Garage doors provide a combination of convenience, security, and refinement that is often under-appreciated…that is until something breaks. Being the largest moving part of most people’s homes, garage doors are susceptible to wear and tear that can degrade usability, reduce visual appeal, and even compromise safety and security.
While quality garage doors and garage door openers are generally very durable, a little preventative maintenance can go a long way towards ensuring that they provide years of dependable service. Follow these garage door maintenance tips to help keep your investment working for you.
Inspect & Detect
Look and listen to your garage door during use. Does it sound different than it usually does? Do the springs and cables appear to be in working order? Does the door seem to be operating smoothly? If something doesn’t “look right” then that’s a good sign that you should call a professional for a more detailed inspection and possible repair.
Keep Things Moving
It’s important to ensure that moving parts remain lubricated and free of obstructions. Apply lubrication to the rollers, hinges, pulleys and bearings, check that tracks aren’t bent and are free of debris, and make sure that rollers aren’t worn, chipped or cracked.
Run a Tight Ship
Every time your door opens and closes, the movement and vibration can slowly loosen hardware that may lead to inoperability and potentially unsafe conditions. Examine and tighten any loose bolts with the appropriate tools. When in doubt, call a professional.
Maintain Balance
Your garage door’s counterweight system is designed to prevent the motor from working too hard, which could potentially reduce its operating life. You can test your garage door balance by pulling the release handle (emergency cord) and raising the door about halfway up. If it begins to move back down, your door’s springs may need to be adjusted to bring it back in balance. Spring adjustments should be handled by a professional.
Reverse Course
Today’s garage doors are equipped with an auto-reverse feature (mechanical and photocell) that helps to prevent injury and property damage. Test the mechanical function by placing an object (brick or piece of wood) on the ground under the path of the closing door. As the door makes contact with the object it should automatically change direction. To test the photocell, simply activate your garage door so that it begins to lower, then (safely) pass an object through its line of site. If working correctly, the door will reverse direction and open once again. If either of these two tests fail, contact a professional garage door repair person.
Bonus Tip: Call the Pros
Garage doors are a big part of your home, and with just a little preventative maintenance they can continue to operate safely and dependably for years. At Durable Door, we pride ourselves on providing quality garage door products and friendly, dependable service to our customers. If you are ever unsure about how to safely maintain your garage doors and/or garage door parts, or would simply feel better by having a professional involved, please do not hesitate to call and speak to a customer care representative today at (973) 627-8700. We want to help you, and we do it right the first time!
