The maintenance of garage doors is mostly overlooked but garage doors that are not maintained and are mostly neglected may put a lot of stress on automatic door opener and if you spend one or two hours in the early spring and late fall every year then it may save you from an expensive repair. There is an easy routine that you can follow. You can time the Steel-Line garage doors inspection to coincide with other seasonal activities like winterizing the lawn sprinklers and using them back in the spring or getting the lawnmower in and out of storage for the season.
Watch And Listen To The Door Operating –
The problems related to the garage door and automatic opener are mostly due to jerky movements and grafting, creeping sounds. A well-maintained garage door is quiet as it moves up and down and you don’t see jerkiness in its motion. Pay attention to both the sides of the system – the springs, pulleys and cables and see that they look symmetrical.
Clear the tracks –
Check the tracks on both sides of the door to see that they are free of debris and dust. You can use a level to check the tracks are plumb along the vertical sections. You can make small adjustments on your own, but main track adjustments are the job for a professional.
Tighten the hardware –
As the garage door moves up and down many times each year the vibration the motion may loosen up the door and track hardware. Check the brackets that hold the door tracks at the ceiling and wall and the fasteners to anchor the door opener to the frame. You may use a socket wrench to tighten the loose bolts.
Inspect the rollers and replace them –
The rollers at the edge of the garage door must be inspected at least twice a year and after every 5 to 7 years must be replaced. During the inspection, replace the rollers you find that are checked, worn or cracked. Most of the rulers can be removed by removing the brackets simply holding them to the door. Don’t remove the lower roller bracket on either side of the door as they are attached to the lift cables, which are under extreme conditions.
Check the cables and pulleys –
Check the pulleys and lift cables that attach to the lower roller brackets on the door. They offer the connection between the door and the springs to lift and lower the door safely. Stores have one of the two various types of springs. Extension springs are skinny and long springs that run along the horizontal portion of the track. Torsion springs are attached on a metal rod on top of the opening of the door. Both types of spring use cables to lift the door. Experts suggest that springs and cables should not be touched by the owners as the high tension parts may be dangerous. If you see any broken strands or some other signs of wear or damage on the cables call for a service person.
Conclusion
Check the door itself when you are checking out the other components. If it is a steel, look for spots of rust that should be sanded, painted and primed. Fibreglass doors are to be washed with a cleaner. Pay special attention to wood doors as water damage and warping are common. If you have a wooden door that does not have weatherstripping at the bottom, make sure the bottom edges are painted or well sealed then put a weatherstrip.
