The garage door is the largest moving part in your house and is used regularly. No matter the season or hour, you should never entertain the risk of the garage door failing to function. For this purpose, you should routinely invest in garage door maintenance. It is going to get old with time, but a bit of regular attention can make it work smoothly for years to come.
Here are a few tips/things to have your garage door maintenance professional keep an eye on:
- One of the basic maintenance tasks you can perform is to lubricate the different parts of the door. Make sure you apply a 3-in-1 lubricant specifically designed for garage doors to the rollers, hinges and springs. The pulleys on the extension-springs and the bearings on the torsion-springs should be lubricated too. Afterward, wipe the parts clean.
- The door opener is an essential part of the garage door. You can apply the same lubricant over the full length of the door opener rail that is usually operated by a chain, belt or screw drive.
- The garage door opens and closes 1,000 times or more a year. This high frequency use can considerably impact the hardware. Make sure that the hardware has not loosened over time.
- Checking the weatherstripping is an important part of garage door maintenance. Examine the sides of the door to determine if light is coming in your garage. If so, then you are letting the outside air into your garage. If required, replace the weatherstripping.
- If you have a wooden garage door without a bottom weatherstripping, it would be a good idea to apply one. You can purchase this from most garage door dealers. Be sure to measure the width of your door so you know the length you need.
- The tracks on either side of the door must be clear. Make sure they are not prone to any debris or other items that can bump the tracks out of alignment. However, don’t perform any major adjustments with the tracks as that should be left for a professional.
- Apart from the mechanical stuff, maintain the door itself as well. A wooden door should be checked for water damage, warp, and chipped or peeling paint. For steel doors, treat the rust spots with sanding, priming, and painting. You should also regularly wash the steel door using a mild all-purpose cleaner. You can actually do this when you wash your car.
It is always recommended to have a professional maintain your garage door system, especially if you believe that you are not skilled in this area. We recommend calling them on a yearly basis or if you have identified a problem.
For installing new garage doors, you can find an amazing collection at Delden Garage Doors. Let the experts help you find the door that exactly matches your garage needs. Delden Garage Door dealers also provide service and support so you can enjoy the ultimate peace of mind in functionality and safety.
It’s great to know that when air or light is getting in your garage weatherstripping replacement would be timely. I’ll keep an eye out for these signs. If I do find an issue, I’ll be sure get a service. Thanks for the great advice!
Thanks for the read & comment Jeremy!
My fiance and I are thinking of getting a new residential garage door. We want to make sure that we take care of the new door that we have installed in our home. Checking it for warping and other damages will become our top priority.
Thanks a lot for mentioning how you should consider the type of care your garage door needs according to its material. It is important to understand that doing some research and consult with a professional can help you take the best care possible for your garage door. I can see how anyone looking into this would also want to consider the type of weather in the area where they live to make sure the garage dor they choose is durable and will provide the protection needed.
Lubricating the doors from time to time is important as it ensures that all the vital parts of the garage doors work smoothly and they are not harmed in the absence of proper lubrication. Staying alert to abnormal behavior, noise in the door also helps and carrying out maintenance at-least twice a year is a must.
Thanks for sharing such useful tips. Especially checking water damage for wooden doors as it is usually being ignored.
Great tips! First time into your blog, but completely loving it with the wealth of information here and this article is a must read for the home owners. Thank you!
Thanks for the tips on maintaining your garage door. I never really thought about the fact that you should lubricate your door, even though it has lots of moving parts. I would imagine that having a professional coming by regularly to do maintenance is also a great way to keep your garage door going.
I like your garage tips. I need to get a new door. My old one has cracks in it.
Awesome post! Thanks for sharing the knowledge and keep up the good work