Your garage door is one of the most essential parts of your home. Garage doors are not only sliding walls, but these movable doors also give you security and protection against intruders. Every homeowner is used to push a button and having the excellent garage door do its job smoothly and easily as it should.
However, like any other piece of machinery, it will need some kind of maintenance now and then to keep performing as it should. It’s easy to take it for granted for many years and it is not right for your substantial investment in the garage door.
To keep your garage door in peak condition, you will need to take care of its maintenance and repairs regularly. Here are some expert tips to help you keep your garage door working at its best.
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Look For Unusual Signs and Sounds
The most significant preemptive measure you can take is to watch your garage door in action every time you press the button to roll it up or down. It is easy to get used to how your garage door works. After all, when you leave the house, you probably have other things on your mind.
The first sign of a problem is usually loud, squealing noises. Noisy garage doors can be caused by many reasons. The next time you use your garage door, be on the lookout for any unusual sounds or sights, such as a slow climb, visible jerking, or squeaks and scratches. These could be signs that there is a problem, and if left unresolved, it could lead to a major repair.
Check The Automatic Retracting Function of The Garage Door
Place an object such as a brick or a piece of wood on the floor for the garage door to hit it when it comes down. When the door is lowered and the door hits the object, the door should back up and go the other way. You can also test this feature by holding the bottom of the door as it closes. If your door does not stop and retract quickly after contacting the object, it means you will need to change the force setting. As each system varies, it is best to consult your manual to find out exactly how to do this for your particular model.
Is It Still Well-Balanced?
Our garage door operates on the principle of the correct counterweight to allow your opener to operate easily. If your garage door is not correctly balanced, the opener or roll down shutter motor has to work harder every time it opens and closes the door, which means it won’t last as long. Examine if the door is balanced, detach the opener by dragging the release lever. Then slide the garage door up or down and when reaches halfway. If the door is well-balanced, it will hold the spot without your assistance. Though, if the door begins to move freely, the spring tension needs to be adjusted.
Check The Rollers and Roll Down Shutter Motor
The rollers keep your garage door running smoothly and quietly, so check them at least twice a year for cracks and other signs of wear. If a replacement is needed, it is best to schedule a service call as soon as possible. Damaged rollers can cause the opener to wear prematurely and even cause the gate tracks to jump.
Uneven or broken rollers should be replaced as soon as possible. Get rid of the old roller and reinstall any roller brackets that are not directly connected to the cable system. To replace the rollers, remove the brackets that hold the rollers to the door.
Be careful not to remove the lower roller supports due to intense tension. You should also check the roller shutter motor with these rollers. If it works perfectly, it’s good enough for you, but if it doesn’t work properly, call the garage door service.
Lubricate Each and Every Moving Part of the Door
A small amount of lubrication can go a long way in preventing noise and keeping your garage door in good working order. Use a good quality lubricant to lubricate the opener’s chain or drive screw.
It is also a nice practice to lubricate the door pivots, rollers, and rails. Try using grease on the chain or opening bolt and spray lubricant, available from your garage door specialist, to coat the top springs.
Tighten All Hardware
A garage door has lots of moving parts and it is normal for the hardware to slack over time. A garage door rolls up and down more than a thousand times in a year. Movement and vibration can loosen different parts of the garage door.
Examine and tighten all bolt and roller brackets with a socket wrench. Look at the supports that hold the door tracks to the wall and ceiling, and the fasteners that anchor the garage door opener to the frame.