Your garage door can last you for years and years, but it does need some TLC along the way to keep it good working condition. Repairs and replacement can be costly, so regularly taking preventative maintenance measures is recommended.
What is preventative maintenance?
Preventative maintenance is carried out on a routine basis with the aim of eliminating the need for extensive repair work. It is done regularly to keep all the parts of your garage door in good condition and identify any arising problems before they become serious. This helps to extend the life of your garage door and keep down repair costs in the long run.
Examples of preventative maintenance for your garage door
Preventative maintenance involves examining your garage door on a regular basis to assess its condition. This can be as little as paying attention whenever you open and close the garage door to notice if it is opening less smoothly than usual or is making excess noise, for example.
Beyond this, here are a few things that you, or a professional technician, can be doing:
Visual inspection
It’s a good idea to perform a quick visual check of your garage door and its hardware once a month or so. Check the door for any damage, the springs and other parts for signs of rust or wear, the cables for fraying, and the weather stripping for any damage. If you do this regularly, you’re more likely to notice wear and tear early so you can call in the professionals before it becomes a problem.
Lubricate
Applying a lubricant to all the moving parts of your garage door helps to reduce wear and keep your garage door operating smoothly. You should lubricate the springs, bearings, and rollers.
Tighten hardware
The vibrations caused by opening and closing your garage door can cause bolts and other parts of your hardware to become loose over time. You should see to these regularly and tighten them up.
Test balance and alignment
This is something you might want to call in the professionals for if you’re unsure. This involves deactivating your garage door opener and opening the door manually. Leave the door open half way and inspect to see if it stays open on its own and also if it sits straight or if it is crooked. If it is misaligned or doesn’t stay put, you need to call a professional technician.
These are some basic preventative maintenance measures you can take to keep your garage door in good condition all year round. If you notice any problems during your inspections and maintenance, we strongly recommend that you call a professional garage door technician. You can contact us for any repair and maintenance needs around Savannah, Georgia.