Like most major mechanical systems, your garage doors need ongoing maintenance. Preventive tune-ups, cleaning and lubrication can extend the life of your garage door and opening system, saving you money and inconvenience. While a full tune-up may only be needed once a year, you should be inspecting your door and opening system monthly to identify any problems. Here is a quick checklist of items to inspect at least once a month.
- Safety check. If you have an automatic door opener, it should have an auto-reverse safety mechanism that stops the door from closing on an object. Open the door, set a cardboard box under the door, then try to close it with your opener. It should detect the box and reverse.
- Balance check. Garage doors should be balanced for proper function. You can check the balance by closing the door and shutting off the opening system. Lift the door manually halfway. It should easily open and stay at the half-point spot on its own.
- Visual inspection. Do a thorough visual check of the components of your door. Look for cracks, dents or holes in the door, and inspect the weather stripping for wear. Check the tracks, rollers and cables on the opening system for rust, loose bolts/screws, dents, fraying and other signs of wear.
Doing this quick check on your garage door can identify issues that need repair before they become a hazard or break during use. If you need parts replaced, door balancing or sensors replaced, call your local garage door repair service. If it has been more than a year since your last tune-up, this would be a good time to schedule your maintenance.
Posted on behalf of:
Liftmaster Garage Door Atlanta
