The garage door isn’t something we think about on a regular basis, especially when it’s working the way that it should be. If you want to ensure your garage door continues to work correctly, Garaga has some tips that you can follow.
Schedule time to do regular garage door inspections
Make sure you note any noises that seem abnormal when opening and closing the garage door. Hearing a thump or a snap might indicate that one of the components is broken or is going to break soon.
Do a visual inspection of the garage door. Check to see if the torsion springs are in one piece and intact. Determine if any of the extension springs are hanging down or seem stretched out. Look at each roller and verify if it appears worn or nearly falling off. You should also verify if the belt or chain of your garage door opener is loose by determining if it’s hanging lower than usual.
The next step is to verify that your spring system is in proper working order. For those who have an electric garage door opener, you can do this disengaging the opener trolley. Pull on the emergency cord and see if you can open the garage door with a single hand by using the lift handle. If the door seems overly heavy or this is more difficult than inspected, you have come across a significant issue. At this point, you should reattach the trolley and get in contact with a garage door technician as soon as possible!
Twice yearly, make a point to do routine maintenance of your garage door
It is best to do regular maintenance two times a year. We recommend you do so once before winter hits and once after the weather begins to warm up again. When we talk about maintenance, this mainly refers to tightening loose bolts, providing lubrication, and checking your dual automatic reversal systems. It’s as simple as that!
You should take time to ensure all hinges are secured tightly and that the horizontal tracks align properly. Make sure to tighten the bolts that hold the perforated angle irons, which form a right triangle, and support the electric garage door opener and horizontal tracks. If your door opener has a 3‑piece trolley, tighten those bolts as well. The vibrations that come from the motor can cause these to loosen over time.
When speaking of lubrication, we are referring to lubricating any metal parts of the garage door that move or bend, like the rollers, hinges, and springs. We advise using a petroleum-based lubricant for this task. You can also take this time to care for PVC parts, which may include the exterior frame weatherstripping. For this, you will want to use a silicone-based lubricant. Make sure that you apply this to the bottom weatherstripping and between the door sections.
Verify your automatic reversal systems are working
To provide safety for yourself and your loved ones, you must verify your automatic reversal systems regularly. For those whose openers were manufactured after 1993, you will have two different systems. One of these is photoelectric while the other is mechanical. For the mechanical system, you can test it using a 2×4 or other piece of lumber. You will place this on the threshold of your door. Next, you close the door. If the system is working correctly, the door will reverse in direction and reopen on its own.
The photoelectric system is made up of two units, one of which is one each side of the door. A light beam is transmitted between the two doors. You can think of this as similar to the entry doors at a supermarket. To test this system, you just need to press the button to close your door and then pass your hand in front of one of the units. Breaking the path of the light beam should cause the door to reverse and open again automatically.
Can I get assistance with doing these maintenance tasks?
Absolutely! You can contact us anytime at 860-666-9315. At Garaga, we are experts in garage doors, and we are happy to assist you with providing out 28‑point tune‑up which takes care of lubrication, inspection, and adjustment.
If you instead believe it may be time to change out your garage door, we can send out a detailed quotation via email. We can alternatively visit you at your home to showcase our entire line of garage doors. We can provide you with professional advice about the best choice to suit your specific needs. If you’d like to build your own dream garage, you can use our Design Centre, or browse our image gallery.
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