Are you a homeowner, property manager or caretaker on Long Island? Do you want to keep the home’s garage door in peak operating condition and avoid expensive repairs?
Regular garage door maintenance is essential for preserving the health of the door’s various parts, systems and components. While some maintenance steps are simple enough for do-it-yourselfers, you should also have a professional garage door service technician perform an inspection at least once a year. The tech can conduct a series of troubleshooting steps and make adjustments that can prevent significant problems and even extend the door’s lifespan.
Garage Door Maintenance Checklist
The items on any comprehensive garage door maintenance checklist should include:
- Lubrication: A garage door system contains a variety of moving parts such as rollers, hinges, tracks and chains. Applying a silicone spray or white lithium grease will lubricate these parts and components to keep them functioning smoothly. A well-lubricated garage door will also minimize the noise when opening and closing.
- Tighten the hardware: Your garage door’s roller brackets contain many nuts, bolts and screws that can loosen over time. Check and tighten these parts that connect the bracket to the rail and replace any broken or worn-out hardware.
- Check the balance: A balanced garage door will open and close smoothly and will hang at whatever level you choose to set it. An unbalanced door will work harder than usual and wear out more quickly. To test your door’s balance, disconnect the opener and manually raise or lower the door to the halfway point. If the door begins to ride up or fall, you’ll need a spring adjustment. Working with springs can be dangerous and requires the services of a trained garage door technician.
- Review the tracks: Check the tracks around the door for signs of damage, such as cracks, bends or breaks. Remove any debris that could impede the door’s movement. Also, use a level to make sure the track is plumb.
- Test the auto-reverse mechanism: Auto-reverse is a vital safety feature that will cause a closing door to move upward when it senses that an object (or person) is in the way. To test it, place a block of wood or another object on the ground. If the door won’t close all the way and reverses direction when it senses the object, the mechanism is working how it should.
What Are the Benefits of Preventive Garage Door Maintenance?
The benefits of routine garage door maintenance include:
- Avoiding mechanical issues that can pose safety risks or make your home less secure
- Reducing your long-term ownership costs and increasing the door’s lifespan
- Increasing your home’s resale value and preventing problems with the door’s operation that can deter prospective buyers
- Preventing damage to vehicles or property caused by a malfunctioning door
- Receiving functional upgrades that can improve the performance of your door and make it safer
- Having the comfort of knowing you’ll be able to get your vehicle out of the garage every morning
The professionals at A Better Door Co., Inc. can help you with your garage door maintenance needs on Long Island. Call us at (631)732-9654 or contact us online to learn more today.