Garage door maintenance is key to ensuring its smooth operation. A malfunction in the garage door will not only prevent you from taking your car out but will also pose a danger to anyone going in and out of the garage. Regular maintenance, at least twice a year, can prevent mishaps and extend the door’s life. You can either contact professional maintenance services or conduct preventive maintenance yourself. Below are a few tips for garage door maintenance from a Chicago Garage Door website.
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Inspect the Door Regularly
People usually tend to ignore their garage doors unless there is a significant problem. This can lead to expensive repairs. You must conduct regular inspections on the garage door. Make sure to inspect the doors at least twice a year. Check if the door is louder than usual and whether it operates smoothly. Ensure all the parts are aligned with each other.
Try and Limit Use
Most people with garage doors use them to enter and exit their homes. If you are one of such people, you must stop doing this. As far as possible, enter and exit through the house doors. If you use the door to enter and exit your house, the door will have about ten up-down cycles a day. At this rate, you will have to change the spring every 2-2.5 years. However, if you do not always use the door to enter and exit your home, it may get just two to three cycles a day. This will, in turn, extend the door spring’s life to 7 or 8 years.
Conduct Safety Tests
Like inspections, you must perform regular safety tests on your garage door system. Common safety tests to conduct include:
Garage Door Balance
Check your garage door balance by doing the following:
- Disconnect the door from the opener for manual operation
- Lift the door halfway up and release it
If it has a good balance, the door will stay in place. If not, it will slip down.
Mechanical Reverse Feature
To test the mechanical reverse feature, follow the given steps:
- Place a brick in the door’s path.
- Activate the garage door to close
- If the reverse feature works properly, the door will move back when it comes in contact with the wooden piece.
Door Photocell
To check the door photocell:
- Find the two photo sensors at the base of the door.
- Check the sensors’ alignment. The sensors light up when they are aligned. If they are not aligned, you can adjust them as required.
- Activate the garage door. As the door closes, wave an object in the sensors’ path. The door should reverse immediately.
- Test at least three different points in the beam’s path to make sure the sensors are working fine
Examine the Door’s Hardware
You must inspect your door’s hardware periodically to ensure no wear and tear.
- Check the door’s hinges and tracks. Tighten any loose bolts using a screwdriver or socket wrench
- Inspect the garage door rollers that are not attached to the lift cable system for wear and tear. Steel rollers may look lopsided and show worn bearings. Old nylon rollers will be cracked. Buy and install new rollers if your current ones are worn out.
- Check the lift cables attached to the door. If worn, you will notice the rust and broken or deteriorated strands in the cables.
Lubricate the Door
Over time, dust collects on the different parts of your door, making them creak. Apply a spray lubricant on the hinges and rolls of your door at least twice a year. The lubricant will help to break down the gunk and dust and prevent rust. It will also reduce the stress on the rollers and door openers.
Clean the Door’s Surface
Your garage door is always exposed to the elements of nature. As a result, it may get dirty, fade, or catch rust in some parts. Ensure you clean and maintain your garage door regularly. Sand, prime, and paint areas that are rusted. Wash your fiberglass doors with an all-purpose cleaner. Remove the chipped and peeling paint before sanding if you have a wood door.
Regular garage door maintenance can extend its life and ensure it runs smoothly. However, while you can conduct regular checks, certain maintenance should be performed by professionals only. Professional garage door repair services like Chicago Garage Door can handle your garage door’s servicing for you. They are a premier garage door maintenance and repair company that offers installation, repairs, preventive maintenance, and lubrication services.
