Garage Doors for Every Taste

May 16, 2014

Proper Maintenance of garage doors is often overlooked by homeowners

Add a garage door tune-up to your “to-do” list

One of the most overlooked items is the garage door.  In a recent study, 50% of respondents stated they have never maintained their door. Like every other mechanical device — your garage door needs to be maintained.  Just as it’s common to have your furnace checked annually, it’s wise to have your door checked by a qualified technician. The experts remind homeowners to use caution when working on or near garage doors. Ensure that children understand that garage doors and openers are not toys. Homeowners can avoid expensive repairs by performing an annual inspection and tune up of their garage door by following these simple steps:
1. Clean the outside of the door with a detergent, sponge and water. Rinse with a garden hose.
2. Check for broken rollers, frayed cables and rusted bottom brackets and replace as necessary.
3. Use a socket wrench to tighten any loose nuts or bolts on the tracks or hinges. Any bolts or nuts that are red or have warning tags should not be tightened or loosened. Only a garage door technician should adjust them.
4. Check the door’s balance, with door in closed position, disengage the opener by pulling the release cord and raise the door to waist level and then let it go carefully. If it lowers or rises, it is out of balance and needs maintenance.
5. Check your electric opener safety reverse.  With the door open, lay a piece of 2 x 4 on the floor in the center of the opening. Push the wall button to close the door. When the door strikes the wood, it should reverse. If the door does not reverse, it should be serviced.
6.  With the door in closed position, clean photo eyes with a soft, dry cloth. Gently adjust photo eyes if they are out of alignment. With the door open, push wall button to close door. Wave a long object, such as a broomstick, in front of one of the photo eyes so it “breaks the beam.” If the door does not reverse, it should be serviced immediately.
7. Lubricate all moving parts with a silicone lubricant spray, never use grease or WD40.
With proper maintenance, your garage door will serve you faithfully for years to come.   
If you'd prefer to have it all done professionally - Contact the pros in Seattle, Salt Lake, San Diego and Spokane.

6 comments:

  1. I guess I would fall into that 50%. I didn't realize that the garage door needed to be maintained on a regular basis. I admit, I usually only give the garage door attention when it acts up.

    Elisa Jed | http://www.americasgaragedoors.com/jacksonville--fl-1.html

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  2. Can't tell you how many times I've been frustrated with my garage door. But after finding your list, it has helped me maintain it in a way that keeps it working longer. I'm always using WD40, about once every 2 months. And I do a constant check on the rollers.
    Thanks

    Ansel Marvin | All Seasons Garage Door Company

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  3. I know that for years, I didn't take very good care of my garage door. However, last year, my garage door began having a hard time opening properly. I decided to do something about it and take matters into my own hands. I got a hold of a garage door repair service in Boise, ID that gave me a lot of great ideas and also left me with some helpful tips. http://www.actiongaragedoor.net/service-repair.html

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  4. These garage doors would be awesome to have. I would be pumped to get them on my house. We actually thinking about them because we need some garage repair.

    Aaron Carter | http://www.doordoctors.com.au/

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  5. I'm one of the people who never maintains the garage door - I admit it. I've been having a few issues with it, though, and some of these suggestions will probably do the trick. I think it just needs to be lubricated. At least, that's what I hope it is! Thanks for the information!

    Grace Watson | http://southerngaragedoorservices.com/About-Marietta-Acworth-Garage-Door-Repairs.html

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  6. I have been wondering what I can do to see if my garage door is working properly, so this should be pretty helpful. I didn't know that there was a safety reverse for if a garage door hits something before closing all the way. It sounds like most of this stuff should be pretty quick to check before the end of the day.
    Keara Littner | http://www.raynordoor.com

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