Keeping the garage doors always in top form is not rocket science, even you could do it yourself with only a few steps to follow on the garage door maintenance. The garage door is one of the house appliances that actively operational each day to safekeeping the car in the garage as well as providing extra protection for everyone from any external factors. That’s why giving extra attention to the doors will give you many benefits, especially when it comes to replacement because any garage door part is not cheap, especially in Australia.
Let’s take a look at what you; as the homeowner; can do to DIY garage doors maintenance
1. Take time to observe
When was the last time you spent time taking a look at how the doors operate? This should be done at least once a week or even better every day so that you can easily notice if any unusual behaviours are coming from the garage doors. The unusual behaviours including creaking sound, slow when closing or opening sequence, the motor slow response and many more. Once you have done it regularly, you will figure out the source of it.
2. Tighten any loose part
With a lot of movement that generates vibration, some of the parts most likely becoming loose. Every part of the garage door has a bolt that can be easily noticed when it becomes loose. That’s a cue for you to tighten it so that you can prevent any malfunction on the part. Even though it looks like complicate machinery, you just need a socket wrench to tighten any of the parts which surely you own one right?!
3. Check the doors balance
The garage doors are equipped with a counterweight system for when you are opening them manually it can be easily opened without having to put too much force on it. The springs play an important role in making that happens. If somehow the garage doors are not in balance, the opener will work harder which eventually wearing it down faster than it should be. To check the balance, you need to disconnect the opener from the doors by pulling the red cord, then manually lift the door panel halfway. If it doesn’t stay put then there’s a chance that the counterweight system is not balanced. This will need the help of a professional in garage door service in Perth to do an adjustment.
4. Check the condition of the rollers
The garage door rollers have to be replaced every seven years and also, need to be checked at least twice a year. Cracked or chipped rollers are often seen during the inspection which can hinder the door panels movement. You can replace the damaged roller brackets that are not directly attached to the cables.
5. Check the weatherstripping
The weatherstripping act as insulation on the doors to prevent any debris or weather-related hazards from entering the garage. Normally, the seal should be replaced once a year but depending on the weather condition like heavy rain or storm, it could be shorter. Replacing them can be DIY and the seals are sold in every general store.
6. Grease the parts regularly
With constant movement every day, some moving parts will generate heat that can create friction and wearing their durability. To prevent this, you only need to lubricate them regularly; once a month; using white lithium grease; can be found in any general store; on the moving parts such as the opener’s chain or screw. This 10 minutes act can save you a lot of money in the future.
7. Inspect the condition of the cables
High-tension cables are dangerous therefore, don’t do anything on them besides looking at the condition. Does it has any sign of wear like potentially snapped? Don’t forget to check for any sign of damage near the bottom roller bracket which later can be mentioned to the professional.
8. Check the safety sensors
The safety sensors will notify the opener if the door’s panel has reached the bottom and will stop operating. This will ensure the garage doors are securely shut. The common issue with the safety sensors is misaligned. The sensors are located on each side of the doors on the bottom side. These two sensors linked together in a straight line, if there’s a hindrance, sometimes the doors operational will stop midway. Look for these sensors then clean any debris that hindering its view or straighten their line to the correct position.
9. Clean the garage door tracks
Often overlooked but the tracks can be the cause when the garage door movement is not smooth. This can be due to the debris or rust that has been invested all these years on the tracks. This is one of the easiest garage doors maintenance you can do, clean the tracks with water or a special solution to remove all the debris and rust.
10. Wash the door panels
When was the last time you did it? Probably more than 2 years ago right?! Washing the door panels is also one of the garage doors maintenance activities. Just remember don’t use too much force on the pressured water because it could damage the doors. Use soap and rub it gently with a sponge or cloth, don’t miss any spot because you are not doing this often. While you are on it, look for any sign of clipped panels which usually can be found in the panels made of wood, then later mentioned to the garage door repairs expert to do the fixing.
