Inspect and Maintain Your Garage Door in 8 simple steps
Your garage door lubrication and inspection is just as important to your house as your roof or windows and is quite expensive to replace, but why is it very few households get it maintained?
Many homeowners will carry out annual checks of their roof for loose or slipped tiles, missing and broken slates etc.
However, when it comes to garage door maintenance too many people are missing it out altogether.
This is extremely worrying given that the garage door can on many occasions offer another form of access to the home and a broken garage door can be a huge inconvenience to say the least. Garages also tend to contain tools, gardening equipment, bicycles and may other expensive items. In some cases, a broken or damaged garage door can also be potentially very dangerous (who likes a bang to the head?).
There are however some simple checks that you can easily perform yourself or with a colleague to ensure the safe and efficient operation of your garage door and to help ensure maximum security.
Here are 8 simple ways to inspect/maintain and lubricate your garage door properly:
Visual inspection
When the door is closed, look over the arms, springs, cables, hinges and rollers for visible signs of wear and tear. Are any of the cables fraying? Has anything become loose? If anything looks worn call in your local garage door specialist.
Oil the parts (Garage Door Lubrication)
This is the most basic of maintenance tasks. It keeps the door running smoothly and stops the door creaking and squeaking. Apply a small amount of lithium-based spray lubricant to the door hinges, rollers, pivot points and the lock.
Just doing this can extend the life of your garage door by many years.
If your garage door has an opener such as a chain or drive screw, lubricate this too.
Clean the garage door track
Instead of lubricating the track, it just needs cleaning with a damp cloth to remove dirt and debris and then spray a solvent like WD-40 on the track as it is a great grease cutter. Thoroughly clean the entire track being careful around entrapment points and watching out for sharp edges. It is also good practice to place some old newspaper etc on the floor to catch any dirt, debris or cleaning solution that may fall.
Check that the system is balanced
Before you do anything, make sure that the garage door is closed and the automatic opener system (if fitted) is disconnected. Now lift the door manually- it should remain fully open and lift with ease. If it’s difficult to open, the door may be out of balance and should be serviced by a professional.
Perform a reversing mechanism test
If your door is equipped with an automatic opener system, you need to check the reversing mechanism. When the door is open, place something in the centre on the floor where the garage door would normally touch. It can be anything like block of wood or a cardboard box.
Activate the door opener’s transmitter or push button and when the door hits the object it should automatically reverse. If it doesn’t reverse we recommend seeking help from a professional garage door specialist.
Perform a photo cell test
If your door is equipped with an automatic opener that has a photo cell safety system, operate the door in the close direction and then wave an object e.g. a broom or a tennis racquet in front of the door’s photo eyes. The object should break the beam and reverse the door.
If it doesn’t, close the door and clean the photo eyes with a dry, soft cloth do not use any harsh chemical cleaners as this may damage the photo cell beyond repair. Make sure the photo cell eyes are aligned accordingly. If in doubt seek help from a professional.
Exterior check
Give the outside of the door a clean with a SOFT cloth/sponge or brush. Simply rinse with a bucket of water or a hose. If your door is made out of wood, examine the paintwork to see if it needs to be re-painted/stained or varnished.
Check the weather seals
Weather seals can help make your garage more eco-friendly and save money on your energy bills. If you haven’t already, install some weather seals to the bottom edge of the door.
If you perform any of these checks and something appears to be wrong, we advise you to get it examined by a professional. Never stand or walk under a moving door, and never allow your kids to play with or use the garage door or opener controls.
Alternatively, if there is anything you are unsure about, leave it alone and hire a trained technician to inspect the garage door for you. You can pay for an annual service for a small fee and usually if there are any small problems, they will fix them there and then.
Still not sure about garage door lubrication? Call us today on 01384 231 211 or 07973 502814 for help and assistance on looking after your garage door.
Maintenance Services Direct
If any of the services listed above are of interest to you or you require any maintenance, cleaning or repairs not listed above please Contact Us on +44 (0)1384 231211 or +44 (0)7973 502814 or email us on enquiries@maintenanceservices.co.uk
We also have a 24hr emergency call out on +44 (0)7973 502814