Do Not Take Your Garage Door For Granted – Maintenance Tips

Maintaining a garage door is a job easier said than done. A vast majority of garage owners do not get their damaged and worn-out doors repaired. Most of them nurture this belief that it’s ‘just a door.’

Now, this statement throws light on the fact that people don’t take garage door repairs seriously.

Repairing or replacing a garage door is something might sound quite simple at first, but, in all fairness, it’s a time-consuming task that requires professional help.

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Maintaining the garage door

It is important to keep track of the wear and tear. Comprehensive maintenance of the garage door is extremely important.

It includes all types and kinds of hardware such as door springs, rollers, cables, etc. You got to keep a close eye on all the broken parts . in case you find signs of wear and tear, then get the repairs done as soon as you can.

The do it myselfers

These people can can handle minor errors, but  If you are planning something big. Something like replacing your garage’s old door with a new one, then it is better to hire professional help.

Not only will it save time, but will also keep loose ends at bay. A garage door technician is the right man to fix all the problems related to garage doors.

To be honest, replacing a garage door is quite a complicated task. Just a small error can cause a severe technical issue.

Inappropriate handling of the parts of the door can lead to a severe injury. In order to keep such situations at bay, it is highly recommended to make hire professional help.

Lubricating the moving parts is important

Now, this one is important. You need to lubricate the door frequently if you want it to function properly. Using an aerosol spray is recommended to carry out the lubrication bit. Special attention needs to be paid to all the moving parts.

• Apply some lubricant to the roller and the hinge to which your roller is attached. Apply it on either side of the door. Don’t use too much lubricant as it might end up attracting dirt.
• Be careful while lubricating the hinges. The point that needs to be noted is: The hinges holding together the centre of the door panels do not have a roller. The hinges that hold the center of the door panels together don’t have a roller. Operate the door a few times after applying the lubricant. This will help in distributing the lubricant evenly.
• Now, as far as the lock mechanism of the door is concerned, spray some lubricant in the keyhole and use the key a few times in order to distribute it evenly.

Preventive Measures

Also, here are some preventive measures to make sure that your garage door remains intact

1.Observe, observe, and observe

This one is the most important preventive step you need to take in order to ensure the smooth functioning of your garage door. Make sure it is working smoothly every single time you use it. 

Make sure:

• There are no jerks
• It does not create scraping noises
• Are both sides of the system symmetrical? 

2. Tighten up your hardware

To be honest, you won’t able to count the number of times your garage door has been opened and closed in a single day.

Now, this creates a lot of vibration and movement. Such movements can result in excessive wear and tear. The hardware can loosen up quite considerably if it is not handled properly. It is advisable to examine and tighten all of the bolts and roller brackets using a wrench.

3. Check the Cables (Leave it to the professionals)

Don’t ever try to tinker with any of the high-tension cables that lift the door. In case you find any discrepancy, then call the experts. If you try and fix it yourself, then there’s every possibility that you will end intensifying the problem. Hiring a pro is the way to get the cables fixed.

4 . Test the mechanisms

There are a couple of mechanisms: Mechanical and Photocell. If you wish to test the door’s mechanical feature, just keep a brick in the path of the door.

A fully-functional door will reserve direction when it comes in contact with the brick. Now comes the second test. Simply pass your leg in the path of the door. If it is working properly, then it will reverse.

5. Grooming is important

Make it a point to examine the door  frequently. If you happen to be using a wooden door, then make sure it does not come in contact with water. Also, you got make sure that the paint hasn’t started peeling.

In case you are using steel doors, then you might encounter rust spots. Use a mild general-purpose cleaner to clean a steel garage door.

6. Don’t let it freeze when it snows

This one is important as well. Don’t let cold weather damage your garage door. You can install a heater to avoid the door from freezing. You can install an electric heater if you want. They are easy to install and do not occupy too much space.

You can also sprinkle a considerable amount of salt on the door. Yes, you heard that right. Salt lowers down the freezing point of water.

Conclusion:

So, the bottomline is: You cannot take your garage door for granted. It might look quite uninviting to you at first, but you’ll realize its importance once you put your house on sale.

At times, prospective buyers refuse to buy your house owing to a faulty garage door. The selling price of your house is also expected to take a dip if the garage door is malfunctioning.

So, something as ‘insignificant’ as a garage door can also end up playing a spoilsport. To avoid all the disappointment, it is advisable to take garage door maintenance a bit seriously.