Garage Doors on the Coast: How to Stop Rust

If you live near the ocean, you have probably noticed that metal does not last as long. Salt carried in the fog and the wind settles on everything, including your garage door. In places like Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, Montara, Moss Beach, El Granada, the western neighborhoods of San Francisco, and the beach towns of Santa Cruz County, garage door rust is one of the main reasons parts fail early.

Why the Coast Is So Hard on Garage Doors

Salt attracts moisture, and moisture on bare steel means rust. Fog keeps garages damp for much of the year, and ocean wind pushes salt and sand into the tracks and under the bottom seal. The parts under the most stress, the springs and cables, are made of steel and are often the first to go.

The Parts That Rust First

Springs. Rust pits the surface of the coil, and a spring can snap well before its normal life. See spring repair.
Cables. Rusty cables fray strand by strand, often near the bottom brackets. See cable repair.
Hinges and rollers. Steel rollers seize and hinges stiffen, which makes the door jerk and strains the opener.
The bottom of steel doors. Water and salt collect along the bottom edge, where rust usually starts.

How to Slow Rust Down

Lubricate the moving parts a few times a year with a garage-door lubricant (silicone or lithium spray). WD-40 is a cleaner and water displacer, not a long-term lubricant.
Keep the bottom seal in good shape. A torn or flattened seal lets in rain, salt and sand.
Keep the tracks clean. Wipe out sand and debris instead of greasing the tracks.
Look at the cables near the bottom corners every few months. If you see broken strands, call a technician. Do not touch them.
Schedule a yearly maintenance visit so springs and cables are checked before they fail.

Better Parts for Coastal Homes

When parts need replacing near the coast, we use coated springs, galvanized hardware and sealed nylon rollers, which hold up better than bare steel. They are the same repairs, with parts that suit the environment. See roller replacement.

Choosing a Door That Lasts Near the Ocean

If your door is rusting through, look for a steel door with a good factory finish, or a composite or aluminum door that will not rot or rust in the same way. Wood doors can work, but they need regular sealing near the coast. See our garage door installation page.

Coastal Service

We serve the whole coast from Pacifica to the Santa Cruz County beach towns, and we bring the parts we need so most repairs are done in one visit.

Not sure what is wrong? Call Olive Garage Doors at (888) 403-6161. We are open 24/7 and serve the Bay Area and Santa Cruz County.