Do Garage Doors need Maintenance? discussed by Garage Door Rescue
If you are asking yourself if garage door maintenance is essential, then reading this article will definitely help. The simple answer is ‘yes’, although some types of garage doors need more maintenance than others and here are a few tips for you.
Like anything in and around your home, everything needs a little bit of tender loving care to keep it working well and looking good. You send your car to the garage to get an annual service and MOT so why not your garage door. New Garage Doors can be expensive to fit depending on the type you go for and the company you use, and they can be costly if they keep breaking so it’s worthwhile taking some time every month to check it over. Always remember a garage door is one of the heaviest pieces of moving equipment in a home so regular testing and garage door maintenance are really important. If you don’t have the time, the skills or the inclination then a good Garage Door Company will always offer a maintenance visit or an annual service as part of their services.
There are different types of garage door and we will cover the main ones; roller, sectional, automatic and up and over Garage Doors. More and more homeowners and businesses are opting for automated roller garage doors as they are the lowest maintenance, very secure, less likely to jam and they don’t need much headroom inside your garage.
Roller & Sectional Garage Door Maintenance
Look for signs of wear and for frayed or broken parts by regularly looking at your garage-door springs, cables and rollers. Always remember a qualified garage door engineer should always handle more complicated issues as the springs in roller garage doors are under a lot of tension and can cause severe injuries if not fixed correctly or safely. Some manufacturers will say your garage door needs to be serviced by a garage door engineer annually to ensure it remains under warranty so always check this when you have a door fitted or if you move to a new home or business that has a garage door.
Regularly lubricate the rollers, springs, hinges and tracks on your garage door as this will prevent potential issues occurring. You can use a lightweight household oil, white lithium grease or the easiest way is to use a spray silicone. It is advisable you check your owners manual and follow the instructions and products they advise.
Regularly disconnect the automatic opener release mechanism on your door when it is closed and use the manual opener to open it by hand. This will tell you if the door is balanced when opening. If there is little resistance when opened manually then the springs and runners are likely to be free of damage or wear. Stop opening it at around 4 feet above the floor and it should stay open, if not then it could be unbalanced which can cause you problems later down the line if not fixed. Your local garage door company will be able to fix this easily.
On a monthly basis put an object under the garage door as it closes, If the door doesn’t reopen or stop immediately then the garage door needs adjusting and could be dangerous. The purpose of this test is that if anyone walks under the door as it closes that you know it won’t close on them and cause an injury. Stop using the automated door function if this happens and call a garage door engineer, or check your owners manual to see what they suggest. You can use the door using the manual opening whilst you are waiting for it to be fixed.
To keep your garage door looking fresh and new wash it with clean, warm water and a soft cloth or sponge every 14 – 28 days. This will ensure that salt and dirt don’t ingrain and damage the door. It’s really simple, when you wash your car, wash your garage door.
If your garage door doesn’t open or close with the remote control then there are a few checks you can do:
- Check the sensor battery doesn’t need replacing
- Check the mains unit is connected to the electric
- If the door opens but won’t close then wipe the sensors clean, if there is dust or cobweb build up then the sensors will stop working
- Check the door opens and closes using the main unit rather than the remote control, if not then there may be an issue with the wiring or a loose connection
- If the mains unit opens and closes the door then it may be the batteries in the remote control that need replacing
- Check the antenna wire on the main unit is properly exposed as this could prevent the door from opening and closing
- If the remote control only works when it is relatively close to the garage door then again the batteries may need replacing
Up and Over and Automated Garage Door Maintenance
Much like the Roller and Sectional Garage Door Maintenance tips give all rollers, hinges, roller tracks and latches a good wipe and lubrication regularly as this will prevent the door catching and fraying pulleys and parts. Specifically, lubricate the pulleys on extension-spring openers, the bearings on torsion-spring openers and wipe some oil on the torsion spring if it is rusty and jams.
If anything still feels it is sticking or catching when the door is opening or closing then use a small paintbrush or toothbrush to work some kerosene on the rollers or hinges. If there is any visible rust showing then you can lightly sand it with steel wool, wipe and again lubricate. If your garage door opener is operated by a chain apply the same lubricant to the full length of the chain.
Again wash your garage door regularly with warm water and a soft cloth to make sure salt and dirt don’t ingrain and create rust on the surface of your door.
Rollers chains and moving parts can be dangerous and cause serious injury so if you don’t know what you are doing then we advise you to call a garage door company who will be qualified to repair and service garage doors safely.
About Garage Door Rescue in Wiltshire
Garage Door Rescue is a local, family run business who have been in operation for over 20 years. We take a huge amount of pride in delivering a friendly and dependable service to homeowners and businesses in Wiltshire and the surrounding areas.
Our qualified engineers are problem-solving experts and make sure that your garage door repair isn’t just a quick fix. We offer an installation, repair and maintenance service and can be with you on the same day if you need an emergency repair. We install and provide repairs on all makes and models of Garage Doors and stock a vast range of replacement parts so we don’t always have to wait for a part to be delivered before we start your repair.
Stock and Parts carried include:
- Cables/Wires
- Springs
- Locks
- Handles
- Door Rollers
- Roller Spindles
We can assess your existing Garage Door and offer you security advice options and automate your existing garage door to take out the daily need to manually open and close it. We can automate an existing garage door for as little as £395 plus VAT.
Our Lifetime Guarantee
All our cable replacements come with a Lifetime Guarantee giving you complete peace of mind if anything ever goes wrong. We also provide a full 12 months guarantee, including parts and labour for all our other repairs as well as manufacturers guarantees for all new Garage Door Installations. All our installations and repairs strictly adhere to manufacturer’s instructions.
If you are looking for a New Garage Door, a Garage Door Repair, a Service, need Security Advice or have any questions, give us a call today on 01793 393503 and speak to one of our qualified local Garage Door Engineers.
We cover; Swindon, Cirencester, Faringdon, Highworth, Wroughton, Marlborough, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud, Dursley, Chipping Norton, Moreton In The Marsh, Chippenham, Calne, Malmesbury, Bath, Corsham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Devizes, Frome, Oxford, Wantage, Abingdon, Didcot, Kidlington, Witney, Reading, Newbury, Hungerford and the surrounding areas.