Maintenance Tips
The average garage door will go up and down more than 1000 times per year. Regular garage door maintenance can extend the life of your garage door and door opener. It is essential to keep them operating efficiently and prevent breakdowns. This guide reviews some basics.
Check Your Door For Unusual Sights & Sounds
Keep an eye and ear out for any unusual sights or sounds like slow rising, visible straining/jerking, or squeaks and scraping. These could be signs of an issue and could become a major repair if not addressed.
Tighten Nuts & Bolts
As your door is a moving object, nuts and bolts can become loose due to vibration and lead to a dangerous issue. Inspect and tighten where necessary to ensure everything stays in proper shape.
Keep Moving Parts Lubricated
Friction is the biggest cause of problems. Quarterly lubrication of door rollers and pulleys with a silicone or white lithium grease is easy and helps to keep your system in proper working condition. Be sure to also spray the opener’s chain if that is the type of drive system of the unit. Do not apply if your opener is a belt drive.
Inspect The Door’s Rollers
The rollers enable your door to glide smoothly and fluidly. Worn rollers lead to higher noise levels, vibration, and put undue stress on the entire system. It’s similar to driving a car with the emergency brake engaged. Replacement rollers are recommended every 5 - 7 years. New nylon coated rollers can help reduce noise levels.
Clean Debris From Tracking
Garage door rollers run on tracks, and if any debris happens to prevent these rollers from running, it can cause damage. Check to make sure there isn’t any debris in the tracks to avoid future costly problems.
Spring & Lift Cables Inspection
Review the lift cables for fraying or corrosion. All springs will eventually break due to metal fatigue. Gapping in spring coils is a sign of this fatigue. The cables and springs are under tremendous pressure and if they fail, could lead to serious bodily injury. Never try to adjust or replace these parts as they should be handled only by trained professionals.
Opener Safety Feature
Door openers have two separate safety features to avoid crushing anything under the door. The first is the photocell safety eyes which shoot an invisible beam across the threshold. If the beam is interrupted while the door is closing, the door will stop and reverse to the open position. Wave an object across the sensor path while it’s closing to test. The second feature is triggered by pressure. If the door comes in contact with an obstacle while closing, it will also stop and return to the opened position. Place a brick or 2x4 board on the floor under the door and ensure the door reverses once contact to made with object. If your opener is not equipped with photocells, it’s time to upgrade the old unit.
Weather Seal
Check the weather stripping for missing or cracked areas. Moisture can work itself through and rust door parts. These seals also help to keep unwanted pests from gaining entry into your home.
Rissland Garage Door is here to help with any issues or testing you may need. Simply just use our easy contact page to get more information or to schedule a repair.
