Your garage door is one of the biggest moving components of your home, and it’s a part that is used many times every day throughout the year. Over time, your door is going to wear down. If you want to keep your garage door in good condition for many years, it’s important to perform some regular upkeep procedures. Winter weather can be brutal on garage doors. Fortunately, there are ways you can stay proactive and keep your door in good shape. Here are some garage door maintenance procedures to help you through the winter.
Look and Listen
One of the most critical garage door maintenance procedures is to take a moment and closely observe your door. Does it run smoothly, or does your door tend to jerk at times? Does it make unsettling scraping sounds or run silently? Do both sides of the system look the same?
Tighten Up Your Hardware
Most garage doors are used around a thousand times each year. With all of this usage, hardware can get loose. That’s why another part of garage door maintenance is to tighten roller brackets and bolts when necessary by using a socket wrench.
Test the Balance of Your Garage Door
If your garage door isn’t balanced the right way, your door opener is going to have to work harder to make the door open, meaning it won’t last as long as you would like. You should disconnect your opener. This is done by pulling the release handle. Afterward, move the door roughly halfway up. If the door doesn’t stay up, it means the springs aren’t balanced properly. Rebalancing the springs is work that is best left to the professionals.
Inspect and Replace Rollers
Your rollers should be inspected twice per year and replaced roughly every seven years (or more if you use your door more often). Replacing work, cracked, and chipped rollers is an integral part of proper garage door maintenance. A garage door repair professional can help you with the replacement.
Replace your Weather Stripping
Replace your weather seal strip if you see that it is cracked or brittle. There are many types of rubber you can use for your seal, but getting into contact with a professional is best to find the ideal rubber for your door.
Let First Choice Garage Doors Find The Right Door For You
Since 2004, First Choice Garage Doors has been providing quality service in Maryland, Delaware, Northern Virginia, and Pennsylvania. We offer services like garage door installation and replacement, as well as maintenance and repair. We specialize in the repair and maintenance of garage doors and their accessories. Here at First Choice Garage Doors, we work with top manufacturers in the industry, including Amar Entrematic, Clopay, Wayne Dalton, and Artisan.