Statistically speaking, a garage door opens and closes over a hundred times in a single day, let alone an entire work week. This means that the wear your garage door has to endure will damage it in no time unless you do a proper maintenance on it.
But in order to give proper maintenance to your garage door, you first need to inspect it correctly. So, if you want to keep your garage door working smoothly and safely to avoid damage, keep reading how to run a thorough inspection of your garage door and how to give it the right level of maintenance to maximize its lifespan. Nevertheless, we strongly advise you to seek out help from a professional when it comes to big repairs. Keep in mind that a garage door weighs, on average, 300 pounds and it will be best handled by an expert.
Regular maintenance can take you a long way in keeping things working correctly, and with just a simple inspection you can spot any issues early. In this way, you’ll be able to solve them before they become big problems, helping your door operate smoothly for at least a dozen years.
The following are the things to keep in mind if you want to maintain your garage door working well.
• Every six months check your garage door to verify it’s working well on a safety level. You can do it by laying a two-by-four on the floor directly under the door and closing it. If the door is working well, it will reverse once it senses the object in its way or when you place your hand in front of its photo-eye.
• Every year or so, get a garage door technician to go to your house and do some preventive maintenance. Lubricating and adjusting the door doesn’t cost much and it can save you problems further down the road like getting stuck in your garage with a door that won’t open.
• Don’t try to remove a lift cable, adjust or release tension on an overhead torsion spring on your own, a professional is always the best person to solve any related issues. Whilst you wait for the professional assistance, you can tighten all roller brackets and bolts that hold the rails to the support brackets.
• In between professional inspections, make sure to check the hardware and moving parts like cables and rollers. If they look worn or if your door isn’t rolling up and down normally, you’ll know it’s time for repairs.
• The moving parts of your garage door should be lubricated frequently, but don’t overdo it. Oily hardware attracts dirt which can lead to buildup that may halt your door’s operation.
• Don’t try any minor repairs on your own without the help of the user’s manual and remember that a professional can save you not only time but also money, from a costly repair derived from your lack of experience unintentionally damaging something.
• Insulating your garage door is highly recommended but if it’s not, at least weatherize it. If there’s a gap between the bottom of the door and the garage floor, replace the weather barrier.
Following these simple tips can help you extend the life of your garage door and improve your daily routine as you won’t have to deal with a problematic garage door on a daily basis.