Now that spring is in the air, this is a great time for a little seasonal maintenance on your garage door to keep it working great all summer. For such a large moving object, garage doors just need a little maintenance for reliable operation.
Before you begin remember to never attempt to disassemble the springs or cables and pulleys that are part of the garage door lift assistance system. These components are under tremendous pressure and can cause a serious injury or even death if they come loose. Any garage door repairs or adjustments to the springs or pulley systems should be handled by a qualified garage door service technician.
Start by inspecting the door, hinges, rails, and rollers and tightening any loose hardware. Lubricate the rollers and hinges with a light oil or dry lubricant. If you have a chain drive or screw drive garage door opener, lubricate the chain and rail or screw according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
If you don’t have the instructions, the screw drive and railing on a chain drive unit can be lubricated with white lithium grease. The chain can be lubed with light oil or motorcycle or bicycle chain lubricant. Be sure to wipe off the excess oil before parking your car back in the garage.
This is also a great time to check the safety reverse system on your garage door to make sure it is working properly. The garage door should have an electronic ‘eye’ near the floor that will stop the door from closing if anything is detected in the path of the door.
If you notice any problems with the door, call your local garage door service technician. Garage doors are large, heavy moving objects and having repairs completed by a qualified garage door technician is important for safety reasons and to maximize the service life of the door.
