Top 5 Garage Door Maintenance Tips You Must Know

What is something you probably use every day but haven’t given it a second thought? Did you know the typical garage door will go up and down a few thousand times a year? Most homeowners across the country are concerned about keeping up their properties, but few think about the garage door. Luckily, there are a few garage door maintenance tips that can be used to keep it in perfect working condition. The professional team from Local Garage Door pros recommended a few simple tasks, so you won’t have it fail on you when you need it the most.

1. Lubrication Of The Moving Parts

If you didn’t know already, your garage door is a series of moving parts. Many times, garage door repair is required because this task hasn’t been completed routinely. As a general rule, you need to ensure to lubricate every few months. The rollers and cables, along with the drums, should all be included. You can use spray silicone or refer to the instructions in the owner’s manual. This process can also help prevent rust, and your door will go up and down much more smoothly.

2. Check The Balance Of Your Garage Door

A garage door opener has to work much harder if your door is out of alignment. Make sure you follow one of the essential garage door safety tips by disconnecting the garage door opener first, so it is now operating manually. Position the garage door, so it is about halfway up. If the door seems to have trouble staying in that position, then this is an indication that it’s out of balance. Rebalancing a garage door can be extremely dangerous, so this is a job that’s best left up to an expert.

3. Take A Closer Look At The Hardware

Your garage door hardware is susceptible to wearing down as time passes. A great place to start your inspection is the hinge on the door. If you notice they are loose, give the bolts a little tightening with a screwdriver. Your rollers and cables also need to be inspected. Nylon rollers often begin to crack as they age, and steel ones can start to rust. If you hear a loud screeching noise when the door opens and closes, it’s time to replace. You can usually tell if you have a compromised cable if it has a significant amount of rust or just looks worn.

4. Touch Up And Cleaning

You can perform check off all the maintenance tips you want, but neglecting the door itself won’t make it last as long as you want. Over time, wood doors can begin to show signs of water damage, and the paint can peel. In contrast, you’ll need to check steel doors for any rust spots. You can fix these areas relatively quickly by sanding it down, priming it, and painting over it. Finally, don’t neglect washing it with a good all-purpose cleaner. It is especially important during the wintertime when the home’s exterior takes a pounding from the severe weather.

Bonus Tip: Replace the weatherstripping. Mother Nature will cause the weatherstripping at the bottom of the garage door to crack. Replacing it immediately will keep rain or other debris out of your garage. It’s easy to install, and you can get some at nearly every home improvement location.

5. Test The Auto-Reverse Functionality

The auto-reverse feature found on garage doors is designed to reduce the likelihood of an injury. You can test this by placing an object under the door as it’s descending. Also, modern garage doors now have enhanced safety measures that will automatically make it ascend if the object crosses a beam of light. You can test this feature by merely sticking your foot in front of the door. If it’s not working correctly, then give us a call immediately. These garage door safety tips will provide you with peace of mind when you’re operating it daily.

Local Garage Door Pros Can Help Keep Your Garage Door Maintained

You can’t go wrong by using these garage door maintenance tips, but sometimes you still need the help of a professional. Our team is expertly trained in garage door repair, and we can quickly identify the source of the problem. With our help, we can help keep it running smoothly for years to come. Whether you need small parts replaced or something a little more intensive, we can help! Don’t hesitate to contact us today for all your maintenance needs.