Garage doorA well-organized garage with a poorly functional door is sure to be an eyesore. Noisy, rusty, or dysfunctional doors can cause a lot of inconvenience and at the same time be unsafe. Garage door maintenance is easy and can be achieved by maintaining a simple checklist on the essential things to take care of. This could be done once or twice a year to keep the door rolling without any hassles.

 

The two main parts of a garage door that need special attention are the springs and hardware. The springs need to be well lubricated at all times and the hardware should be functioning well and free from corrosion. The cables and levers might also need to undergo tweaking or adjustment at times. If this is beyond your understanding, leave the job to the professionals. Locate a skilled garage door professional service in your vicinity and have a service technician come over and examine the door and perform the required tests. It is a good practice to follow this regularly, to ascertain a safe garage door.

Tips to conduct a basic check

You could also perform a basic check yourself, occasionally, and seek help if necessary. Here is a checklist that can guide you in your task:

  1. A complete visual inspection periodically: Close the garage door from the inside and take a careful look at the door springs, rollers, pulleys, and hinges. Check for signs of rust or damage. Check if the cables have worn out. Look for any loosened parts. If something doesn’t look right or sound right, get the same inspected by a technician.
  2. Door balance test: If your garage has an automatic door opener system, you will be required to carry out this test every month. You could start by disabling the automated system to maneuver the door manually. Try lifting the door – this should happen without much difficulty and should be able to remain open fully. If you face any problem here, a possible door imbalance could be the reason.
  3. Automatic door systems must also undergo a force-set testing regularly. For this, let the doors begin to close automatically. Then, from a safe distance, try holding up the bottom of the door, with your hands. At this point, if the door does not instantly start reversing, pull away your hands quickly first and get a technician to look into the problem.
  4. Lubrication: The door rollers, roller tracks, latches, and hinges should undergo lubrication treatment every 6 months. There are effective solvents or oils available in stores for the purpose of garage door lubrication. Lubrication is vital for the door parts to function well in all seasons.
  5. Wooden door maintenance: Weather-stripping is a must for the garage doors to keep them functioning well during the cold seasons. If your wooden garage door is missing weather-stripping consider getting it put on immediately or otherwise ensure the edges are painted or well-sealed.

Garage door maintenance is as important as anything else related to your garage. Make it a regular practice to inspect the door and ensure everything associated with it is running smoothly to make it easy and safe for you in the long run.