In this blog entry, the professional Charleston garage door repair service team here at A1 Garage Door Charleston will detail the best ways to do garage door maintenance in order to properly take care of your home garage door.
Why is garage door maintenance so important?
- Garage doors have lots of moving parts. Only through regular garage maintenance can you make sure that all elements of your garage door system, like springs and cables, are in ideal condition to prevent accidents or injuries
- By keeping your garage door components clean you drastically reduce wear and tear in garages that you use frequently
- Regular maintenance can help you catch small problems before they turn into big issues, saving you money in the long run that you’d have to spend to replace broken garage doors
- Basic maintenance can help your garage door operate more smoothly and reliably, eliminating noise or bumpy operation
- Properly maintained garage doors provide better security, protecting your home and belongings from criminals who might try to break into your garage to steal equipment or access your home
What safety precautions are necessary before beginning garage door maintenance?
- Use the manual release to disengage the garage door opener, allowing you manually move the garage door without risking sudden movement
- Never try to repair garage springs or cables yourself, as their high tension makes them very dangerous to be mishandled by non-professionals
- Wear safety gear like gloves and safety glasses
- Don’t put your hands or fingers between garage door panels or near any moving parts of your garage in order to prevent potential injuries
- Make sure the garage / general work area is brightly illuminated and free from obstructions that you could trip on or bump into
What are the main steps involved in garage door maintenance?
- Lubricate the moving arts of your garage like tracks, hinges, and rollers with an approved, high-quality garage door lubricant
- Tighten visible brackets, bolts, or screws that have gotten loose over time
- Clean dirt, dust, spiderwebs, and debris from garage door tracks with a slightly damp, clean cloth
- Inspect rollers for cracks and wear, remove dirt or sticky buildup from rollers, and have damaged rollers replaced
- Clean off the garage door surface with a mild detergent and a clean rag
- Paint and consider sealing wooden garage doors to protect from weather damage
- Replace all batteries in garage door remotes, garage door keypads, and garage door openers. Signs that you need to replace battery include needing to press garage door opener buttons more than once, or the general range on the remote shrinking
- Sweep away debris like leaves, sticks, and rocks from the base of the garage door