The garage door is an essential part of your home’s exterior, but it can be challenging to remember when you need maintenance. Annual inspections prevent problems before they arise and keep doors running smoothly for years! It is necessary to regularly inspect it by checking the springs’ tensioning, confirming if the garage door opens or closes properly, and making sure all hardware such as the garage door opener functions correctly. Lubricating the tracks and springs will also help ensure proper operation and safety.
Here’s a 5-step routine you can follow to keep your garage door in good working order:
Cleaning and Repainting
You can give your garage door a makeover and, in turn, help your home look new by cleaning and repainting.
After some time, your garage door will pick up dirt, grease stains, and rust for steel doors. This simple and easy maintenance tip can help you keep your door looking great.
- First, wash the door with warm water and mild detergent to remove dirt, grease, and grime from its surface that has built up over time.
- Sand the rusted areas and apply a primer.
- Paint the garage door a different color, or paint it the same color as before.
- To prevent further rust, use exterior latex paint on your steel doors.
Check the Track
Garage doors can be heavy and oversized, but they don’t leave their tracks easily. That is why you should check the tracks from time to time to ensure that the door has not shifted from its alignment.
You can also examine the door for cracks or dents. These are signs of trouble caused by bike accidents or minimal contact from your bumper.
Door dents may look small, but they can cause significant problems! Even a small dent can interfere with the door’s alignment. That means the door won’t close properly and won’t seal properly. Dents also make doors difficult to open and close.
For minor dents, you can pound them out with a rubber hammer. For major dents, replacing the whole track may be necessary, which is best done by experts. Palms Garage Doors take pride in providing the highest quality service and repair work possible.
Lubricate the Moving Parts
Lubricate the rollers and other moving parts regularly to keep them running smoothly, which will reduce the stress on the rollers and door openers to prolong their useful lives.
Proper lubrication of garage door components can eliminate the squeaky noise when your garage door operates. Use a lubricant suitable for garage door components, including the chain rail, metal rollers, ball bearings, hinges, stems, nubs, lock, and armbar. Proper lubrication will help prevent moisture from building up and causing rust and corrosion.
Lubricate both the pulleys on extension-spring openers and the bearings on torsion-spring openers. Apply a little oil to the pulleys on extension-spring openers and the bearings on torsion-spring openers, and wipe off any rust on the torsion spring. If there is a metal chain or screw, apply white lithium grease to it; do not use a lubricant on a belt-drive opener.
Test the Auto-Reverse Feature
To prevent injury, automatic garage door openers should have an auto-reverse feature that stops and reverses the door’s direction if it detects an object in the door’s path or it hits an object while closing. This system works by activating a pressure sensor or using photocells on each door side.
To test the pressure sensor, place a scrap piece of board flat on the floor directly in front of the door. It should reverse its direction and go back up again when the door touches the board. To test the photoelectric system with eye sensors on each side, start your door downward in a closing direction, then pass your leg in front of one eye sensor. In turn, the door should reverse direction and head upward.
You can contact Palms Garage Doors for information about adjusting the auto-reverse feature on your garage door opener.
Test the Door Balance
If your garage door isn’t properly balanced, it will take more force to lift it and wear out the hardware sooner. For best results, springs should provide enough force so that a few pounds of pressure are all it takes to lift the door.
Test the springs by pulling the release handle on the automatic opener, then lifting the door manually to make it halfway open. If the door holds in place without your help, your springs function properly. However, if it doesn’t stay up, you should call a professional for help with garage door springs.
Garage door services from Palms Garage Doors
Palms Garage Doors is a premier garage door repair company serving the Greater Bay Area. We are a locally owned business striving to help you get the most out of your garage. We are happy to offer the finest services for emergency garage door repair, garage door opener repair, garage door spring repair, and garage door maintenance and expert technicians to assist you with your garage door needs. For emergency garage door repair, call us right now at (833) 833-3361.
