Garage Door Maintenance

Preventive Maintenance

To insure that your garage doors keep operating smoothly they require preventive maintenance. A good garage door maintenance plan is easy DIY project for the homeowner.

Although garage doors are relatively simple in construction they still require maintenance from time to time. To keep ahead of problems associated with garage doors it is best to have a regular preventive garage door maintenance plan whereby you periodically check the door for defects and lubricate the rollers and tracks on a regular basis. This should be done at least once a year to avoid major malfunctions. If the garage door has an automatic opener it is especially important. Garage doors are subject to harsh weather and are opened and closed several hundred times a year.

The most common problem that requires garage door repairs is that the door becomes difficult to lift and lower. Most often this can be resolved with a few simple adjustments and lubrication, or it may be more serious. If the door is connected to an automatic electric opener disconnect the opener mechanism from the door by pulling the release cord or lever. If the door works fine manually, the problem is with the electric opener. In this case the problem is probably a lubrication problem of the chain drive. Cleaning it and lubricating it can resolve these type problems. This is especially important if you have electric garage door openers.

If the door is unusually heavy to lift here may be a problem with spring tension. Garage door springs are under extreme tension because of the loads they must lift, and this makes them difficult and dangerous to adjust. If your door springs are out of adjustment, consult your owner’s manual for adjustment procedures.
 
Because most garage doors are very heavy and has a lot of moving parts, it's prone to fall out of adjustment from daily use. When this happens the door becomes harder and harder to lift and lower. Inspect the door, tracks, and rollers for loose or worn hinges, springs, and other hardware. If you notice any problems attend to it immediately before it has a chance to worsen. Here are a few tips for maintaining your garage doors:

1.   Lubricate the moving parts. Apply penetrating oil to all rollers and hinges and rollers at least once a year. If you notice any loose screws, bolts, or nuts, tighten them so parts won't fall out of adjustment.

2.   The garage door tracks that the rollers move in can become corroded and require cleaning and lubrication. I recommend that you use a heavy automotive grease or plain petroleum jelly to lubricate the tracks once a year. This will allow for a much smoother door opening with less noise. Do not use an excessive amount of lubricant on the tracks.

3.   To prevent binding, tracks must be properly aligned to guide the rollers. If one or both of the tracks needs adjustment, loosen its mounting bolts and use a hammer and a wood block to move it back in place and retighten the bolts.

4.   If you have a swing-up, one-piece door that sags in the middle when it's in the raised position, you may not be able to solve the problem without structural repairs. This may be the time for a new garage door replacement. Consider replacing it with a roll up garage door.

For the best garage door service and to prevent failures, a regular garage door maintenance plan should be implemented. A DIY homeowner can perform these garage door repairs and maintenance checks within an hour once a year. For me information of garage doors see:

Garages and Garage Doors

Garage Door Openers  

Painting Garage Doors