Your garage door is such an essential part of your home that it’s easy to forget it needs routine care. Preventative maintenance helps extend your garage door’s life, saves you money on repairs, and helps prevent mishaps and accidents that could injure someone or damage vehicles.
Take these five pro tips into account when you’re maintaining your garage door. Just a few simple reminders can help you add years to your garage door’s life.
1. Address Irregular Operation Fast
Your garage doors should always open and close smoothly without any delays or pauses. Any signs of resistance or faulty closure need professional service ASAP. If you notice squeaking or grinding when you open the door, apply some oil to the hinges, and see if that resolves the issue.
Some garage doors may need oil added more frequently, but if you notice continuing issues, it’s best to call an expert in to take a look.
2. Avoid Forcing the Door Open or Closed
Forcing the door to work when it’s stuck can result in serious damage, such as broken rollers, hinges, and track. The door itself can also be broken by force, so you should always focus on using the door as it was intended.
A garage door that won’t open or close all the way likely has a physical obstruction or motor issue; trying to force the door to move poses a high risk of injury and could wind up leading to a new door replacement.
3. Apply Weatherstripping as Needed
Check the bottom of your garage door; does the weatherstripping appear cracked or loose? If so, it’s time to upgrade. Re-apply weatherstripping to help prevent damage; it can also improve your home’s energy efficiency by stopping drafts and heat loss.
4. Inspect the Garage Door Cables
You should inspect your garage door cables at least once a year for signs of weathering or damage. If they appear loose, rusted, frayed, or cracked, you need new ones. It’s always best to replace door cables as soon as possible to prevent bigger issues and long-term risks.
5. Test the Garage Door Safety Feature
If you have an automatic or remote-controlled garage, then you want to make sure its built-in safety features are working. Place an item, such as a brick, under the door and close the door. As it comes down and touches the object, it should stop and immediately reverse.
Over the years, garage door openers age like any other equipment, and they may need replaced with newer models that have better safety features. Older models may not have any at all, so be sure to check your owner’s manual. If you don’t have it, then a simple test like this can help. Never test the garage door’s safety features using a person or animal.
When you need expert service for your home, contact the Highland Garage Doors experts in Baton Rouge, LA for maintenance, installation, and replacement services.
