The garage door is typically the largest moving part of an average home, and because of this, it requires adequate maintenance.
It is used multiple times in a day, throughout the year, and in every season. It’s also quite a large investment so it’s important to get the most you can from it by performing regular preventive care.
Here are some simple things you can do to prolong the life of your garage door and keep it running efficiently.
Don’t Overuse it
A lot of homeowners that have an attached garage to their home, use the garage door more than their actual front door. Limiting the use of the garage door significantly increases its lifespan and doesn’t require high maintenance.
If your garage door has around 10 up-down cycles a day, you will have to replace the springs every 2-3 years. In comparison, you’ll only need to care about spring replacement every 7-8 years if you use the garage door twice a day.
Schedule Inspections
Scheduling maintenance for your garage door is no different than scheduling an oil change for your car or maintenance for your air conditioner. It’s better to have it inspected twice a year, instead of waiting till it breaks down and getting costly repairs done.
You can book inspections with a garage door specialist, or if you know enough about the parts, you can check issues with the panels, hinges, rollers, pulleys, and springs on your own.
Tighten the Hardware
Although it is suggested by experts to stay away from any of the parts that would require the use of special tools, you don’t need to hold back on the ordinary hardware. Excessive door vibration can slowly loosen the hardware.
Check the brackets that hold the garage door to the wall and ceiling. Use a socket wrench to tighten loose bolts on those and the fasteners that secure the garage door opener unit.
Check the Door Balance
Springs are used in the garage door to make it open and close with ease. Worn-out springs can often cause an unbalanced garage door. The more you use it, the worse its condition will get.
To test the door’s balance:
- Close the garage door.
- Pull the release handle to disengage the auto opening.
- Manually lift the door up to a halfway point.
- Then let go of the door; if it can’t remain in place without support, it means the door is unbalanced.
If you believe the door isn’t balancing right, call a professional immediately for emergency garage door repair.
Replace Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping not only protects the interior of your garage from extreme weather conditions and flooding, but it also improves the overall insulation of your house. It has a flange that slides into the space under your garage door.
It’s an essential part of your garage door since it keeps out rain, cold, and various debris. Replace the rubber weatherstripping if it looks torn or worn out.
