Important Garage Door Maintenance Tips

On average, a garage door opens and closes thousands of times a year. What else? It can last for as long as 20 years. To ensure that your garage door reliably completes its 20 years, make sure you perform regular maintenance.

You should maintain a garage door before it suddenly breaks down someday. Prevention is better, easier, and less expensive than repairing a door that has stopped working. Not to mention, maintaining your garage door is also important, as it could be dangerous if left on its own. There are almost 20,000 Garage door accidents every year and can result in serious injuries or even death at times.

Important Garage Door Maintenance Tips

Here are preventive care tips to stay safe and keep your garage door moving smoothly for decades to come.

Stay Vigilant

Over time, your garage door can start behaving differently. The first tip to proper maintenance is to keep your eyes and ears open for any changes that may need attention. Keep tabs on how well it is functioning and any squeaks or noises that your garage door may be making. This will alert you if something is wrong and needs repairing before it gets worse. Look for any jerky movements, grating or grounding noises, or slower movements when opening or closing.

Wipe the Tracks to Remove Any Debris or Obstructions

The tracks alongside your garage door guide the wheels to move on a proper path, which allows them to open and close. Grease and dirt can build up in these tracks, causing damage. Wipe down any debris for a smooth running door.

You should also inspect the tracks on either side to look for anything harmful obstructing the wheels. Even the tiniest thing can damage the wheels and affect the alignment of the garage door.

Lubricate the Hardware

Lubricating all the hardware can significantly change how smooth your garage door runs and reduce stress on its parts. Lubrication can especially eliminate any loud noises that your door may be making while opening and closing. The ideal timeframe to lubricate your garage door is to do it twice a year. You can use a lubricant with lithium and apply it to the hinges, rollers, and bearing plates.

Inspect, Tighten and Replace the Hardware

Inspecting the hardware is important as you’re likely to find some areas with much wear and tear. It is normal for garage doors to receive a little damage as people use them a lot. This constant usage can loosen or damage the hardware.

However, it is not hard to look for loose hinges and any missing bolts that need replacement. You should also check for bolts and brackets to be secure. You can easily use a socket wrench, screws, and spanners to tighten any loose components as needed.

Conclusion

Inspecting for any damages and maintaining your garage door properly can increase its lifespan by years. Not to mention, maintenance is important to stay safe from injuries and stressful future repairs.

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