Essential Tips for Maintaining Your Garage Door

Did you know garage doors provide access to some of your most valuable possessions? 

So, proper care and maintenance is paramount to keep it in peak condition. This guide will walk you through the top eight garage door maintenance tips for optimized performance.

1. Clear the Tracks

Dirt, debris, and grime collect on your garage door tracks over time. These particles can clog the garage door’s pathway without regular cleaning, causing it to malfunction. 

Clearing your garage door tracks prevents the build-up of unwanted materials along the door’s pathway. The best solution is to brush debris off the tracks and use a soft fabric to wipe dirt and grime away. 

If the debris has already misaligned the garage door track, do not readjust the door yourself. Your best bet would be to call a professional garage door repair Newport Beach. 

The technician will assess the misaligned door and use their experience to bring it back on track.

2. Inspect the Rollers

Rollers are some of the most helpful garage door components. They support the door as it gently glides along its path. 

Damaged garage door rollers can knock the door off its rightful path, potentially causing severe malfunctions. Therefore, it’s important to inspect the rollers as frequently as possible. 

Keep your eyes out for signs of wear or damage, such as cracks and chips. You can then use your best judgment to determine whether the rollers need replacing. 

Remember to clear the rollers of dirt and debris, too. This prevents such materials from settling on the garage door track.

3. Tighten Loose Nuts and Bolts 

The vibrations caused by alternating opening and closing of a garage door will eventually loosen the screws holding the nuts and bolts together. This may consequently impact the performance of roller brackets. 

Squeaking sounds are a reliable sign that your garage door nuts and bolts need tightening. 

Grab a screwdriver and socket wrench, then tighten all visibly loose screws. 

However, avoid the screws that attach to the roller fixture or any red-painted hardware. Interfering with these parts may endanger your safety. Such maintenance is best left to professional garage door technicians.

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4. Lubricate Moving Hardware

Friction can quickly wear down the moving parts of your garage door. However, lubricating these components regularly will prolong their longevity. 

Lubrication is one of the easiest garage door maintenance procedures. There are plenty of online tutorials from which to take inspiration. 

Just remember to use a garage door-specific lubricant. Then, work on all moving parts, including the rollers, springs, hinges, tracks, and the opener’s chain.

5. Examine the Cables

Faulty garage door cables can present safety hazards to users and damage the parts they connect to. So, inspect them regularly for tears and frays. 

Experts recommend replacing your garage door cables with a professional at the first hint of damage. 

Shun the urge to fix broken cables yourself, as that could only further endanger your safety. If possible, avoid the garage door altogether until the problem is fixed. 

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6. Check the Balance

Garage doors weigh a couple of pounds. So, the slightest imbalance can have far-reaching implications. 

The biggest issue with an unstable garage door is that it exerts undue pressure on the opener. 

To check your garage door balance, shut it completely and pull the opener’s handle to disconnect it. This renders the door in the manual operation mode. Now, gently lift the door and release it until it’s halfway open. 

A properly balanced garage door should stay in the same position. 

If the door moves up and down, there could be a fault in the spring or cable system. Call a garage door technician immediately.

7. Test the Safety Features

Neglecting a garage door’s safety features during routine maintenance can have devastating consequences. 

The focus here should be on the mechanical auto-reverse and photoelectric sensors. These two features prevent a garage door from closing when it detects objects along its path. 

The easiest way to test the photo sensor and auto-reverse tools is to place a solid object underneath the garage door and then attempt to close the door. 

Both features should signal the door to reverse. The difference is that the photoelectric sensors activate a reverse action without your garage door contacting the object on its path.  

8. Replace Weatherstripping and Battery

A garage door’s weatherstripping is the rubber or vinyl insulation strip at the bottom of an overhead garage door, protecting the garage from damage by the elements. 

The insulation material cushions a garage from water damage during the rainy season. It also regulates interior temperature by preventing air interchange between the inside and the outside. 

A garage door’s weatherstrip can crack over time, exposing the valuables in your garage to environmental damage. The only solution is to get it replaced with a high-quality seal. 

Batteries are another garage door component that must be replaced occasionally. 

Most 1-5-volt batteries can last up to two years. However, you can replace the battery sooner, depending on usage. 

Replacing a garage door battery is reasonably easy. But if you run into issues, you can always seek professional help.

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Summary

Basic garage door inspections can be undertaken by the average homeowner. However, you need professional assistance for extensive checkups and repairs. More importantly, remember to schedule regular garage door inspections. Routine checkups can uncover potential issues with your garage door before things slip out of hand.