As with any exterior feature of your property, it’s important to maintain it regularly to ensure that it looks clean and fresh to provide a great first impression and to ensure that it is operating to its best ability. From doors to windows, guttering, driveways and paths, they play are part in making your home look great all year round. Garage Door maintenance is an essential part of this cleaning routine to extend the lifespan of roller garage doors, automatic doors and the garage door opener to reduce the potential need for costly repairs in months or years to come. Keeping your garage in good condition, efficient and ultimately safe from unwanted visitors to keep your valuable items secure.
There are several garage door maintenance tips to take into consideration such as the need to tighten hardware and remove dirt to reduce any trapped areas reducing the functionality of your garage doors and keeping them in top shape.
Maintenance Guide
Cleaning and Inspecting
The first step is a simple one and an element that we should be doing with all our exterior features such as windows and doors. Take a good look at your garage door and inspect different areas of it for any visible signs of wear and tear, as soon as you spot anything of note make sure to address it with any necessary repairs. Regular cleaning is also necessary to make your high-quality garage doors look spotless for great curb appeal. Using warm water to clean the door, tracks and hardware, you’ll be able to effectively remove dirt and debris so that all moving parts are operating as they should be.
Lubricating Moving Parts
As your garage door regularly opens and closes, the moving parts become dry over time. That’s why frequent lubrication will assist with this wear and friction and reduce any slow movement or squeaky sounds that can become annoying over time. There are dedicated garage door lubricants available to buy from a standard hardware shop which you can apply to springs, roller tracks and hinges so that you can open and close smoothly once lubricated. This step takes minutes to do and will ensure that your garage functions well. Certain types of garages won’t need lubrication though such as nylon rollers.
Check the Auto Reverse Feature
An important safety feature that makes sure your garage door will stop and reverse its direction if something gets in the way whilst closing, checking its operation takes a number of steps. First you’ll need to clear the area, then close the garage door, place an object in its path, activate the garage door and test if the safety sensors are functioning to their best ability. By doing this every so often you’re ensuring that if and when the time comes that the garage door needs to stop closing, then it will do so in the safe way to keep you, others and your vehicles safe.
Tightening Loose Hardware
This step can help to reduce any operational issues with your garage door so that it will operate smoothly. Firstly you’ll need to inspect the garage door and see if there are any loose bolts, screws or hardware, paying attention to areas such as the tracks, brackets, rollers and hinges. Next get the right tools for the task such as a screwdriver or socket wrench which are appropriate for the areas you’re tightening. Secure the garage door before tightening the screws or bolts and then do a second test to check that they are tightly in place before testing that the garage itself is still working properly.
Maintain the Garage Door Opener
Whether you have a manual garage door or an automatic one, maintaining the garage opening and closing functionality of the system is key - otherwise you’ll find yourself stuck when you’re in need of using your garage. If it starts to become sluggish and slow then this could be a sign that it needs some care and attention. Apply some lubrication and test the safety features before looking at the balance adjustment. If you have an automatic remote control then check that the batteries are working properly or if they need replacing. Look at the weather stripping so that your garage can sustain throughout all seasons of the year and keep the opener clean from dirt and debris that can build up over time.
Inspecting Rollers and Tracks
Rollers and door tracks are key to the operation of your garage doors so take a good look at their overall condition and that they are properly aligned. When inspecting the tracks, lift the door and carry out a meticulous clean of both the tracks and the rollers, once clear from debris and dirt lubricate them for a smooth and seamless operation whilst checking the alignment and inspecting the overall hardware. Finally, test that they are functioning well and repeat regularly with a similar maintenance schedule to extend the longevity of your garage doors and reduce the need for potential repairs.
When to Seek Professional Help
Whilst it’s beneficial to keep on top of maintaining your garage doors yourself, there are times when expert attention is required. This includes spring replacement, track misalignment, electrical problems, heavy door repair, complex repairs, emergency situations when your garage door doesn’t close properly, and also when there are DIY limitations. Enlisting the help of a dedicated contractor such as Abacus Garage Doors not only delivers a great service that gets straight to the problem but also puts health and safety as a priority when dealing with challenging equipment and tools. Plus we’ll be able to provide expert garage door tips to guide you on how best to maintain your garage in the future.
At Abacus Garage Doors we understand the importance of ensuring that your garage doors are working to their best ability to keep your property and valuable items safe and secure. From cleaning and inspecting to lubricating moving parts, checking features and tightening loose hardware, there are plenty of ways to maintain your garage doors and help lengthen their shelf-life to save you from costly repairs or having to invest in new garage doors.
Highly recommended on checkatrade.com, we have 40 years of experience in the industry and will not be beaten on price. Delivering our outstanding range of services to customers in Cheltenham, Gloucester, Dursley, Bristol, Chippenham and North Bristol, our far-reaching output ensures that plenty of customers in the area have access to our knowledge, skillset and expertise when it comes to garage doors and other items such as entrance doors, gates and barriers to provide the full package.