You may not spend a lot of time thinking about your garage door, but chances are it’s one of the most frequently used devices in your home and a malfunction would be more than just a slight inconvenience. After all, you probably use your garage multiple times a day and in all periods of the day and year, and would like to keep it working smoothly for years to come. The way to do this is to regularly keep up with the care and maintenance your garage door requires.

Pay Attention

You should have an idea of what your garage door looks and sounds like when it’s functioning normally. The best way to prevent large problems is to catch them before they happen, so it’s very important that you pay attention to your garage door every time you use it. This will allow you to take note of any changes and fix them on time.

The main things you want to watch out for are changes in its movements and sounds. If your garage door typically doesn’t make a lot of noise but is suddenly making grinding or scraping sounds it could be cause for concern. This also applies to a garage door that is jerking around in places where it was previously moving smoothly.

Another thing to watch out for is the overall balance of the gate. You should make sure that both sides of the system look symmetrical including all springs, cables and pulleys. An improperly balanced garage door will put a lot more strain on your opening mechanism which will cut down its lifespan. Test out the balance by manually moving the gate about halfway up (after you’ve previously pulled the release handle.) If it doesn’t stay open, it means that the springs are improperly balanced.

Do Regular Maintenance and Replacements

A garage door may look simple from the outside, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t require regular up-keep. As mentioned previously, it’s one of the most used parts of the house and regular movement and vibration cause an expected amount of wear-and-tear. Loosened hardware will not only decrease your garage doors efficiency but can also cause unwanted accidents. Regularly check and tighten all loosened hardware including roller bracket and all bolts.

The rollers themselves also require inspecting at least once every six months regardless of whether they’re made from steel or nylon. Any rollers that are worn, cracked or even just chipped should be replaced in the shortest amount of time possible. They should also be replaced every six to seven years depending on the frequency with which you use your garage door.

Another part of the garage door that should be regularly replaced are the weather seal strips on the bottom of the door. Cracked or damaged weather-stripping won’t do much to protect your garage and house from the elements so it’s important that you check on its condition regularly. 

You should also check your cables for any tears, broken strands or general damage. Never attempt to fix issues with high tension cables yourself as they have enough force to do some serious damage and can even be deadly. The main purpose of your inspection is so you can be aware of the state of the cables and hire a professional if need be.

Keeping everything smooth and shiny

While you’re doing your inspection, make sure that the tracks on both sides of the garage door are clean and that there isn’t any debris stopping the garage door from moving smoothly. Long lasting smooth movement is also largely dependent on keeping all moving parts of your garage door lubricated properly.

Finally, you can’t forget about inspecting the actual door. Whether your garage door is made from wood or steel you can expect some damage due to the elements. Wooden doors are prone to water damage while steel doors may have rusty spots that need to be taken care of. In both cases, the paint of the door may have become chipped or peeled. Regularly washing your garage door and treating all problem spots on time will save you a lot of money and hassle in the long run.