The garage door is one of those items you don’t think about too often. But when a problem arises suddenly, scrambling to get it up and functioning again is no fun. Performing some simple, routine maintenance can do much to prolong the life of your door and to ensure that it keeps doing its job for years to come.
Door Balance – Once every year, check that your garage door is properly balanced. A door that is off balance puts unnecessary pressure on the opener and could cause untimely wear on the door fittings.
With the garage door closed, look up and find the emergency release string that disconnects the door from the opener for manual opening. Pull the string, open the door to waist height. The door should be evenly balanced at this point and should not open or close but remain at his level without assistance.
If the door feels too heavy to lift manually, this is a good sign that the springs need adjusting. This is a job for the professionals, as door springs are under great tension and could cause injury if not properly handled.
Lubrication – Your door’s fittings require good lubrication to prevent rust and to allow smooth opening and closing. A good quality 3-in-1 garage door lubricant will properly penetrate garage door fittings and remove existing rust. Find the doors springs, bearings and cables and give them a good spray with the lubricant.
If you don’t want to go to the trouble of performing routine maintenance, or you simply want to make sure that the job is done professionally, your local Garage Door installing Dealers offers tune-up packages that include a full inspection, balancing, lubrication and tightening of loose parts.