rust. Over time that leads to:

• Weaker springs. Rust pits the steel and makes springs more likely to snap.
• Frayed cables. Corroded lift cables can fray and break, leaving the door hanging crooked.
• Noisy, sticky rollers and hinges. Dry, rusty parts squeak and make the opener work harder.
• Corroded opener parts. Moisture gets into the opener and the safety sensors, causing erratic behavior.
• Worn finishes. Paint and stain fade and peel faster on doors that face the ocean.

A Simple Coastal Care Routine

Rinse the door a few times a year

Use a garden hose and a soft brush with mild soap to wash salt and sand off the outside of the door. Skip the pressure washer, which can damage finishes and force water into places it should not go.

Keep the tracks clean

Sand blows into garages near the beach and collects in the tracks. Sweep or vacuum it out. Do not grease the tracks themselves, since grease just collects more grit.

Lubricate moving parts

Use a garage door lubricant, not a heavy grease, on hinges, rollers and bearings. Many homeowners near the water do this every few months.

Watch for early warning signs

New noises, jerky movement or a door that seems heavier than usual are all reasons to have it looked at. Catching rust early is much cheaper than replacing a snapped spring on a Saturday night.

What to Leave to a Professional

Springs and cables are under very high tension. Adjusting or replacing them without training and the right tools can cause serious injury. A professional tune up covers spring tension, cable inspection, hardware tightening, lubrication and an opener safety test in one visit. Learn more about our garage door maintenance service.

Thinking About a New Door?

If your current door is badly rusted or dented, it may be time to replace it. When you get a free estimate from us, ask about materials and finishes that hold up well near the coast. See our residential garage door installation page for more.