We give little thought about the maintenance of our garage doors until something goes wrong with and it fails to function properly. Worse yet, if your living space is either directly above or adjacent to your garage, is when the arrival or departure of a loved one is announced with much screeching, rattling and banging. Some of us kind tolerate that inharmonious symphony for a while but, eventually, that horrendous noise has to go, in order for peace to return to the house.
Garage door noises usually sound far worse than the problem it reveals; they can usually be fixed with a little maintenance and part replacement. Depending on the age of your garage door, the wear of continuous use over time can cause cables to be loosened or frayed, chains and pulleys can develop rust, hinges can become frozen, or the track can become dented or misaligned. From inside your garage, with the door shut, visually inspect these items to determine if garage door repairs or replacements are needed. Spray a small amount of lubricant on the hinges, rollers and tracks.
Open and close your garage door manually; it should open easily, smoothly, and remain at the top until you pull it down. If the door does not seem to function properly with this manual test, the tension springs may be out of balance. Also, if you have the older chain-drive type of garage door opener, you may want to consider replacing it with a newer, quieter, screw-drive or belt- drive type opener.
Above all, please be aware that working on your garage door can be dangerous. Garage doors are much heavier than most people realize and garage door springs are unde tremedous pressur. It is always advisable to have your garage door inspected and repaired by a reputable garage door service professional. Safety means peace of mind.
