Garage Door Maintenance Checklist – For topnotch condition and optimum performance from your garage door, it’s crucial that you conduct regular and proper maintenance.
Since your garage door is made out of strong materials designed to last a long time, you should also do your fair share in keeping it in good condition.
Most homeowners do not even bother in knowing about the inner workings of their garage door.
But gearhead or not, it’s important to know the essence of maintaining your garage door in the best condition.
The average lifespan of a garage door is around 10 to 15 years. But this is with proper and regular maintenance.
If you do not conduct annual maintenance, you are shortening the lifespan of your garage door.
With that, here is a maintenance checklist to keep your garage door in perfect condition.
The maintenance checklist: what you need to tick off
Regular garage door maintenance should be conducted at least once a year. That is enough to keep your garage door running in excellent condition.
You can also expect your garage door will be able to last around 10 to 15 years.
Here are five items that you need to tick off of your garage door maintenance checklist.
Conduct a safety removal test
Automatic garage doors have safety features.
The automatic reversal is a safety feature, and when it detects an obstruction along the way, it should automatically reverse to prevent the thing from being crushed.
If you have kids and pets running around the house, it’s best to ensure that this feature is properly working.
Check the torsion springs
The torsion springs are under extreme pressure.
As they are responsible for lifting the garage door open, it will eventually break.
What you can do is inspect and look for broken torsion springs.
But make sure that you do not touch any torsion springs.
You are not only causing more damage, but broken torsion springs are hazardous.
It would be better to contact a garage door repair technician as they are equipped with both skills and the proper tools.
Lubricate the garage door opener and moving parts
Since your garage door is composed of moving parts and gears, you should lubricate them at least once a year to ensure its smooth motor works.
Use the WD-40 when lubricating the rollers, hinges, tracks, bearings, and pulleys.
Make sure that you also apply lubricant on the chains or the drive screw.
After spraying lube, wipe the gears clean and apply oil. You can expect your garage door will be working and moving smoothly.
Remove the rust
If you have a later garage door model, chances are the steels and parts are rust-proof.
However, that is not always the case. In some instances, like due to wear and tear, the metallic parts of your garage door may still rust.
If you notice any rust, it’s best that you immediately remove them from preventing further damage to your garage door.
You can use steel wool to remove the rust from your garage door.
Check for gaps in the weatherstripping
Most insulated garage doors have energy-saving technology. It effectively cuts off the cost of your electricity.
This feature is most useful when you live in areas that experience extreme weather.
It can conserve the heat during the winters and prevent water, rain, and snow from penetrating the door.
And in summer, the insulation can keep your garage door cool.
The weatherstripping is a piece of rubber attached to the bottom of the insulated garage door.
If there are gaps in it or visibly torn or damaged areas, it can be a problem to energy-saving.
So for maintenance, make sure that you check the weatherstripping.
If you see any gaps or damages, contact a garage door repair company for a replacement.
A1 Garage Door Service
Remember that it is vital to conduct proper maintenance of your garage door annually.
If done accordingly, you can expect reliable service from your garage door for 10 to 15 years.
However, if your garage door stopped working or you think you need an upgrade, A1 Garage Door Service can help you with your garage door problems.
Their quality service is available in Mississauga, Woodbridge, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, or anywhere within the vicinity of Toronto.
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Common garage door repair related FAQ
How long does it take to replace a garage door?
Roughly 3 to 4 hours, if done properly.
How often should my a garage door be serviced?
Your garage door is a large piece of moving equipment made up of many parts. Some families use their garage door more than their front door. We recommend having your garage door and operator serviced every year in order to ensure a properly working door and operator. The noises your door or operator makes are your initial “warning signs” that something is not quite right. The longer you put off the necessary service, the more damage may result.
How long do garage door springs usually last?
The most common torsion springs have an expected life of about 10,000 cycles (one opening and one closing is a cycle.)
What is the life span of a garage door opener?
The average life span of a door opener can vary from 10 to 20 years depending on the model and usage.