Your garage door is often taken for granted. However, to function safely, all its components need to work together perfectly. One defective part could cause the door to malfunction, or worse – cause it to hurt someone.
By carrying out regular preventive maintenance on your garage door, you can ensure that it always functions smoothly. You’ll also save time and money since you won’t need to call in a garage door repair service to fix it.
In the blog below, we’ve put together some preventive maintenance tips to keep your garage door in great working condition.
Start With Surface Checks (Nuts & Bolts)
Start with a quick visual inspection of the door including its surfaces and components. If you find any denst, breakages or rust, it’s a good idea to get a professional repair service. Excessive rust can cause your hinges, springs and tracks to get stuck or break, so it’s better to address the issue before an accident happens.
Also, check the nuts and bolts and tighten any loose ones. When working on your door, always unplug the opener and clamp locking pliers onto the roller tracks just beside the roller so the door doesn’t fall on you.
Check The Rollers
Your garage door rollers allow your door to move smoothly during opening and closing. The nylon wheels on the rollers naturally deteriorate over time, so mae sure you check them for any damage such as cracks, tears and chips. If you have steel rollers, check to see if the bearings are tilted or unevenly aligned.
You can purchase replacement rollers and change them yourself. Just follow the instructions closely and take the necessary precautions to prevent injury.
Test The Door’s Balance
An unbalanced garage door puts a strain on the door opener and can cause excessive wear and tear. To check the door’s balance, first disconnect the opener with the release handle. Then manually pull the door halfway up and let go. If it doesn’t stay in position, that means the springs are not balanced.
Adjusting the tension on the springs is risky and difficult, so we recommend hiring a professional garage door repair service for help.
Make Sure The Door Is Sealed Tight
A door that’s not properly sealed won’t be good at keeping the elements out of your garage. To ensure your garage door is properly sealed, check the weather stripping. If it’s cracked or brittle, it’s time to replace it.
You can buy it at any hardware store. Just cut it to the right size and insert the wide angle of the flange into the grooves on your door.
Lubricate The Moving Parts
It’s essential to lubricate the moving parts of your garage door. It prevents friction during opening and closing, which prevents damage and major failures. Be sure to use the right lubricant for each part. To maintain the screws and chains, use lithium grease on them once a year.
To maintain the springs, clean them and apply a lubricant every six months. You can leave some excess lubricant on the springs as they help prevent corrosion and extend the springs’ life.
Check The Lift Cables And Tracks
The lift cables function to raise your door and are located on the roller brackets. They have extremely high tension and can injure or kill if they snap. Check the cables without touching them. If they’re worn or frayed, call a technician to repair them.
When checking the tracks, look for cracks, bends and other damage. If you notice any damage, immediately call a technician as it can cause the door to fall and hurt somebody. If everything looks fine, you can check the plumb of the tracks with a level.
While you can do minor adjustments on the level of your tracks yourself, it’s best to get a professional to handle major adjustments. Also, don’t forget to clear any debris from the tracks.
Check Your Door’s Auto-Reverse Safety Function
Your garage door may have either a mechanical or an infrared auto-reverse function. To test the mechanical version, place a big, solid object under the door. When you close the door, it should reverse back up once it touches the object.
To test the infrared system, open the door and stand in front of the sensor with a large object in your hand. Use the remote to close the door, and as it closes, move the object back and forth in front of the sensor. The sensor should detect the object and cause the door to rise. If your auto-reverse function doesn’t work, check your manual for troubleshooting directions. If the system still fails, you should call a professional to fix it.
Preventive maintenance can ensure that your garage door lasts for years and works flawlessly and sfely, so don’t neglect it. After all, it only takes a short time. However, if you prefer to get your garage door professionally serviced, there are numerous companies that provide this service.