10 Garage Door Maintenance Tips You Should Always Take Note Of

Garage doors normally open and close several times a day, yet only a few homeowners do regular inspections and maintenance on it. In fact, among all the parts of a house, the garage door is often the most neglected. That’s true despite being frequently used and making up a significant portion of the outward appearance of any home.

Most homeowners only pay attention to their garage doors when something goes wrong, and a repair is inevitable. As you probably already know, frequent repairs can be costly. Aside from that, high costs also come with premature door replacement. That said, you must implement garage door tune-up and preventive care measures regularly.

Below are ten garage door maintenance tips you should always take note of.

Check The Hardware

You can easily perform a quick hardware check by listening to your garage door every time it opens and closes. Ideally, it should move effortlessly without making too much noise. Jerky movements, grinding sounds, and scraping noises suggest there’s an issue. Also, take time to ensure that all of its moving parts are tight. You can make use of a socket wrench in fastening any loose roller brackets or bolts. With SD Garage Doors in Edinburgh, for instance, you’re likely to encounter a variety of garage door issues including door cracks, annoying grinding noise, weathered w sealant and much more.

Replace Weatherstripping

You can find the rubber weather seal strip at the bottom of your garage door. Check out its condition regularly. If rubber already looks brittle or cracked, replace it. Keep in mind that the weatherstripping won’t only keep elements out but also make your door more energy-efficient. Thus, maintaining it is crucial.

Review The Balance

The first thing you need to review the balance of your garage door is to disconnect the opener from the door. Then, manually move your door halfway down or up. The door should stay in place. If it doesn’t, it only means one thing – it isn’t balanced, and you need a garage door repair professional to fix the problem.

Replace Batteries In the Remote

As already mentioned, garage doors open and close innumerable times a year. For that reason, you need to replace the batteries of the remote periodically. Read through the manual of the garage door remote as it should provide the information on how and when to replace the batteries.

Lubricate The Moving Parts

Bolts, nuts, rollers, and springs connect garage doors. Each time you press the remote, these moving parts function for the door to open and close. Hence, lubricating these moving parts is vital. Use a spray lubricant for the springs. For the screw or chain, it’s best to use white lithium grease. Just be careful not to smear oil on the track if you don’t want your garage door to slip or lose its balance.

Check The Cables

Cables that lift your door are high-tension ones and have enough force to injure and kill a person so never tinker with them. Instead, check their condition for you to know if you already need professional, expert help. Check for damage near the roller bracket’s bottom and any broken strands.

Test Out Your Door’s Safety Features

Place a block of wood under the path of the door and see if it still stops and reverses direction the moment it comes into contact with the object. If it does, then your garage door is still in good condition. But, if not, call a garage door specialist to resolve the problem immediately or have a new garage door opener installed.

Remove Rust

Rust will accumulate on steel doors. Locate the areas with rust and sand and prime them, before finally painting over them. Keeping your garage door painted for protection also holds even if it’s a wooden one. Also, don’t forget to check both steel and wood doors for any damages.

Clear The Tracks

Make sure that the tracks on each side of the garage door are free from any debris. To do this, consider using a level to check the plumb. Always remember that major adjustments on the tracks must only get carried out by professional garage door technicians to prevent aggravating the problem.

Clean Your Garage Door

Last but not least, make sure to wash your door using an all-purpose cleaner. Make it something like a fun family activity. You can also do it after washing your car every weekend. Cleaning will remove both built-up grease and gunk, maintaining the spotless appearance of your garage door.

Conclusion

Use the maintenance tips mentioned above to ensure that your garage door lasts long, saving you from repair costs. You can easily follow most of the suggestions here and would only take a few minutes for you to complete. It’s also a good idea to contact a garage door specialist to conduct biannual inspections. Your garage door at home is more than a simple shelter for your car; it’s a part of your house, so always keep it fully-functional, clean, and safe throughout the year.