Simple Garage Door Maintenance You Can Do Yourself
The garage door is an important part of your home, and it can be a safety hazard if you don’t keep it maintained. If you haven’t had a professional tune up your garage door in a while, there are some simple maintenance steps you can perform yourself to help improve your safety conditions and decrease repair costs for years to come.
Visual Inspection
A visual inspection of the garage door is a must every six months. Look for peeling, fading or cracking that could affect your curb appeal and cause moisture to leak into your garage. Also, check your weatherstripping for tears or rips that can allow moisture to enter your garage and encourage mold growth.
Adjust the Photo-Eye Sensors
A common problem that causes garage doors to not automatically reverse is a misalignment of the photo-eye sensors. To fix this, remove any debris and clean the sensors. Then, realign them until the indicator light no longer flashes.
Tune Up Your Spring System
The springs on your garage door help it raise and lower. Regularly checking and maintaining the springs can keep them in good condition and extend the lifespan of your door. You can do a simple test to see whether or not your springs are properly balanced by pulling the release handle when you shut the door, then lifting it halfway up. If it stays in place, it’s balanced; if it starts to slowly rise or drop, the springs are worn and need to be replaced.
Grease Your Overhead Springs and Chain or Screw
Keeping your garage door parts greased up will help them last longer and prevent corrosion. You can do this by spraying a white lithium grease, available at your local garage door specialist, on the opener’s chain or screw. Then, you can add some spray lubricant to the springs.
Inspect the Tracks and Lift Cables
When your garage door is closed, it rests on the horizontal tracks that are attached to the wall on either side of your opening. The tracks can be damaged from rust or other damage, and they’ll affect how your door opens and closes. Inspect the tracks for bending, rust or other signs of damage and contact a professional to repair them if necessary.
Install a Weather Seal Strip
The rubber weather seal strips on your garage door’s bottom help keep water and other outside elements out of your garage. They’re available at hardware and home improvement stores in different sizes, and can be installed in just a few minutes. They’re a simple way to save energy and keep out unwanted drafts, insects and rodents.
Inspect Your Hinges and Vertical Tracks
When the hinges on your overhead door panels bend or sag, you’ll need to replace them with new ones. Inspect the jamb brackets and strut that connect the vertical tracks to the framework on either side of your garage opening for excessive wear or dents.
If you notice a gap or tear in the weather seals or weather stripping, call a professional to have them replaced. This will ensure that you’re not having to pay for repairs in the future, and will help keep out unwanted insects, critters and water from entering your garage.
