Garage doors usually don’t get the love they deserve in terms of home maintenance. Yet this single part often provides security and much-needed convenience to the homeowner. Keeping the system in good running order is not only a smart idea for convenience, safety, and security but it can also help the door to last much longer, by lowering the wear and tear it takes. In this guide, we cover the essential maintenance tasks we all should be doing to keep our garage door running smoothly and worry-free for years to come.
Understand Your Garage Door System
Before we dig into the maintenance routines, it is important to understand what exactly makes up a garage door system. According to the owner of garage door repair Vancouver company “The beauty lies in its simplicity there are just a few components”. These include the spring, tracks, rollers, hinges, and the opener mechanism. Each plays a crucial role in the doors operation and getting to know them is the first step for any homeowner to troubleshoot and in the end, maintain them. If you have any questions, consult your local service. Regular inspection and lubrication is the key to keeping any system running smoothly is a routine inspection to identify issues before they become costly repairs once identified, they are still only as good as sticking to following a regular maintenance routine.
Regular Inspection and Lubrication
Regularly, be sure to go over the hardware, such as bolts, screws, and hinges. Look for signs of wear or damage, and tighten as needed. Tracks need to be cleaned to prevent corrosion. Be sure to check them for debris such as rocks or leaves that can get in the way, and then install a garage door opener system. Rollers and hinges need to be kept lubricated so the door will open smoothly. Be sure to use a silicone-based lubricant as needed. It is very important to perform all of these checks and lubrication every three to four months to keep the door in excellent condition.
Weather Stripping Maintenance
The final maintenance routine that every homeowner with a garage door system should follow is the care and maintenance of the weather stripping. The weather stripping along the bottom of your garage door helps to keep out drafts, moisture, and of course pests. Over time it can become damaged and brittle which reduces its effectiveness. Regularly be sure to go over the stripping look for any damage and replace it as needed. This one short and very important task will help keep it energy efficient and protect everything in it from the elements.
Balance and Alignment Checks
Proper balance and alignment are crucial to the smooth and efficient operation of your garage door. An overhead door that’s unbalanced can place strain on the opener mechanism and cause it to fail prematurely. To check the balance, disconnect the opener and manually lift the door halfway. If it doesn’t want to stay in place, then the door is out of balance and will need to be adjusted. Next, inspect the tracks for alignment issues. Misaligned tracks can cause the door to bind or operate unevenly. Make adjustments as needed to ensure your garage door moves smoothly.
Opener System Maintenance
The garage door opener is a sophisticated system that needs some tender loving care to ensure it will keep working reliably. Start your inspection with the safety sensors. These do exactly as their name implies and prevent the door from closing on objects or people. Place an object in the door’s path and then attempt to close the door. If the door reverses when it comes near the object, your sensors are still working. Inspect the opener’s motor and drive mechanism for indications of wear or damage. Lubricate as required and look for loose hardware that may require to be tightened.
Professional Maintenance Services
There are many elements of your overhead door that you can inspect and maintain yourself. However, it’s not unusual to encounter issues that are best left to the professionals or to not be sure about some aspect of maintenance. Contact a qualified garage door repair Vancouver service if this is the case for you. Experienced technicians possess the knowledge, tools, and experience to diagnose and treat complicated problems correctly, helping to maintain your garage door in top form.
Conclusion
Maintaining your Vancouver garage door is essential for smooth and secure operation. An understanding of these pieces of your door, regular inspections, and quick resolutions for problems can keep your door in great shape for many years to come. Remember to include tasks such as lubrication, balance checks, weather stripping maintenance, and opener system maintenance as components of your regular maintenance routine. Don’t forget that if you require help with maintenance or repairs, the Vancouver garage door specialists are just a phone call away.
