Does your garage door open or close slowly? The good news is the problem is most likely fairly simple to fix. In fact, odds are that it comes down to performing regular maintenance. Prevent the little issues and keep your garage door in great working order. It will open smooth and fast whenever you need it to.
Your garage door is an investment — one that it pays to take care of. Here are regular maintenance steps you can do to ensure your garage door is in prime working order.
Regularly Inspect Your Garage Door
We recommend conducting a visual inspection of your garage door every few months. This is a simple procedure that only takes 5 to 10 minutes tops. Operate your garage door and watch how it functions. If it slows down in certain places, makes a large amount of noise or gets stuck, then you need to perform some simple maintenance.
Next, check the parts of your garage door for signs of wear and tear — inspect your rollers, springs, cables, garage door opener, pulleys, and any other parts. If these important parts are damaged or rusty, it will hinder the performance of your garage door.
Clean Your Garage Door Tracks
The garage door tracks provide the running ramp for the rollers to run up and down as the door opens and closes. The wheels on these tracks bring dirt and debris with them and need to be cleaned periodically for smooth performance. Every few months, give them a wipe down with a clean rag. You might also consider adding a layer of garage door lubricant to ensure viscosity.
Safety Checks
Your garage door weighs hundreds of pounds. It’s important to periodically check it for safety issues — especially if you have kids or small pets. Check that your reversing mechanism is working well, which is the component that detects an object and stops garage door from closing. Do your safety sensors properly detect if something is in the way? Close your garage door and hold your hand in front of the sensor. Does the door reverse itself? If it doesn’t, check the alignment of the sensors to make sure that they create a safety zone near the bottom of where the garage door closes.
Clean Your Garage Door
Every few months, you should scrub and hose down your garage door to keep it clean. This will help prolong the life of your garage door, as well as ensure it maintains top working performance. You want to reduce rust, grime, and other issues that build up naturally over time. Apply professional grade garage door lubricant to the moving parts that need it after you clean the garage door for an even longer lasting protection.