Broken garage doors are no fun. Sometimes the repair is easy and doesn’t cost much — you may even be able to do it yourself. Other times the issue is more expensive and you’ll need to hire a professional door repair service. Considering how many times you use a garage door — 3 times a day on average, over 1,000 times a year, it’s going to break down eventually. But there are things you can do — regular maintenance, inspection, and best practices that will help keep repairs at a minimum so you can save on costs.
Perform Scheduled Maintenance
There are a few simple DIY repairs you should be doing to your garage door on a regular basis. This includes tightening up any loose bolts and oiling the chain and all movable parts. But don’t use WD40 — this can cause your door to prematurely rust. Use an approved garage door lubricant. Apply it on with a brush to get into all the nooks and crannies. Wipe up any excess oil with a towel to avoid stains. You can also check to see if the door is properly balanced, as well as if there’s anything wrong with your garage door springs – though don’t repair those yourself. Also take note of any components that happen to have rust, they’ll need to be replaced sooner rather than later. If you don’t feel comfortable performing these repairs, hire a repair company for annual inspections.
Keep Your Door Track Clear
You’d be surprised how many calls we get on mishaps caused by something getting caught in a track — say the handle or a broom or a hockey stick. Even beyond that, dust, grime, pebbles, and other obstructions can get lodged in. It’s easy for a garage to get out of hand. Make sure to keep all storage items away from the door and spend time ensuring the area is clean It’s too easy for things to get caught and cause serious damage. In fact, that’s one of the most common reasons we’ve had to replace a garage door track.
Inspect Your Rollers
As you use your garage door, your rollers will eventually wear out. You might not even realize that your rollers are damaged until you need to conduct a repair, like a garage door going off track. If a roller breaks, your garage door probably won’t open or will give you serious issues that you can’t ignore. It’s as simple as that. Fortunately, you can usually see a bad roller starting to break down if you know what to look for. Carefully inspect your rollers from time to time and look for any brittleness or cracking. If something concerns you, call a professional to have it replaced. If you try to fix your rollers while your door is off track or not closing, you could potentially damage the door even further.
Don’t Put Off Repairs
Garage door repairs are like teeth problems — the longer you put them off, the more expensive they’ll get. Call a professional for a closer inspection. Some issues — like a garage door off track — can cause expensive damage if you don’t fix them quickly. Not to mention how prolonging garage door repairs can pose a significant security or safety risk. It would be unfortunate for your door to slam on your cas you’re backing out, or for your door to be stuck open, inviting nefarious individuals to invade your home. Be pragmatic and get your repairs done as soon as possible.
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