Even though your garage door is one of the most essential segments of your home, it often goes unnoticed. Garage doors are important to safeguard your automobiles from the scorching summer heat, harsh winter winds, theft, and burglary. Not just that, they enhance your home’s curb appeal as well as increase your home value.
While garage doors are usually durable and sturdy, they don’t last forever. Paying attention to its care and maintenance is crucial to ensure your garage door gives you your money’s worth and lasts for years.
How Often Should You Have Your Garage Door Serviced?
Generally, experts recommend having your garage door serviced at least once a year. Regular servicing helps you spot minor breakdowns and prevent larger ones. Call an experienced garage door technician immediately if you have immediate safety concerns or need any repairs and installations for your garage doors.
Similarly, weather conditions can also determine how often your garage door needs servicing. Depending on your location, and severe weather changes, your garage door might need servicing several times a year.
What Maintenance Does a Garage Door Need?
It is important to look for signs indicating that your garage door needs maintenance. Your garage door might need immediate repair if you notice any of these signs:
- It only opens or closes halfway
- Opening and closing, it makes a strange noise
- It gets stuck even when the motor is running
- It opens or closes on its own without a remote controller
- It has broken glass or cracked wood
A Checklist on Garage Door Maintenance
With prolonged use, wear and tear issues are inevitable in your garage door. However, by using a preventative maintenance checklist each season, you can increase its longevity and ability to function. Let’s go through a complete garage door maintenance checklist so that you can keep your door working in good condition:
1. Self-Inspect Garage Door
It can be difficult to catch an issue with your garage door when you’re inside your vehicle. If you hear anything unusual, get out of your car and take note of it. Also, inspect the machinery for any loose or broken wires or if there’s any cracking or rust.
2. Do safety tests
Faulty garage door systems can be extremely dangerous if not repaired. For example, regular inspections of photo eye sensors can prevent this. Ensure that the photo eye sensors on either side of the garage door are of the right height (no higher than 6 inches off the ground) and securely attached to the wall.
3. Check garage door hardware
While inspecting the door, check if there are no loose nuts and bolts; if there are, tighten them. Similarly, check if the hinges are damaged. If they are, replace them immediately.
4. Check on the chains and belts
Sometimes, the chains and belts your door opens and closes do not operate properly due to frictional issues. The simple technique of lubricating them can be helpful. Lubricating the chains and belts with a silicone spray or a garage door-specific lubricant is important for the smooth operation of your door.
5. Service the springs
Garage door springs compress, contract, and provide the force to lift the door. Since they usually only last for 10,000 cycles, inspecting them regularly for damage is important. Check for any kinks, breaks, or cracks on the springs. It’s a sign that you must replace the springs if they make loud whirring noises. Rusting and corrosion also indicate faulty springs.
6. Clean garage door
If you have a steel door, look for rust spots that should be sanded, primed, and painted. For fiberglass doors, you can clean them with an all-purpose cleaner. As for wooden doors, wipe them with a soft and dry cloth. If required, it may require repainting or staining.
7. Replace old bulbs and lights around the garage door
Replace old bulbs with new ones while ensuring they have the correct wattage. If you put in a bulb with higher wattage, you are only causing more damage. LED lights are also very popular these days for your garage.
8. Check if the wheels are fixed
If there is a lot of vibration while your garage door is operating or if the door is frequently out of alignment, it means there are issues with the garage wheels. Lubricating the wheels often prevents long-term problems. However, calling a professional is better than doing it alone if the wheels need replacement.
9. Maintain space between the door and stop
You can maintain proper space between the door and its stop by aligning it within the frame. You can adjust the hinges by loosening the screws on the hinge plates and moving the door away from or toward the stop. Using shims will give you extra space behind hinge plates. Ensure that the latch engages properly with the strike plate. Ensure the door operates smoothly and evenly along its perimeter by opening and closing it.
10. Adjust door opening and closing speed
Generally, your garage door should open or close completely in 12-15 seconds. If the door is moving at the wrong speed, you may need a garage door opener repair or else many problems might arise. You can adjust the speed of your garage door opener by removing the access panel. Inside it should be a small screw that controls the speed. You can change the speed of the screw with the help of a screwdriver.
11. Test the balance of the door
Open the release handle first to check if your door is properly balanced. Then, manually lift the door and see if the door can remain open halfway. If it doesn’t stay in place and moves up or down, there are issues with the garage door.
12. Test the auto-reverse of the door
The auto reverse system in your garage door is in place to prevent the door from closing down on any object and causing injury. To test the auto-reverse function, keep a piece of wood or a brick in the center of the door opening and try closing the door. If the auto-reverse feature works, the garage door detects the object and reverses immediately. If not, it needs to be fixed.
13. Get a professional inspection done
Staying atop your garage door issues with professional inspections is always a good idea. Call a qualified specialist today to ensure your garage door is properly running and make necessary repairs.
How much does an average professional garage door maintenance cost?
The average professional garage door maintenance costs between $150 and $375. Below is the breakdown of maintenance costs based on the type of garage doors:
- Aluminum garage door repair: $200 – $600
- Fiberglass garage door repair:$150 – $550
- Wood garage door repair:$250 – $1000
- Steel garage door repair: $250 – $700
We also have a comprehensive blog on garage door repair costs in Washington for more information.
Conclusion
There is more to your garage door than just a door – it’s an investment. With regular and proper maintenance, you can prevent major breakdowns in your garage door. If you haven’t had your garage door thoroughly inspected, now is the time to get it checked. Contact AAA Garage Door Services today!
