Taking your garage door for granted is all too easy; day in and day out in performs its required tasks with little to no hassle. That’s until it doesn’t function properly; then it becomes a major frustration that could potentially leave you in a tricky spot and jeopardize your investment.
The best way to protect your investment that is your garage door is to keep it maintained and in good running order. Don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
In this article, we’re going to divulge a simple garage maintenance checklist that you can easily follow and protect your investment.
Let’s jump right in.
What to look out for
Before we get to the good stuff, it’s vital to be aware of some of the indicators that it may be time to perform some maintenance checks. Here they are:
- Sagging – Does your garage door no longer fall closed when it is open and disconnected?
- Excessive noise – Is your garage door noisier than usual when in operation?
- Excessive shaking – Is there a noticeable shake when you’re operating your garage door?
- Slow response time – Does your door take more than a few seconds to open or close?
- Increased electricity bills – Are you seeing an increase in monthly electricity bills?
Why perform regular maintenance inspections?
Although it may seem like a hassle to perform an inspection on your garage door, the more effort you put into maintaining your door, the longer it will last. Performing regular maintenance inspections can help you:
- Prevent damage caused by foreign matter
- Restore the look of the factory-applied finish
- Reduce wear and tear on garage door hardware
What to inspect
We recommend that you perform small maintenance checks at least every season; this will help combat many of the wear and tear issues that homeowners usually face.
Here are the most common garage door areas where maintenance checks should be performed:
Garage door track & hardware
For things like your garage door overhead door track, the key to avoiding wear on the metal components lies in yearly maintenance and lubrication.
First off, start by off by cleaning the door track to remove any grease, oil or dirt. Thereafter, use a lightweight household oil to lubricate all the moving parts of the garage door track. These moving parts include:
- Lift cables
- Hinge pivot points
- Locking hardware moving parts
- Track steel rollers and roller stems
- The full length of the torsion spring and tube
Once you have performed the above, be sure to wipe off any excess oil and perform a final inspection on all struts, hinges, locks and brackets for loose fasteners.
Garage door weather stripping
Your garage door’s weather stripping plays an integral role in keeping moisture and cold air out of your garage. Here is how to replace the weather stripping on your garage door:
- Measure the thickness, width and height of your garage door (you might need to replace some of the seals)
- Open your garage door and inspect the weather strips on the sides, top and bottom of the opening. Keep an eye out for rips or tears.
- Check all weather stripping for flexibility. When the material gets stiffer, it becomes less effective.
Garage door finish
With the passage of time, your garage door’s finish will degrade and fade. With stained finished garage doors, the top protective coat will thin and experience wear and tear faster; this is especially true if your garage door receives direct sunlight.
During your regular inspections, lookout for:
- Fading
- Peeling
- Cracking
- Blistering
Run your hand along the door to determine whether it feels dry. Thereafter, conduct a visual, inspection for dings, dents, scratches, or gouges in the surface.
Using a mild detergent and a soft cloth, give your garage door a good cleaning. Start at the bottom and programmatically work your way up to the top of the door. Once you have completed cleaning it, rinse your door with a garden hose.
Avoid using a high-pressure washer, scouring powders and bleach as this will damage your garage door.
After you’ve have performed a thorough cleaning, re-examine your door to identify areas where a new topcoat and touch ups are required.
