How to Extend the Life of Your Garage Door

Garage doors are one significant investment that must be adequately maintained and serviced regularly. Often, most homeowners take their garage doors for granted by placing the maintenance plan on the back burner. And this reduces the efficiency and life expectancy of the system. Below are a couple of tips that will help extend the lifespan of your garage door.

Weatherstripping

An efficient garage door’s weatherstripping prevents moisture, dirt, and debris from seeping inside through the garage door when it’s closed. With years of use, the weatherstripping materials will eventually degrade, crack, or break. But without proper maintenance, the rate of degradation becomes faster.

To prevent rapid ruin on the seal, ensure to regularly clean and lubricate the materials. Visually examine parts of the weatherstripping seal containing dirt and debris, and use a soft, damp rag to clean out all the buildup.

You can use all-purpose cleaner for areas soiled with grime but stay away from window cleaning solutions and strong detergents as they can wreak havoc on the seal. After proper cleaning, leave the material to dry and then apply lubricants (such as a garage door lube or lithium-based grease) on it to prevent dehydration and cracking.

Maintain the Hardware

Other intricate parts of the garage door that must be monitored and maintained is the hardware. Springs, hinges as well as tracks and rollers can malfunction when left uncleaned or poorly lubricated.

To clean these delicate parts, use a damp cloth to remove dirt and debris from the garage door’s springs, hinges as well as tracks and rollers and don’t forget to sprinkle a tiny layer of lubricant on them. Also, inspect for damaged or broken springs and replace them without delay to avoid strain on other springs. Lubricant, however, should not be applied to plastic hinges.

For an effective hardware cleaning routine, refer to your garage door owner’s manual for full maintenance instructions.

Check for Safety Features

Manufacturers were mandated to add safety features such as auto reverse system and safety eye sensor to doors made after the year 1992. These features help a garage door to stop closing if any object comes in its way. And this has prevented many entrapment injuries and deaths.

To ensure the proper working of these secure systems, the general recommendation is to test the safety eye and auto reverse feature every month. To do this, place a 2x4 or similar object under the garage door. Within 2 seconds of making contact with the object, the garage door must stop and reverse immediately.

If the door did not change direction, refer to the manufacturer's instructions on how to reset the force limits. If the door still failed to reverse, then contact a garage door service company for an immediate fix. And don’t forget it’s time for garage door repair or replacement if your garage door doesn’t have the safety features.

Preventing the seal around the edges of the door from premature damage, taking care of all mechanical parts, and having a door with a safety system in place helps increase the lifespan of your garage door.

Need Garage Door Service? Call Bob's Advance Garage Doors

It’s potentially dangerous and frustrating dealing with a garage door malfunction. The garage door technicians at Bob’s Advance Garage Doors would be happy to provide the assistance you need. We offer a wide range of garage door care services. Offerings include new door installation, garage door repair, door maintenance, to mention a few. For more information on our professional door services or to request immediate help, contact us now.