Investing in a new garage door replacement is a significant home improvement expense. With proper maintenance and care, you maximize your investment’s longevity and prevent the need for premature replacement. Keeping your garage door in peak operating condition isn’t difficult, but does require paying attention to minor upkeep tasks. Take a few minutes periodically to visually inspect your garage door’s hardware. Check for loose screws, bolts, cables, and pulleys. Feel for smooth operation when opening cables and sheaves. Look for signs of wear like rust or cracking. Lubricate rollers and hinges to prevent annoying squeaks. Tightening loose hardware and lubricating moving components go a long way in heading off bigger issues later.
Test door balance
An improperly balanced garage door stresses the opener and hardware, causing premature wear. Test the balance about twice per year. With the opener disengaged, lift the door manually about halfway up then release it. A balanced door should stay in place or drift very slowly. If it falls rapidly, the springs likely need adjustment by a professional to equalize the weight. Keeping the balance optimized reduces strain.
Your ears pick up trouble signs before other symptoms appear. When opening the door, listen closely for grinding, scraping, squeaking, or rattling noises. Catching unusual sounds early allows quicker diagnosis and repair to prevent extensive damage. Lubricating hinges, rollers, and pulleys as needed can eliminate pesky squeaks and grinding. Other noises like rattling cables warrant pro inspection. Being attentive allows for addressing problems promptly.
Check alignment and upgrade weather seals
Garage doors that are out of alignment add friction and grind against tracks and seals, degrading components quickly. About once a year, inspect alignment by disconnecting the opener and manually running the door through a full cycle. It should run smoothly with no catching or binding. The rollers should stay centered in the track grooves without jumping around. Misalignment causes rapid wear. Have pros realign the door if needed.
Harsh weather is tough on oakville garage door replacement seals and weatherstripping. Check seals around the exterior of the door, verifying they fully contact the ground. Replace any cracked, brittle, or poorly sealed weatherstripping. Quality brush or vinyl seals prevent air and moisture infiltration while protecting your door. Keep seals in good shape to prevent warping, water damage, and rusting. High-quality upgrades enhance insulation too.
Test safety systems
Garage door openers have auto-stop and reverse mechanisms to prevent injury or damage if an obstruction is hit. Monthly, test these systems by blocking the door with a solid object as it closes. The door should immediately trigger a stop and reverse direction upon contact. If sensors are misaligned or malfunctioning, have them repaired pronto to maintain this vital safety feature. Sun, rain, wind, salt, and pollution cause damage to garage door materials. Using exterior-grade treatments protects against environmental wear. For wood doors, apply penetrating sealants. Metal doors benefit from heat-reflective paints. Covering glass panels with screens or UV film shields from sun damage. Proper care makes materials more impervious to the elements.
