A roller shutter door in Cape Town works harder than the same door inland. Salt air drifts in off Table Bay and False Bay, the south-easter pushes sand and grit into the guides for weeks at a time in summer, and the winter fronts soak everything in between. As a result, Cape Town doors need a slightly different maintenance routine. This schedule is the one we use for doors in areas such as Paarden Eiland, Montague Gardens and Airport Industria.
Why Cape Town conditions change the schedule
Three things shorten the life of a door here. First, salt in the air speeds up rust, especially on cut edges, fixings and the bottom rail. Second, wind-blown sand acts like sandpaper inside the guides and on the slats. Third, the south-easter loads a closed door like a sail, which works the fixings loose over a season. None of these break a door overnight. However, together they turn small problems into callouts much sooner than in Gauteng.
Every month: a two-minute check
- Open and close the door fully and listen. Grinding usually means grit in the guides.
- Look along the bottom rail for rust spots or a torn seal.
- Check that the door stops cleanly at the top and bottom.
- On motorised doors, test the remote and the manual override.
Every three months: clean before you lubricate
In Cape Town, cleaning matters more than oiling. Wipe the guides out with a dry cloth to remove sand and salt. Then rinse the slats and bottom rail with fresh water, especially on doors within a few kilometres of the sea. Only after that should you apply a light silicone spray to the guides. Heavy grease attracts sand, so it does more harm than good here.
Before and during the windy season
From about October to March the south-easter is at its strongest. Therefore, it is worth checking the door before summer starts:
- Tighten the guide and bracket fixings, because wind movement loosens them.
- Check that wind locks or end locks, where fitted, still engage.
- Keep the door fully closed or fully open in strong wind. A half-open door catches the wind and can bend the slats.
Once a year: a professional service
A full service covers the springs, barrel, bearings, slats, locks and, on motorised doors, the operator and safety settings. We also treat any rust spots with a cold galvanising or touch-up coat before they spread. For busy industrial doors, we recommend two services a year. See our service contracts and maintenance page for options.
How often, by how hard the door works
- Home garage door, opened a few times a day: one service a year.
- Shopfront shutter, opened morning and evening: one or two services a year.
- Warehouse or loading bay door, opened many times a day: every three to six months.
- Doors facing the sea: add an extra rinse and rust check, whatever the use.
The faults we see most in Cape Town
- Guides packed with sand, making the door stiff or noisy.
- Rust on the bottom rail and fixings close to the coast.
- Loose brackets after a windy summer.
- Springs out of tension, so the door feels heavy.
- Motor problems after power cuts or damp weather.
Keep a simple record
Write down the date of each service and any parts replaced. This helps us spot repeat problems and is often needed for insurance or a body corporate.
Is your door overdue?
If your door has not been serviced in the last year, or it is getting heavy, noisy or crooked, book a check before the next windy spell. You can also read about our roller shutter door repairs or contact us for a quote anywhere in Cape Town, from Durbanville to Blackheath.