Top Tips for Maintaining Your Garage Door

 

Garage doors are an integral part of your home but often go without regular maintenance to ensure the doors are working correctly. If you keep a vehicle in the garage or use it for extra storage space, it’s important to maintain the quality of the doors to keep your valuables and possessions safe. Avoid the hassle of painfully slow closing and opening and save money by fixing those minor issues so they do not become extensive and expensive! Here are some of our top home maintenance tips at Notaro Windows for keeping your garage doors in the best condition:

1.       A look and listen test

The simplest and quickest ways to check the quality of your garage doors is by looking and listening. If you can see any significant wear and tear, or any parts that look loose or misaligned, this could be a sign that your garage doors need some maintenance. When opening or closing the door, listen out for any scraping sounds and examine how smoothly it operates.

2.       Oiling

Keeping any moving parts well lubricated can increase the lifespan of your garage doors by years. Using a spray lubricant, white lithium grease or engine oil, this ten-minute task will prevent jarring movements when opening or closing the door and fix those squeaky hinges. It is also useful to lubricate any chains and keyholes to limit the risk of the doors jamming or getting stuck.

3.       Inspecting the rollers

Rollers should be inspected twice a year. If you notice any damage, such as chips or cracks, to the rollers then this is an indication they need replacing, which you can do by removing them and reinstalling new ones. Keeping up with the yearly inspections ensures any damaged rollers are replaced immediately. Otherwise, rollers should be replaced roughly every 7 years.

4.       Tightening parts

If you noticed any loose parts when inspecting your garage doors, use a spanner to tighten up the bolts and ensure all cables and hinges are tightly secure and well connected.

5.       Cleaning the tracks

The tracks for the garage doors should be free from debris to maintain smooth operation. You can clean the tracks by using a damp cloth. Avoid using grease for this, as grease build-up can impair the condition of the tracks and help debris stick, so will only mean more cleaning in the future!

Misaligned tracks are one of the most common issues affecting the working condition of garage doors, so inspecting them regularly may help you avoid an expensive repair job in the future.

6.       Testing reversing systems on automatic doors

If you have automatic garage doors, they will be equipped with a safety function that ensures the door re-opens when it touches an object. If you have a photocell system, wave something in front of the door’s cameras and the door should start reversing. If you have a mechanical system, place an object on the floor on the floor where the garage door touches the ground when closed. This could be a cardboard box or a piece of wood. When the garage door hits the object, it should automatically start reversing. Learn more about automatic garage doors in Somerset.

7.       Cleaning

Our final tip for keeping up with the maintenance of garage doors is cleaning the exteriors. Using a hosepipe, a wet sponge, or a mild cleaning product, wash down the front of the door to get it looking new again. Make sure to check for any water damage to wooden doors to ensure your valuables inside the garage are safe and protected.

As the leading home improvements company in Somerset, choose Notaro Windows to help keep your home secure. Learn more about installing single and double garage doors in Somerset by calling our team on 01278 662 298 or emailing us at sales@notarowindows.com.