Your garage door is in use every single day. It gets used at least twice a day, when you go out to work and when you come home. Because of this, all the moving parts that make up your garage door will wear out over time.
That’s why it’s so important you tune up your garage door, and ensure that it’s working at top capacity. Here’s when you should give it that tune-up, and what’s involved in doing so.
When Should You Schedule a Garage Door Tune Up?
The answer to this question differs slightly, depending on how you use the door. On average, a full garage door tune up should happen once a year. That should be enough to catch any problems and stop them in their tracks. Sometimes you can leave it a little longer. That tune-up can be done every two years if the door is quite new, or it’s rarely used.
However, you don’t want to leave it much longer than that. If you do, then problems will go unnoticed. When that happens, they can cause serious problems with your garage door. It could stop moving without notice, trapping your car inside for example. That’s why a regular garage door tune up is so important.
Do You Need To Tune Up Your Garage Door Now?
Not sure whether the garage door needs to be taken care of now? There are a few signs that show that you need to take care of it. These include:
Audible grinding or squeaking: A garage door may be loud when it opens and closes, but if it’s making new noises, then that’s a cause for concern. That can be a sign that the door isn’t sat properly in the tracks, or that the tracks themselves are bent. This will need to be corrected quickly, to prevent further damage.
Damaged rollers: Take a look at the rollers on your garage door. Can you see any damage? This could be anything like chips, cracks or wear in the rollers. If you see any of this, that will affect how the door moves. As such, you’ll need to have them replaced.
Uneven door: Does the door look like it’s askew in the tracks? That’s another sign that the garage door tracks are bent. If the bending isn’t too extreme, it can be hammered out. If it’s gone on for too long, then the tracks and even the garage door itself will need to be replaced.
Garage door can’t stay open: A good test to do is to open the garage door halfway, and then let go. Will the garage door stay open? If it can’t, that’s a sign that the springs are starting to wear out. That poses a danger to you if the springs snap, so you’ll need to have them replaced as soon as possible.
There are lots of things that you need to take care of during a garage door tune up. Look for any of these issues, as that’s a sign it’ll need help now rather than later.
DIY Or Professional Tune-Up?
If you think your garage door could use a tune-up, should you do it yourself or get a professional to handle it for you?
There are certainly some smaller jobs you can handle on your own. If you know what to look for, you can do a visual inspection and see if anything looks amiss. You can also do some tests and maintenance yourself, as detailed below.
If you see anything that needs repair though, such as your springs, then you should call on an expert to help you. Parts of your garage door are going to be difficult to repair yourself, so you want someone with experience to help you with it.
Maintaining Your Garage Door
Each year, you’ll want to do an inspection of your garage door, to see if anything needs to be fixed or replaced. Here’s what you should be looking for:
Lubricate the door: This is a task that actually should be done twice a year but is very easy to do. Use a spray can of lithium grease, which is often marketed as garage door lubricant, and spray it into all the moving parts of the door. That includes the lock, rollers, and so on. That helps everything move smoothly and avoid damage.
Check the garage door balance: As detailed above, test the garage door balance. If it can’t hold its own weight, that’s a sign that the springs need to be replaced.
Test the photo eyes: The photo eyes on your garage door opener stop the door from shutting on anything in its path. Test this, by placing a 2 x 4 of wood in its path. If it auto-reverses, then the safety feature is working as it should.
It’s also a good idea to clean the photo eyes off, as they are close to the ground and get dirty easily. A soft cloth is enough to do this.
Listen to the door: Listen to the garage door when its in operation. Is it making new or strange noises as it moves? If so, get in touch with a garage door tech to get to the bottom of the issue.
Replace the weatherstripping: The weatherstripping at the bottom of your garage door will keep the weather out, as well as any pests trying to get in. If it’s starting to get loose or worn, replace the weatherstripping to keep your garage safe.
Clean the garage door: Finally, once you’ve checked everything you can give the garage door a good clean. If there’s any cracked or chipped paint, you can also remove it and repaint the door for a fresh look at this point.
With these tips, you’ll know exactly when your garage door needs a tune-up, and what you should be looking out for. Keep a close eye on the door, and call for help from the experts should you need it.
If you’re in Simi Valley, consider making us Your Garage Door Guys for all your garage needs, including sales, installation, repair, and garage door tune up services.