Garage door maintenance – what to pay attention to?
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What to do to make sure that the garage door works efficiently and does not let you down when you least expect it? The basis is, of course, the choice of a reliable structure and its precise assembly. However, this is not the end. Maintenance of the garage door is an equally important issue. Read our article and see the infographic – check what activities you can (and should!) do yourself, how to do it correctly and with what frequency.
Garage door maintenance: why is it so important?
A garage door, like any other structure, will only work as expected if it is used properly. This principle applies to many other areas. Just think what would happen if you didn’t regularly change the engine oil in your car or didn’t adjust the brakes and gears on your bike. Then inconspicuous trifles that can be quickly eliminated turn into serious problems. Those whose removal is time-consuming and very expensive.
This is reason enough to take care of regular maintenance of your garage door. But not the only one. There is a much more important issue: safety. A damaged garage door track, a faulty photocell or a broken overload protection are a straight path to a serious accident.
Meanwhile, you can do most of the maintenance work yourself without much effort.
Garage door maintenance step by step – what can you take care of without the help of service technicians?
Are you wondering what tasks you can do on your own to ensure the safe and smooth operation of your garage door? Here are the most important ones.
Garage door cleaning – the basis of maintenance
Although it may surprise you, washing is not just a matter of aesthetics. Accumulated dirt can lead to damage to moving parts, such as garage door hinges or springs. Their regular removal prolongs their life expectancy.
When washing, pay attention not only to the coat, but also to the garage door guides. This is the space most susceptible to dirt accumulation. If you wipe them with a duster or blow them with compressed air every few weeks, you will save yourself a lot of trouble.
Also pay attention to the seals – they should also be kept clean.
Sectional door lubrication
Lubrication is one of the most important parts of garage door maintenance. Properly selected grease ensures proper gliding during the operation of moving elements of the structure – m.in. springs and hinges. As a result, they do not wear off, and the chances of damage are minimal.
What should you keep in mind in this process?
- Sectional doors should be lubricated at least 2 times a year (e.g. before and after winter), and whenever you notice disturbing symptoms, such as squeaks or creaking.
- Only lubricants recommended by the manufacturer should be used to perform the work, not random agents. Preparations for external applications are recommended, very often “dry lubricants”, which ensure precise application and are resistant to contamination.
- Grease should be applied only to metal elements – mainly garage door hinges and garage door springs. When lubricating garage door tracks, remember that grease must not come into contact with plastic tubes and other plastic components. It could lead to their degradation.
- Garage door seals should be regularly “lubricated” with the use of silicone preparations. They allow them to maintain optimal flexibility and reduce their susceptibility to mechanical damage.
Replacing the spring in the garage door yourself – is it a good idea?
And what if there is a seemingly minor failure in the mechanism of your door, e.g. one of the springs breaks? Although in theory you could do such a task yourself, it is better to think about this issue. Remember that:
- Replacement of garage door springs should always be carried out in sets, as long as there is more than one such element. If one of the many details has broken, it means that the others have most likely exceeded the number of cycles, and thus their service life;
- it is necessary to use springs with exactly the same parameters as the original details – using replacements can have very serious consequences (e.g. damage to the entire mechanism),
- It is necessary to properly balance the gate mechanism – which requires appropriate knowledge and skills.
Similarly, it is not recommended to perform other work related to the balancing system, loosen or adjust the screws located in the lowest door clamps on your own.
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Regular checking of the correct operation of the automation
An equally important element of garage door maintenance is care for the proper operation of automation elements. Particular attention should be paid to the photocell and overload protection. You can check their operation, for example, by placing an obstacle in the light of the gate – e.g. a ladder. If everything works correctly, the gate will stop on its own and will not crush the obstacle.
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