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Despite being your residence’s biggest front door, your garage door is something your family takes for granted. That’s unless it finally breaks down. By then, it will require some costly repairs to fix or be replaced.
With proper maintenance, the security of your family members and properties can be guaranteed. Regular maintenance can keep it in excellent working condition while extending its lifespan. To prevent future expensive repairs, you should adhere to the following straightforward measures.
Inspect Your Garage Door
Start your maintenance job by examining your garage door’s structure for signs of wear and tear. If it’s a wooden door, you should look at its frame and make sure nothing has broken down. You can even examine the weather stripping at the base of the garage door. If it’s ragged or torn, you should get a replacement.
Inspect the doors that glide up or down its metal track for signs of rust, debris, and even dirt. Any form of wear and tear on these tracks can prevent your door from functioning properly. Finally, you can test the opener’s safety measures, which are usually either a pressure sensor or a laser sensor.
Place a 2 by 4 block under the door with a pressure sensor and try to close it. If it’s functioning properly, it should reverse before striking the piece of block. For laser sensors, you should place a plywood on its path and press the door button. Your door should stop and reverse before it reaches the plywood.
Maintaining Mechanical Components
If the door’s opener sensor is working properly, then you can start by replacing the weather stripping. But if the sensor isn’t working, you can contract a garage door company to help you with the repairs.
Lubricate the door’s moving parts; this includes the rollers, hinges and rails. Remember, these components tend to accumulate debris or rust with time. Lubricating them can help prevent further damage and friction. A well-lubricated door opens quieter and with little to no strain.
Clean Your Garage Door
A considerable part of the maintenance job is cleaning the door and removing any debris in its path. Aluminum or vinyl doors tend to be challenging, as you’ll need a hose or power washer to clean them. Start by mixing mild dish soap with warm water, scrub it, and then clean your garage door. Once it’s clean, you can rinse your clean garage door using a hose.
For wooden doors, you should start by wiping the surface with a piece of cloth. Inspect it for gouges or paint chipping. If it has too many gouges, you can patch it using wood filler. Sand the surface and then repaint it after it dries.
Endnote
A well-maintained garage door functions properly and can serve you for an extended period. By maintaining it regularly, you can spot a damaged movable part and repair it before your door breaks down. Lubricate the door’s moving parts and clean it before repainting it. Make sure you continuously remove any debris that can prevent it from opening and closing properly.
