5 simple ways to care for your garage door
Your house garage door is the largest moving part of your property, and it is used many times a day, by multiple people, and in all seasons. It’s important to conduct routine preventive care and repairs on your garage door if you want it to stay running smoothly for decades. Here are ten suggestions for all homeowners:
- Clean your garage door
Cleaning is about more than just enhancing the visual appeal, though that’s always a decent excuse to clean your garage door! Cleaning the garage door will also help to save it from rusting. When garage door panels get rusted beyond repair, they must be replaced. As a result, regular maintenance saves you money and time in the long term. Cleaning your door is as simple as scrubbing it with water, a cloth or sponge, and soft soap.
- Maintain the door springs
Garage door springs will always need to be replaced before the garage door itself, sometimes due to regular usage and maintenance. Testing the springs twice a year as part of the overall garage door upkeep can help deter any unexpected damages. By manually raising the garage door halfway, you can inspect the springs effectively. If you catch yourself keeping the door open or if the door is sliding back down. The door should stay elevated on its own if the springs are working correctly. if you find yourself keeping the door open or if the door is sliding back down, then the springs are possibly bent or missing, and you need to take action.
- Insulate the garage door
While garage doors are often insulated to improve your home’s energy efficiency, installing insulation can also help protect and extend your door’s life. Garage doors may be dented by everyday objects such as bicycles, basketballs, and even your own vehicle. Depending on the extent and placement of the dents, your garage door’s angle on the tracks may need some adjustments as this will make opening and closing the door more complicated or even impossible. Insulation is a preventative measure that you should consider!
- Consider lubrication
The noise from the garage doors is normal! But that doesn’t suggest it’s all right to just disregard it. These sounds also signal the wear and tear of the garage door wheels, pathways, and panels. The use of a lubricant on these interconnected pieces will clean grime and debris, and your garage door would then work smoother.
- Test the Auto-Reverse Safety Features
You should test the mechanical and photocell of your automatic garage door. Place a piece of metal, wood or brick in the doorway on the ground in order to measure the mechanical function. If the door descends and touches the object, it should go back up again. To test the photocell mechanism, you should shut your door and pass your leg along the door’s path. Your door should reverse. If the door opener is more than 15 years old, it may lose functionality and basic safety features and require replacement.
Perhaps our lives get too busy, and the care and repair of garage doors may not be a priority. You may find yourself with a dysfunctional garage door. In this case, the springs may probably be at fault if the door is not entirely opening or if it closes unexpectedly. Fortunately, as long as you leave this highly risky job to qualified technicians, there is no need to worry. Remember, the material used to keep garage doors may be dangerous if not handled carefully. If you have an issue with your garage door, reach out to your local garage door company to offer you some assistance.
