How to conduct maintenance after your garage door installation

When you look at the simplicity of the functions that the garage door performs, it seems deceptively simplistic. Push the button, the door goes up. Push the button, the door goes down. There’s a motor, some tracks, some springs, and they all work together to perform a very simple task. 

The simplicity of pushing a button to either open or close the garage gives a feeling that the garage doors can’t really be that dangerous. The truth is, they have the potential to cause some serious damage if you become complacent during garage door maintenance or even during what may seem to be a simple garage door repair. Honestly, you shouldn’t try to repair a garage door that is broken, unless you have experience with them. This is especially true if the repair has anything to do with the springs, as they hold a huge amount of potential energy that if not handled properly, could result in severe injury, and in some cases, death. 

Although the major repairs, such as replacing the springs, panels, and rollers, should be left to the professionals, as an Gilbert homeowner, you should conduct regular garage door maintenance, which should include inspections that could spot potential problems before they become too serious. Along with these visual inspections, there are several tasks that you can perform as scheduled maintenance to help keep your garage door and opener working properly. Here is a list of regular maintenance items that every homeowner should perform on a regular basis:

1. Ensure Proper Lubrication

Having a loud, squeaky garage door is something that is both annoying and unnecessary. However, you need to make sure that you are using the correct lubrication on your garage door. WD-40, although good for many things, is not designed to be a long term lubricant. Instead, you should use a silicone or lithium spray on your garage door’s metal parts, such as the chains, hinges, and rollers. 

2. Clean The Track

The track may not need lubrication, and in some cases, can cause more harm than good. The improper use of lubricants can actually attract dust, which can build up and interfere with the garage door’s proper functioning. With or without the help of lubricants, dust and debris can build up inside the track, and can lead to premature breakdown of your springs, rollers, or bearings. Using a damp cloth to wipe down the track will take care of most of the build-up. For any sort of sticky residue, use a solvent metal cleaner to clear that out. Although most of Arizona doesn’t need to worry about colder climates, if you do live in a cold climate where ice and snow occur, those elements can also build up in the track and cause concern.

3. Replace Weather Seals

Weather seals are the soft plastic or rubber material along the bottoms and sides of your garage door. Its purpose is to press against the floor and door jambs inside your garage to keep the air and water out of the garage. When the material becomes worn, it loses its effectiveness performing this task. The longevity of these materials is climate dependent, and can range from five to ten years. 

This is one of those garage door repairs that you can easily do yourself. If you look on the bottom of the garage door, there is a track that the material slides into. If you cut off a short piece of the seal, you can go to your local garage door supplier to make sure you can get a new seal to fit your door. 

4. Realign the Garage Door Sensors

The garage door sensors have a pretty big job. They detect whether the garage door us up or down all the way, and check for obstructions that can prevent the garage door from closing all the way. These sensors can usually be found toward the bottom of the garage door, on either side of the opening. Because of their location, they can be easily bumped by a bicycle tire or knocked into by kids, which can cause them to misalign. When not properly aligned, the sensors can keep the garage door from opening and closing properly. 

Most sensors have indicator lights on them that will change when the signal is interrupted. Try interrupting the signal using your hand, and note the change in the indicator lights. If you know that the sensors are in proper alignment, however, they still don’t seem to be working properly, try to clean the sensors with a damp cloth. Sometimes, something as small as a spider web can interrupt the signal enough to cause disruption. 

5. Reset the Garage Door Opener

Another potential solution for getting your garage door to work again is resetting the opener and replacing the batteries in the remote. If replacing the batteries in the remote doesn’t work, then proceed with resetting the opener. This can be usually be done by unplugging the opener and plugging it back in and resetting the travel limits. For your specific make and model, consult the user manual for reset instructions. 

If you have any questions about any of the suggestions listed above, or have found damage during your inspections that you think may warrant a garage door replacement or a professional garage door repair, please contact Same Day Garage Door Services for a free consultation. You can call or text us at 480-239-9478 to schedule your appointment today. 

Published By:
Same Day Garage Door Services, LLC

3542 E Cotton Ct
Gilbert, AZ 85234-4201

Office: 480-239-9478
Email: samedaygaragedoorservices@gmail.com
ROC # 308754