Do you hate the way your garage door always seems to malfunction at the most inconvenient times? Maintenance is key for a smoothly functioning garage door, and to prevent hefty repair costs. We know how important it is to maintain our garage doors; that’s why we have put together monthly tips that have helped us keep them in good shape. For those busy young adults with many responsibilities or homeowners with packed schedules, these simple ways will save you from the nightmare of service calls. Ready? Here we go!
Dedicate some time every month to just looking at your garage door. Check for wear and tear by frayed cables worn-out parts or loose hardware. Pay attention towards the tracks and verify they are straightened and free of debris. Once spotted early on, it helps in preventing minor problems from getting worse.
Garage doors should operate quietly for the most part. If you hear anything out of ordinary like grinding squeaking or rattling sounds it might be an indication that there is an issue underlying this problem. These noises often mean components such as rollers, hinges or springs need oiling or it could be something else more serious requiring professional attention.
A properly balanced garage door ensures smooth operation and reduces strain on the opener. To test its balance, close the door and release it from the opener by pulling down its handle manually lifting halfway then letting go off it again slowly if stands in place correctly balanced however if falls or rises implies that springs could be adjusted hence calling an expert is advisable so as to avoid injuries during this process.
One of the easiest but highly effective maintenance tasks there are greasing moving parts of your garage doors such as rollers, hinges, tracks and springs should be done using a high-quality silicone-based or lithium-based spray which decreases friction prevents wearing out while ensuring easy opening/closing of the gates. It should be done at least twice a year.
Auto reverse is a safety feature that prevents garage door from closing on things or individuals. Once every month, put something like a broomstick or wood in front of it and then close the door to see if there will be any reversal upon touching it hence calling an expert will be necessary when one wants to have this looked at and repaired.
Due to constant use, the hardware on your garage door may become loose. Take time to go round inspecting everything and tightening all bolts and screws. Pay particular attention towards the brackets which hold the door tracks as well as fasteners that support the opener unit. It will prevent bigger problems later on.
A dirty track can hinder smooth operation of your garage door by accumulating dirt and debris over time, such that wiping them off with a dump cloth would help avoid this problem while avoiding using lubricants (you might attract more dirt). Washing tracks ensure that they do not wear down quickly and rollers move freely.
Garage door weather seals are the bottom part of a garage door that helps keep out dirt, debris and other elements. Check this strip frequently for signs of wear or damage. If the weather stripping is broken or fragile, you need to replace it to maintain an effective seal. This will not only protect your garage but also increase energy efficiency.
Despite regular servicing, it would be a good decision to schedule at least one professional tune-up for your garage door annually. A qualified technician can identify and solve problems that may go unnoticed during your checks, thus keeping your garage door in good condition.
Make sure nothing blocks the opening around your overhead doors so that they open freely without hindrance or accidents; guillotine doors or even swinging doors are hazardous if obstructed by anything including tools and equipment boxes among others as well as post structures close by
Inspect and clear the tracks, grease movable parts, check whether the doors are balanced and test if the opening has an auto reverse mechanism. Monthly Maintenance Tips to Avoid High Garage Door Service Cost outlines these simple steps to avoid expensive repairs in future.
As part of your monthly maintenance routine, you should grease all moving parts like hinges, rollers and springs at least once every three months. This will ensure smooth running and deter wear and tear.
Unusual sounds when opening or closing it; slow response time; a jerky movement or only closing halfway are some of the signs that your garage door may need a professional’s touch. Thus, one needs to call in professionals to prevent spending much more on repairs.
Disconnect your automatic opener and manually lift your door half-way up. It stays put then its evened. If it falls or rises then you need to adjust tension as required. For more information on this refer to Monthly Maintenance Tips to Avoid High Garage Door Service Costs.
The importance of auto-reverse feature is safety while using the gate which ensures that whenever there is an object along its way it reverses immediately thus preventing damages as well as injuries resulting from people being hit by a closing gate. Make sure you test it once a month just to be sure.
Any simple maintenance such as oiling might be done by you but something like changing springs among other complex issues should be done by professionals. Otherwise you may cause accidents with higher costs when trying to do it yourself.
