You most likely use your garage door every single day, and that is why you need to make sure that it is well maintained at all times. Preventative maintenance is especially important if your garage door is more than a decade old and nearing the end of its lifespan. Here are a few tips and tricks that you can use to protect your garage door and all of its moving parts.
Tighten the Hardware
All garage doors vibrate, and those vibrations will eventually shake some of the nuts and bolts loose. After cutting the power to your garage door, you can go through and tighten all of the loose bolts and screws. Any hardware that is attached to the springs or their mounting brackets should be avoided. The spring is under an incredible amount of tension, and loosening a single bolt could result in a catastrophic accident.
Apply Lubricant
As your garage door slides along the tracks, dozens of small hinges open and close. When those hinges are dry, your garage door will most likely make screeching noises. Spraying a little bit of white lithium grease on the chain and hinges will minimize those noises and extend the lifespan of the door. Brake or carburetor cleaner can be used to wipe down the tracks and remove any lingering grease.
Visually Inspect the Entire System Once a Month
Once you familiarize yourself with all of the major components of your garage door, it should be relatively easy to identify damage. Some of the most common issues that you should keep an eye out for include rusted metal, cracked brackets, and bent tracks. You can also pull the release handle and manually slide the door open and closed to test its balance. Even if you don’t notice any signs of damage, you still need to contact a local contractor and schedule preventative garage door maintenance once every few years.
Paint the Door Regularly
One of the best ways to protect the garage door surface is to apply a fresh coat of paint whenever any bare metal is exposed. Rust will quickly eat through a garage door and spread to any hardware that hasn’t been properly sealed. As a general rule, garage doors should only be primed and painted with latex products that are specifically designed for outdoor use.
Most homeowners can easily carry out basic garage door maintenance, but you might want to leave the bigger jobs to the professionals. Garage door springs and motors should only be repaired by licensed and insured professionals who have the proper training and safety equipment.