The garage door to your house is as equally important as the roof and windows to your house. So, why is it that garage doors aren’t maintained by the majority of homeowners?
Roof inspections are conducted annually by most homeowners. Missing slates or missing tiles are some of the inspected items. It is also advisable to look for water leaks and frame cracks on windows yearly.
Yet, many homeowners seem to be going about the maintenance of their garage doors in the wrong way. It was recently revealed that 47% of homeowners had never serviced their garage doors. This survey also pointed out that the testing of garage door safety features hadn’t been done by 34% of the respondents. Visit this website for DIY garage door parts and advice on how to maintain your doors.
This survey points out an extremely troubling trend given that this door can be used as a form of access into the house. Needless to say, how inconveniencing it may be to have a broken garage door. Such a door may also result in safety risks.
The safety and efficiency of your garage door can be boosted by some checks that you can run by yourself. The following 8 ways can be used to help in the proper maintenance of your door:
- Visual Inspection
Visually inspect your garage door when it is closed. Try to see whether there are any signs of wear and tear. Make sure you inspect the door’s springs, arms, hinges, rollers, and cables. Check whether there are fraying cables. Are there loose parts? Contact your local garage door expert in case any parts seem worn out.
- Oil Door Parts
When it comes to maintenance, oiling has to be the most basic duty. The door’s smooth operation is guaranteed through oiling. It also helps prevent squeaks and creaks. Silicone spray can be applied in small amounts to the lock, rollers, door hinges, and pivot points to achieve this result.
You can extend your garage door’s life by simply embarking on this process.
Make sure you also lubricate the drive screw or chain of your garage door in case the door comprises of these parts.
- Clean The Track Of The Garage Door
Try cleaning the track of your garage door with a damp cloth rather than lubricating it. Once you are done with the damp cloth, spray a solvent such as WD-40 onto the track. This solvent acts as an excellent grease cutter.
- Find Out Whether The System’s Balanced
Before embarking on your maintenance tasks, find out whether the automatic opener system has been disconnected. Check if the garage door is closed. Thereafter, go ahead and manually lift the door. Lifting should be done with ease. Also, the garage door should remain fully open. You should seek the services of a professional if you encounter difficulties when opening the door. The door may be out of balance during such times.
- Conduct A Reversing Mechanism Test
You should examine the reversing mechanism if you have a door with an automatic opener system. Place an object on the floor at the central point where the door usually touches. Do this while the door is open. This object could be a cardboard box or a block of wood.
The door should automatically reverse once it comes into contact with the object. This should happen after you’ve activated the door opener’s transmitter.
- Conduct A Photo Cell Test
A door with an automatic opener that contains a photocell safety system should reverse once an object breaks the system’s beam. This test can be done using an object such as a tennis racquet or a broom. By simply waving this object, the door should reverse.
If this doesn’t occur, shut the door. Go ahead and clean the photo eyes using a soft and dry cloth. See to it that proper alignment happens to the photo eyes.
- Exterior Check
Using a clean sponge or soft cloth, make sure the door’s exterior is cleaned. A hose or bucket will be ideal if you have a wooden door. Once complete, check whether the paintwork needs to be redone.
- Inspect The Weather Seals
You can save money that you’d have spent on energy bills through the use of weather seals. Also, they are eco-friendly. Make sure you install some weather seals in case you haven’t done so. They need to be installed at the door’s bottom edge.
It is our advice that you may need to seek the help of a professional if any of these checks don’t seem right. Walking under a moving garage door or even standing under a moving door should never happen. Still, never let your kids play with or use the opener controls for the garage door.
Don’t go ahead and do things you aren’t certain of. Instead, seek the help of a trained technician. He or she will inspect the garage door on your behalf. A small fee can be paid for an annual service. This guarantees that any issues that you have will be immediately fixed.
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