Caring for your garage door is essential to prevent serious problems. What you might think is a squeak when it opens and closes could indicate a serious problem like a breaking spring. Homeowners need to learn how to properly care for the garage door before there is an issue that requires garage door repair services to step in. Here are some maintenance tips to follow to extend the lifespan of your garage door.
Inspect the Door
Each month, take the time to look at the garage door. Look for signs of wear and tear. An aluminum door is prone to dents and dings. These dents can become a serious problem as it cracks the door, causing it to break when it is opening or closing. A professional will need to install additional support beams to the door to help it open and close properly. Look at the springs, pulleys, rollers, and cables to check for signs of aging. One thing you need to look for is problems with rust. A rusted out cable, pulley, or spring can be dangerous. They can break at any moment, causing the entire door to come crashing down. If you think something looks strange, hire a professional to inspect your door.
Balance Test
Do you frequently balance your garage door? Proper balance of the door allows it to open and close correctly. If the weight is off, it will pull heavily to one side or the other. To check on the balance, close the door and unhook it from the automatic door opener. Lift the door manually. Notice if the door pulls hard one way or the other. You also need to notice if the door is difficult to open or gives you a lot of resistance when opening it. If the door doesn’t remain open once you lift it, this indicates the door has a balance problem that needs to be professionally repaired.
Safety Test
Modern garage doors come with a safety reversing mechanism. This mechanism is designed to force your door to re-open if it has any interference when closing. Older models may have the reversing mechanism, but do not have the laser sensor on the bottom of the track. The laser sensors help to prevent serious injuries and accidents. Anything that is within the path of the laser sensor will cause the door to stay open until the item is removed. Place something in the line of the sensor and push the button on the garage door to see if it reopens. If your system doesn’t have the sensors, place a wooden block or broom handle in the track of the door. Once the bottom of the door hits the top of the broom handle, it should trigger it to go back up. If your system does not have these safety features, you need to replace it.
Lubrication
Once a year, use some garage door lubrication on the door hinges, tracks, and rollers. This will help the garage door to open and close properly. It can assist in reducing noise concerns related to garage doors opening and closing. Contact Advanced Door for additional information, or to schedule an inspection of your garage door.
