San Pedro Garage Door Repair: Garage Door Maintenance Tips

Your garage door brings a lot of ease and convenience to your everyday life. On top of that, it also adds to the aesthetics and curb appeal of your home. So you want to make sure that your garage door itself looks good, and that it is in proper working order. You use your garage door multiple times per day, so it is in your best interest to do what you can to make sure the door is working well. Not only will it save you future stress, but proper maintenance can also save you money in the long run. Below are some tips you can add to your yearly or seasonal home maintenance arsenal.

Check the balance of your door

This tip requires a little bit of technical know-how, but it can be performed by even a novice. Your garage door needs to be properly balanced in order for it to work correctly, and in order to avoid extra pressure on the components. So, how do you check the balance? First, you will need to disconnect the garage door from the Gautomatic opener system. Your door needs to be in manual operation mode. Now, take the closed door and open it. The door should open smoothly, and should not be heavy to operate. This is because the springs should still be bearing the majority of the load. The door should not slide down the tracks, but should remain stopped when it reaches the top. Next, close the door. With a minimal amount of force the door should start to move down the track. The door should close in a controlled manner - it should not slam down quickly. If any issues arise, please call a qualified technician.

Check the garage door cables

To start, I will mention that garage door cables are under an extreme amount of tension. They should not be interfered with by anyone other than a qualified technician. For this step, only look at the cables - do not handle them. Take a look. Do your cables have broken strands? The place you will most often find broken strands is where the cable attaches to the bottom roller bracket, this is because this is the area that is most exposed to outside elements. If you do see broken strands, please call a qualified technician to come and replace the cables.

Tighten the nuts and bolts

Since garage doors are under constant use, the nuts and bolts that keep your door working well may loosen. This is due to the motion and vibrations that occur when you use the door. For this step, grab your toolbox and tighten any nuts and bolts that have become loose. Be sure to check around your roller brackets. Also check around your support brackets, you will find nuts and bolts that hold the rails together. Be sure to tighten these as well.

Clear the tracks

The tracks of your garage door can become filled with all kinds of debris. Leaves and grass from your yard may become stuck in the tracks. As well, dirt, dust and cobwebs can also build up within the tracks. So, every so often you will want to take a broom and brush out the tracks. This is a quick way to keep the tracks clear and clean, and requires minimal effort on your part.

Inspect and Replace Rollers

Your garage door has rollers that are made of either nylon or steel. These rollers have a lifespan of about seven years, once this lifespan is reached the rollers should be replaced. It's good to get in the habit of inspecting these rollers one to two times per year at least (if your garage door has a lot of traffic, you may want to step up the amount of times you do this inspection). If you see that your rollers are chipped, worn or cracked, then the rollers will have to be replaced. If you are handy you can do this yourself. Remove the roller brackets that are not attached directly to the cable system. Next reinstall the rollers. As always, if you are uncomfortable with this, simply place a call to a to a local professional.

Visual and Sound Check

This is an easy tip to put into practice. All this really requires is for you to pay attention to irregular sounds or sights from your garage door. For example, is your door making an unusual sound? Such as a screeching or grinding noise? If so, your springs may need to be replaced or your garage motor may be having issues. Likewise if your door usually operates smoothly on the track, and you start to notice it jerking when in use that is cause for concern. You should also keep an eye open for if the door is properly aligned on the track. If you notice one side is higher than the other, you will need to get the door realigned.

Lubricate any parts that move

Similar to the chain on your bicycle, there are parts of your garage door that require lubrication. These moving parts need to stay lubricated to ensure the door doesn't seize up. One part to lubricate is your springs. Use a silicon based spray lubricant (your garage door manufacturer should have a list of recommended products). You should also lubricate your doors chains and screws. For this use white lithium grease (it can be purchased from local home stores).

These tips will help you to keep your garage door in tip top shape. While wear and tear cannot be avoided completely, by employing proper maintenance strategies, you can extend the life of your garage door and components, and potentially delay costly repairs. Add garage door maintenance to your homes seasonal or annual maintenance checklist. If you are not comfortable doing this work yourself, or if you find a problem that requires expert help, make a call to a qualified technician. If you are in the San Pedro, CA area, contact the pros at San Pedro Garage Door Repair.