People often leave their homes a lot more during the summer, meaning they use the garage door more often than other parts of the year. This is why as the weather outside starts getting warmer, it’s important to check your garage door to ensure it’s ready for your summer activities. Garage doors usually last anywhere from 15 to 20 years. Many experts agree they can last much longer as long as they receive proper care and maintenance. Here are some helpful suggestions for getting your garage door ready for the summer season.
1. Lubricate Moving Parts
Close the door and unplug it from the opener. Use a trusted garage door lubricant to lubricate the rollers and springs. Keeping these parts lubricated helps ensure the door can move up and down without hesitation. It also helps ensure that the garage door can operate without making a lot of noise. If you notice any unpleasant squeaking or grinding, you may need to add more lubricant. Just make sure not to add the lubricant to the tracks; this can impede the movements of the rollers and cause the door to slip.
You should also refrain from applying too much oil as it attracts a lot of dirt and dust. To ensure the door doesn’t get off-balance, wipe away any extra lubrication. Consider using a piece of cardboard as a precautionary measure to contain the lubricant and prevent it from spreading. After lubricating, open and close the door several times to fully distribute the grease.
2. Check Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping helps protect a garage door’s overall stability by preventing air from entering or exiting. This has a major impact on the garage’s heating and cooling efficiency by making it easier to heat and cool the space. The best way to inspect the weatherstripping is to wait until nighttime. Have someone in the garage turn the light on while you’re outside. If you can see any light coming through around the door’s perimeter, this means there are gaps or cracks in the weatherstripping. It also means there’s likely a lot of unnecessary air entering and escaping the garage.
You can also place a sheet of paper along the edges of the closed door to detect any drafts. If you notice any, there’s likely an issue with the weatherstripping. Replacing the weatherstripping is usually a fairly straightforward task. Just make sure you remove all of the old weatherstripping first.
3. Wash Door and Clean Tracks
Wash the door and remove dirt from the tracks with a moist cloth and gentle soap. You can use a vacuum cleaner or toothbrush to get into those hard-to-reach places. When dealing with grime in the tracks that’s really hard to remove, you may want to try using automotive brake cleaner. In addition to preventing noise problems, misalignment and safety dangers, keeping the tracks clean helps the door move smoothly.
4. Check Bolts and Tighten Hardware
Missing or misaligned bolts can completely compromise the integrity of a garage door, causing it to slam shut or not open at all. Loose hardware also puts extra stress and strain on the door, leading to excessive vibrations. To keep these problems from happening, make sure to check and tighten all bolts and hardware at least once during the summer and once during every other season.
5. Test Safety Sensors and Controls
Garage doors have several safety sensors and controls, like manual release systems, photoelectric sensors and auto-reverse mechanisms. Testing these features is key to ensuring the door can work as it should without harming you, your home or your vehicles.
To test photoelectric sensors, just wave an object in front of them to see whether the door reverses. To test the auto-reverse feature, place an object in the door’s path and try to close it. If it doesn’t reverse, unplug the door immediately and replace the auto-reverse mechanism. You can test the manual release system by disengaging the door from the opener and then manually operating it.
6. Schedule Professional Maintenance to Fix Any Damage
To ensure the garage door works exactly as it should, it’s a good idea to schedule professional maintenance at least once a year. Not only can experts help you with all of the maintenance tasks mentioned above, like lubricating moving parts, but they can also detect problems you’re not aware of. From replacing worn-out parts to fixing faulty sensors, they know exactly what to look for.
BDK Door Company is here to meet all of your garage door needs. We work on residential garage doors and commercial fire doors. Whether you need a repair or replacement, we can help. Contact us today to schedule summer maintenance for your garage door in Montgomery.
