Your garage door is one of the most critical moving components in your entire house and also made use of several times per day, during all hours, as well as, throughout each season. It’s essential to do routine maintenance and precautionary care to keep your garage door running efficiently for a long time ahead. Following are 10 things that all homeowners can do:
1. Observe and Pay Attention
It’s imperative to thoroughly check your garage door while in use to locate the source of the issue. Is it moving smoothly, or is it catching in spots? Does it close quietly, or does it make scuffing or grinding noises? Does the (springs, cables, and pulleys) look aligned and also straight? This will help you to determine if you need to hire a professional for garage door repair.
2. Tighten up the Hardware
The average garage door moves up and down over a thousand times a year. That’s a lot of usage, which can loosen up the hardware. Look and also tighten up all roller brackets and also screws with an outlet wrench. Also, be sure to look at your joints as well as tighten them 1-2 times per year.
3. Check the Balance of your Garage Door
If your garage door is not balanced correctly, the garage door opener will be strained and have to work double time, which will result in your door not lasting as long.
After you detach the opener by pulling the release handle (usually a red cord), by hand, move the door midway up. If it doesn’t stay put, the springs are incorrectly balanced. Garage door spring adjustments are best left to the experts at Primos Garage Doors. By attempting to change this on your own, you are at danger of permanent injury, or even death.
4. Evaluate and Change the Rollers
Despite if the rollers are plastic, steel or nylon, they need to be evaluated two times a year as well as replaced every 10 years. If you use your garage door more frequently, they will need to be replaced sooner.
Damaged, chipped, or split rollers need to be replaced immediately. You can accomplish this by removing and re-installing any roller brackets that are NOT attached to the cable system.
5. Change the Weatherstripping
If the rubber weather seal under your door is broken or split, replace it immediately to keep the elements and small animals out of your home. Weatherstripping is sold by the foot at stores such as Home Depot. Simply cut to dimension and insert into the grooves with the wide angle of the flange inside the door.
6. Lube the Moving Components
Keeping your garage door components properly oiled, without over oiling will add years to your system, and even better, it only takes 10 mins a year! Use white lithium grease on the opener’s screw, which is available for purchase at Primos Garage Doors, or you can purchase a similar brand at any hardware store like Home Depot or Lowes. You can use a spray lubricant to coat the overhead springs. Never grease your track, when the wind blows around the dust and dirt will stick to it, triggering it to break down and run improperly.
7. Examine the Cables
Please avoid messing with high-tension cables as they have enough force to impair or kill. Nonetheless, you can examine their condition, so you know when to hire a highly rated professional such as Primos Garage Doors. Look for broken strands as well as damage near the bottom roller bracket on each side.
8. Examine the Auto-Reverse Safety Features
There are two systems: mechanical (if your door is an older version) as well as photoeyes. To check the mechanical feature, place a small piece of wood or a block on the ground in the path of the door. When the door meets the placed object, it should automatically reverse. To test your photoeyes which have a beam of light at each side, shut your door and pass your leg under the door’s path. Again, your door should reverse.
If your Garage Door Opener is greater than 20 years old, it might lack this basic safety and security features– and so it’s time to get a new garage door opener. We would be happy to help you!
9. Clear the Tracks
Ensure the tracks on either side of the door are clear of any debris. A garage door professional must make any significant adjustments to tracks.
10. Tailor Your Garage Door
Do not forget to look at the door itself. Wood doors will undoubtedly require a close look for water damage as well as warping, in addition to cracking or peeling off paint. Steel doors could have rust spots that need to be sanded, primed, as well as repainted. Wash the outside of your garage door occasionally, and use a mild all-purpose cleaner. You can pair this with washing your car in the driveway!
Your garage door typically makes up one-third of the exterior of your residence, so proper cleaning and maintenance will help with your overall curb appeal. If you don’t have time to do an examination, call a garage door expert to arrange a tune-up. We will be happy to get your Garage Door functioning perfectly!
