8 Ways to Service Your Garage Door

Just like your door, windows, and roof your garage door is equally important to your house. But why do many people ignore its maintenance?

A majority of house owners inspect their roofs for missing slates and loose tiles every year, and it’s recommended to inspect your windows annually to check for cracked frames and leakage points.

A survey conducted recently showed that 47% have never serviced their garage door and 34% indicated that their garage door’s safety features had never been tested.

But, when we shift to garage door maintenance, a majority of homeowners tend to leave out this activity altogether. A survey conducted recently showed that 47% have never serviced their garage door and 34% indicated that their garage door’s safety features had never been tested.

These findings are quite astounding since garage doors provide an alternative entry to the home and a malfunctioning garage door can be a huge problem. In fact, in some instances, it can cause accidents. Buy DIY garage door parts to keep yours in top condition and prevent issues.

There are some easy procedures you can conduct to confirm that your garage door is operating as expected and is safe. The following are 8 ways to properly maintain your garage door.

1. Visual examination

Close the garage door, scrutinize the arms, cables, springs, rollers, and hinges for clear indications of wear and tear. Are any cables worn out at the edges? Is any component loose? If any part looks frayed or worn out contact your local garage door expert.

2. Lubricate the parts

This is a fundamental maintenance activity. It ensures that the garage door runs smoothly and prevents it from squeaking and creaking. Smear a small quantity of silicone spray lubricant around the rollers, door hinges, the lock, and the pivot points.

Oiling the garage door can increase its life by years.

Also, oil the garage door opener which is usually in the form of a drive screw or a chain, if it possesses one.

3. Cleanse the garage door track

The track does not need lubrication, wipe it with a damp cloth and then apply a solvent such as WD-40 on the track since it is an excellent grease cutter.

4. Confirm that the door system is balanced

Before starting your maintenance work, ensure that the garage door is completely shut and the automatic opener mechanism is disconnected. Then manually lift the door, it should go up with considerable ease and remain open. If the door is hard to open, it might be out of balance and needs to be maintained by a qualified technician.

5. Conduct a reverse mechanism trial

You require to test the reversing mechanism of your garage door if it has an automatic opener system. Keeping the door open, place an object at the floor center where the garage door normally gets into contact as it closes. The object can be a cardboard box or a wooden block.

Prompt the doors opener’s control and when the door comes in contact with the object it should reverse automatically.

6. Carry out a photocell test

If your garage door opens automatically and has a photocell safety feature, prompt the door to close and then swing an item such as a tennis racquet or broom before the eyes of the door’s photo. The swinging item should break the beam and trigger a reversal.

If this doesn’t happen, shut the door down and wipe the photo eyes using a soft, dry cloth. Also, ascertain that the photo eyes are positioned correctly.

7. Exterior inspection

Use a soft sponge or cloth to clean the outside section of the door. A hose or a bucket of water to rinse the exterior will work. If your garage door is wooden, check the paintwork to assess whether it requires to be re-stained.

8. Scrutinize the weather seals

Weather seals enhance the environmental friendliness of your garage and reduce your energy expenses. If your door doesn’t have weather seals, install them at the door’s bottom edge.

If after conducting any of these checks you note some malfunction, we recommend that you seek an expert to examine the issue. Never walk or stand beneath a moving door. Also, do not allow your children to operate or play with the garage door opener.

Finally, if you are uncertain about anything, leave it untouched and contract a trained professional to diagnose the garage door on your behalf. You can subscribe for yearly maintenance at a minimal amount and in case of minor problems, they will handle them immediately.

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