Description:
Like all things, garage doors require maintenance. It doesn't have to be hard, though. Read on for essential tips on maintaining them!
Five Garage Door Tips For Maintenance
Garages can be tricky but their doors and the systems behind them can be even trickier. In some ways, it's the biggest moving object in your house and property, next to a vehicle. If you don't maintain the lubrication, tracks, sensors, etc, your garage door, will break down and not perform as well as it could. This can spell trouble, especially if you need access to the garage via the door and not from inside your house. There are several things that go into how well your door works and they are all something that should be maintained. Read one below for the best tips on keep your door in working order.
1. Lubrication
Some doors struggle with lubrication, especially older ones. A lot of this can be fixed by lubricating the gears and chains that go into moving the door up and down. Don't use WD-40, though. It may seem like a good idea but this generally is not as the metals and material a door's moving parts don't play well with it (corrosion, yikes!). Instead, use something like a silicone based lubricant or a lithium one. They're not hard to find and will do a much better job on top of lasting longer.
2. The Door's Tracks
A garage door runs along tracks to keep it stable and guide it as it moves. The tracks sometimes get dirty or begin to experience minor flaws that can be fixed with general maintenance. You want to keep them as clean as possible, other wise you risk ruining the door. Don't lubricate it, though. You need to clean it instead and thoroughly. If your track is dirty, the door can get hung up on it or experience unneeded restrain, possibly burning out the motor.
3. Sensors, Sensors And Sensors
Doors use sensors to detect object and obstacles in their path. Every once in a while, these can get dirty or mis-aligned. Unless one of them goes out, it's an easy fix. Make sure they face each other as this is how they were designed to operate. If the infrared lense is dusty (this depends on the model you have), carefully wipe it off.
4. Weather Proofing
Weather proofing is another thing you should consider. Weather seals are inexpensive and will shield the parts from the elements, giving it a much longer life. You can find these at most hardware stores for cheap.
5. Resets
Sometimes you need to reset the motor or firmware. Check the user manual for this. Symptoms include a randomly opening door and having difficulty sensing things in its way. They all have their own systems for a reset, but most will likely have a power off and on cycle to achieve it. Instructions go a long way here.
Maintain your door and keeping it in working order means it will last a lot longer. It will also help you avoid spending money that you didn't need to, unless you like the idea of completely replacing everything and burning a hole in your wallet.
Like all things, garage doors require maintenance. It doesn't have to be hard, though. Read on for essential tips on maintaining them!
Five Garage Door Tips For Maintenance
Garages can be tricky but their doors and the systems behind them can be even trickier. In some ways, it's the biggest moving object in your house and property, next to a vehicle. If you don't maintain the lubrication, tracks, sensors, etc, your garage door, will break down and not perform as well as it could. This can spell trouble, especially if you need access to the garage via the door and not from inside your house. There are several things that go into how well your door works and they are all something that should be maintained. Read one below for the best tips on keep your door in working order.
1. Lubrication
Some doors struggle with lubrication, especially older ones. A lot of this can be fixed by lubricating the gears and chains that go into moving the door up and down. Don't use WD-40, though. It may seem like a good idea but this generally is not as the metals and material a door's moving parts don't play well with it (corrosion, yikes!). Instead, use something like a silicone based lubricant or a lithium one. They're not hard to find and will do a much better job on top of lasting longer.
2. The Door's Tracks
A garage door runs along tracks to keep it stable and guide it as it moves. The tracks sometimes get dirty or begin to experience minor flaws that can be fixed with general maintenance. You want to keep them as clean as possible, other wise you risk ruining the door. Don't lubricate it, though. You need to clean it instead and thoroughly. If your track is dirty, the door can get hung up on it or experience unneeded restrain, possibly burning out the motor.
3. Sensors, Sensors And Sensors
Doors use sensors to detect object and obstacles in their path. Every once in a while, these can get dirty or mis-aligned. Unless one of them goes out, it's an easy fix. Make sure they face each other as this is how they were designed to operate. If the infrared lense is dusty (this depends on the model you have), carefully wipe it off.
4. Weather Proofing
Weather proofing is another thing you should consider. Weather seals are inexpensive and will shield the parts from the elements, giving it a much longer life. You can find these at most hardware stores for cheap.
5. Resets
Sometimes you need to reset the motor or firmware. Check the user manual for this. Symptoms include a randomly opening door and having difficulty sensing things in its way. They all have their own systems for a reset, but most will likely have a power off and on cycle to achieve it. Instructions go a long way here.
Maintain your door and keeping it in working order means it will last a lot longer. It will also help you avoid spending money that you didn't need to, unless you like the idea of completely replacing everything and burning a hole in your wallet.
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