Why and How to Maintain Your Garage Door
Garage door maintenance does take up some time, but it can help save you money on repairs in the long run. Here are some of the most important steps of garage door maintenance.
Step 1: Cleaning the Garage Door
Why it's important: The outside of your garage door can accumulate a lot of gunk. Storms may cause rainwater and dirt to hit the door and leave deposits on its surface. Even the air itself may leave salt on the door if you live in a marine climate. Over time, all of this gunk on your garage door can cause it to erode.
How to do it: Cleaning your garage door only takes about an hour each year. You can wash the door with regular soap and water plus a soft sponge.
Step 2: Maintaining the Tracks
Why it's important: The tracks of your garage door tend to take a lot of heat. They are what's holding up the entire system as your garage door glides open and shut. After a year of use, the tracks may have shifted or the fasteners may have lost tension. This can place strain on the system.
How to Do It: The first thing to do is take down the garage door and refasten the tracks. If you notice that any of the fasteners have lost tension, it's worth calling a garage door repair center to have a replacement part ordered. While the garage door is down, you can take that time to realign the tracks and make sure that all screws are in tightly. You may need several people to help in order to ensure that your garage door is being fastened back on straight.
Step 3: Inspecting for Repair Needs
Why it's important: Catching a garage door maintenance need early on can save you a lot of money. Consider the case of a fastener that's not doing its job. If another fastener ends up slipping, the garage door might fall; then, you're looking at replacing two fasteners and potentially having the door itself repaired. Many small maintenance needs can be handled on your own with the advice of a garage door repair shop.
How to Do It: There are a few key areas to inspect. First, check the tracks and rollers for any dings. Check the photo eye to make sure that it's not scratched or broken. Visually inspect the torsion springs and extension springs to make sure they are not crooked or broken. If your inspection turns up any issues, consult a garage door repair technician like those at Premier Door Corp to remedy the problem.