Garage door maintenance is essential for various reasons, including security, street appeal, and weatherproofing. If your maintenance schedule is incomplete or ignored, problems can occur with the door making failure inevitable. The good news is that there is always time to implement a regular care routine and prolong the life of your garage door. If you need help determining where to begin, look no further as I walk you through the basics in a few easy steps.
Use Other Doors
Not using the garage door may sound counterintuitive because, obviously, how else will vehicles get in and out? Plenty of people are in the habit of coming and going exclusively through their automatic garage door, even on foot. This habit puts undue pressure on the spring, shortening its lifespan dramatically. So, start using the house door and only use the heavy garage door when necessary, and enjoy fewer expensive spring replacements.
Call A Professional
If a significant issue does occur with your garage door, resist the temptation to attempt repairing it yourself and go straight to the professionals. The experts at Edmonton garage door repairs ensure your broken door is fixed safely and swiftly. With wires and springs under high tension plus the heavy weight of the door, some repair jobs carry an element of risk best avoided by amateurs. No chance of injury to you, and your house is again weatherproof and secure.
Tighten Up
Don’t worry; there’s plenty you can do by yourself when it comes to routine maintenance, beginning with regularly looking over all the parts. Keeping everything tight prevents the slipping of larger components that become significant problems. When you notice any bolts or brackets coming loose, a few minutes with a socket wrench will take care of the issue.
Get Lubed
While looking over things, be sure to also listen to how the door sounds while moving. Abnormal sounds can indicate several concerns, the main one being unlubricated moving parts. After a few minutes with a spray lubricant will soon see sad squeaky parts gliding back and forth quietly again. If the opener’s chain or screw requires attention, opt for lithium-based grease for the best results.
Have A Thorough Clean
One of the functions of a garage door is to weatherproof the garage and house, protecting your vehicles and house contents. However, this does mean that as the first line of defense from the weather, your garage door collects debris in its parts. Regularly clean dust and debris from the tracks and around the base. Doing so will stop the door from sticking or becoming unbalanced, which strains the overall mechanisms.
Replace Weatherstripping
Keeping the weatherstripping in good condition reduces the amount of environmental debris entering the mechanisms. If you notice any of the weather strippings has come away, reattach it and if it’s damaged, remove the rubber strip and replace it with a new one.
Remember that garage door maintenance starts with a regular inspection, allowing you to identify and fix any issues. And if something significant happens, professionals will swiftly have your garage door back in working order.
