Garage Door Maintenance Tips

Garage Door Maintenance – Easy Tips for Garage Doors

ByColleen Ferris Updated on

Imagine you are back from a late-night party and your garage door isn’t opening, or running late to the office, and the garage door isn’t working; how irritating it is? A garage door is an important entry point for your home, and you have to take care of it to avoid any inconvenience. Not only does it become a safety concern, but it can be expensive to fix. Proper garage door maintenance can help to prevent problems and dangers. Maintaining your garage door can be challenging, especially when you haven’t done it before. You have to check different hardware, components, and mechanisms. Let’s take a look at some of the most effective ways to maintain your garage door in the best performance condition.

How to Maintain a Garage Door?

Maintaining garage door save your money and time. All you need to know about the essential issues to look for and what prime components need checking. Here are easy-to-follow tips for garage door maintenance.

  • Cleaning Roller Tracks

Debris and rush develop along every garage door’s tracks and may severely impact the door operation. Keeping the tracks clean ensures smooth movement and helps to extend the life of your garage door.

If the roller tracks are not clear, you can easily remove grime or grease with an old toothbrush. When you have removed dirt build, spray the roller tracks with a disc brake cleaner. Take a clean rag, remove the remaining debris, and clean it.

Garage door maintenance

  • Hardware Tightening

Do you know an average person uses a garage door up to 1500 times per year? When you open and close the door, the vibrations of the components loosen the hardware like brackets, bolts, or chain screws. Ensure that the brackets holding garage door tracks, walls, and ceilings are appropriately tightened.

If there are any loose nuts and bolts, use an impact wrench to tighten them. Don’t forget to change the rusted and damaged ones to avoid any conveniences in the near future.

  • Rollers Inspection

Garage door rollers wear out over time. It is essential to check these parts at least two times per year. However, it takes up to five years to replace garage door rollers. If the rollers are chipped, cracked, or worn, make sure to replace them immediately.

Remember, the bottom roller brackets of the door are attached to lift cables, and replacing them without proper information can be dangerous. It is better to call garage door professionals to install replacement rollers.

  • Check Cables, Springs, and Pulleys

Although you can check these components for damage and wear, you shouldn’t replace them on your own. The lift cables and pulleys attached to the bottom roller brackets create a connection from a spring to the garage door. There are two types of springs, including

  1. Torsion springs (mounted above the garage door opening to a metal rod)
  2. Extension springs (thin, long springs that go along the horizontal or overhead of the garage door tracks).

Check for stretched springs, broken strands, and other wear and tear issues. If you find any issues, contact a professional garage door technician to replace the damaged components.

  • Checking Door Panels

When you have checked the essential garage door components, don’t forget to look for your garage door itself. Door manufacturers make a door from different materials. Therefore, it depends on the material of your door to find the correct maintenance procedure. Here are commonly used materials in garage doors and maintenance tips for them.

  • Fiberglass

You can use an all-purpose cleaner to wash the garage door’s surface.

  • Steel

Steel may rust over time, and you must regularly take care of steel garage doors. Make sure to sand, prime, and paint the rust spots of the door.

  • Wood

Wooden garage doors can warp, chip, and sometimes have water damage. Scrape away chipped paint or peeling and sand and paint your door.

To fix garage door panel scratches or other blemishes, you don’t need to replace them. All you need is to paint over the marks and scratches to maintain the door’s appearance. However, if there is severe damage, you may need to replace the entire garage door. It is better to call garage door professionals to check the severe issues.

Final words

Garage doors may look relatively simple in construction, but they have many complicated components. With regular use, your garage door may suffer from several problems. It is essential to inspect your garage door for regular maintenance. Whether you have a wooden, fiberglass, or steel garage door, you have to maintain it properly to avoid safety concerns and, above all, prevent significant problems. Make sure to tighten loose nuts and bolts, clean roller tracks, lubricate hinges, and regularly perform other essential garage maintenance tasks.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • What is the best way to lubricate a garage door?

After cleaning the garage door, spray garage door lube or lithium-based grease on the hinges, rollers, springs, and bearing plates. Don’t use oil or WD40 as they are not effective for garage door lubrication.

  • What are the reasons for the noisy garage door?

A noisy garage door is typically caused by loose hardware, worn rollers, or parts that need proper lubrication.

  • How often should I replace my garage door rollers?

Garage door rollers feature cycling ratings and life expectations. The average life of a roller is up to seven years. However, it depends on your maintenance and usage.

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