Garage Door Maintenance Charlotte: Tips Every Homeowner Should Know

Garage doors that aren’t taken care of and maintained aren’t just frustrating; they’re also dangerous. Each year, more than 20,000 injuries caused by garage doors are recorded. This is the reason why we’ve come up with the following tips to help you maintain your garage doors and ensure the safety of your family.

Do a visual inspection

Examine your garage door on a regular basis by doing a quick visual inspection. Someone from your household might have hit the door and was too embarrassed to admit it, so thorough checking every now and then is crucial. Here are the areas to check:

Check to see if your garage door is working smoothly and if it’s responsive.
Look for damages, tears, or dents.
Check for excessive rust in the tension springs, tracks, cables, fasteners, brackets, and hinges.
Replace any damaged and nonfunctional parts right away.

These areas of your doors are crucial for seamless door movement.

Secure the nuts and bolts

On an average, a garage door opens and closes for more than a thousand times each year. The vibration caused by its movement will eventually loosen the nuts and bolts on your roller tracks and brackets. Secure and tighten your track and bracket at least once each month.

Test for door balance

An imbalanced garage door will need to work twice as hard, making your door opener prone to unnecessary wear and tear. To test for door balance:

Pull on the release handle while your garage door is closed and manually lift it halfway. A balanced door should stay in position without any help.
If it starts to fall, call a garage door repair professional such as Garage Doors Repair Wizard Charlotte to make adjustments on the spring tension.

Examine and replace worn-out rollers

Garage door rollers are an often-neglected but crucial component of your garage door system. They contribute to the overall stability of your garage door. Maintain them by doing the following:

For nylon rollers, replace them at least every seven years or as soon as you see any cracks on them.
For steel rollers, check the bearings and ensure that the wheel isn’t tilted. A tilted wheel on a steel roller will create uneven wear and tear on your tracks.

Garage door rollers are available at any local hardware store and usually come with simple installation instructions.

Consider replacing the weatherstripping

Weather seal strips should always be checked for wear and damages. These help keep the elements out, especially in the south where moisture is a problem for most homeowners. Here’s how you can maintain it:

Replace worn-out weatherstripping as soon as you spot them.
Bring a sample of your weatherstripping to the hardware store so you can match it.
During installation, the wider angle of the flange should always be facing inside to prevent moisture from coming in.
Open and close your garage door to ensure that it works properly with the new weatherstrips.

Lubrication is key

A screeching metal on your roller tracks isn’t something you’d like to hear from your garage doors. To solve this problem:

Grease all the moving parts regularly to extend the life of your garage door.
Use white lithium grease on the door’s opener chain.
The overhead springs just right above the tracks need to be cleaned and lubricated at least twice a year.

Don’t mind the excess lubrication because it helps prevent corrosion.

Inspect the cables

Never tinker with your garage door’s tension cable because it could be fatal. Just check them carefully by doing the following:

Do a visual inspection of your high-tension cables. There shouldn’t be any broken strands or damages near the bottom rollers.
If you see any damages, find an expert on LinkedIn to help you replace them correctly.

Check the automatic reversal function

Newer garage doors have an automatic reversal feature, which stops the door from closing if it senses an obstruction. To ensure the integrity of this safety feature:

Check to see it if it’s responsive by placing a large object in the doorway and closing the garage door.
If the door doesn’t go up after being in contact with the object, check your manual for troubleshooting tips.
If all else fails, contact a professional to repair your garage door.

Always keep your garage door free from obstruction and debris. Make sure that it’s properly maintained, and seek the help of garage door professionals for serious damages. Preventive maintenance will not only prolong the life of your garage door but will also make it safe for everyone using it.