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Tips to Ensure Trouble-Free Garage Door Operation

16 March 2017 by Felecia Banks

Good quality garage doors come with high price tags. Regardless of this, many homeowners who pay the extra dollar to have a good garage door installed in their homes do not seem to take good care of their doors. Once the door has been installed, they only pay attention to it when something appears to be wrong with it. 

If you are planning to install a new garage door in your home, you should be ready to meet its maintenance requirements in a timely manner. This will help you ensure safe operation, but also avoid high costs associated with performing frequent repairs, or having to prematurely replace the door.

So what are some of the things you should do to keep your garage door operating safely, noiselessly and jam-free? 

Inspection

Occasionally inspecting your garage door is crucial to ensuring safe and efficient operation. Check the condition of the roller tracks, bearings, springs, chains, tracks, locks and hinges, etc. Look for any worn or damaged parts so you can replace them. You can purchase replacement parts from a home improvement store near you. Make sure all screws and bolts used to secure the various parts are tight. If anything seems loosely secured, tighten it. 

Another thing you need to check is the door balance. Garage doors that have been thrown out of balance usually strain the door opener, and may cause it to stop working properly. To test the balance of your door, disconnect the power (for automatic doors) and disengage the opener. Manually lift the door halfway and slowly let it go. Be sure you maintain a safe position so you can escape for safety in case of any dramatic movement. If your door maintains its position, it is in balance. But if it dramatically drops or rises when you release it, it will need to be adjusted by an experienced technician.

Lubrication

In most homes, a garage door is the largest moving component. Garage doors consist of numerous metal parts, such as roller tracks, bearings, springs, chains, locks, and hinges, which need to be properly lubricated so that the doors can keep operating well. Without proper lubrication or oiling, the metal parts of the door will rub against each other and wear out quickly. 

Noisy door operation is never a good thing as it indicates that your door lacks sufficient lubrication. Occasionally lubricate your door before it starts producing noise when being operated.  Most of the things needed to lubricate your garage door are typical household stuff, like a cotton cloth or rag and motor oil. It's also important to refer to the garage door owner's manual before lubricating your door.

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