Now that spring has arrived, many of us spend time planting flowers and gardens, attending to our lawn, decks, patios and so on. The Door People at Overhead Door Company are here to remind you not to forget about your garage door! Problems and frustrations and maintenance with your garage door can happen any time of the year; however, we notice that it usually happens when cold weather is here. Things just don’t tend to run as well when we experience cold temperatures, rain, ice, snow and every other combination we face living in Minnesota and Iowa. Now that it’s spring, there are a few things you can do to prevent problems any time of year!
Most homeowners use their garage door at least twice a day, if not more. We rely on them quite regularly, and even take their functionality for granted. Items that we use every day need tender loving care. Your garage door is not any different! Here are 10 tips we suggest you think about this spring:
- Lube Moving Parts – A great way to keep your garage door functioning well is to lube moving parts. We sell, use and recommend a lube called Super Slick Stuff, which does not attract dust or dirt. It works in 60 degrees below zero (we do live in Minnesota!), and is not petroleum based. It’s greaseless and stops squeaks, bumps, klunks and clinks and will help keep your garage door opening and closing smoothly. You will want to lube the rollers (especially the bearings), the hinge pins and chain, but not the actual track that your door runs up and down on.
- Check For And Tighten Bolts – You should visually inspect the bolts connected to your garage door. If bolts are worn, rusty, or missing-you will want to get them replaced. If bolts holding the track in place appear to be loose, you can tighten them as needed.
- Adjust Electric Opener – During your garage door maintenance routine, you should check to make sure that your automatic garage door opener-if you have one-is functioning properly. If the door is slamming shut or pushing against the ground before it stops, your electric opener can be adjusted. In most cases, there will be a dial-or sometimes a screw-that allows you to adjust the up and down limits of your door. Please note that you can do damage to your door if you adjust your operator too much, so do not hesitate to call a professional if you don’t quite know what to do when adjusting your operator! Adjust the dial as needed if the door is not opening or closing all the way. If your door has a motion sensor for safety, you should also check that it is working by placing a paper towel roll under the door when it is raised. Push the button to close the door-if it stops when it touches the paper towel, the feature is working properly-if it doesn’t, you need to get your door serviced.
- Check To See If Your Door Is Difficult To Lift – If your garage door is connected to an automatic opener, you should disconnect it from the opener and try to lift the door manually. If the door is heavy and there is resistance, your springs may need to be replaced. As a first step, lube the moving parts. If the door is still difficult to move, you should consult a professional.
- Check The Springs – You can check the springs on your garage door by lifting the door halfway. If the door pulls all the way up, your springs are too tight. If it falls to the ground, your springs are too loose. Similarly, if the springs appear worn or rusted, you should consult with a professional to have them serviced. You should not attempt to adjust the springs yourself, as they can be very dangerous.
- Check The Tracks – In addition to checking the bolts that hold the tracks to the wall, it is a good idea to further inspect the tracks to ensure that they are properly adjusted. If the door is too tight or too loose, you can adjust the track in or out.
- Consult A Professional If Needed – One of the more important garage door maintenance tips is to get your door repaired by a professional if it isn’t working properly. Garage doors can be dangerous-if you have extension springs, the springs can literally shoot off and cause major damage if/when they break. If your garage door has extension springs, you should make sure that safety cables are attached (a professional can install these safety cables for you) to the springs so that if they do in fact break, they are held by the cables. You can even go a step further and convert your extension springs to torsion springs. Torsion springs allow less wear and tear on your garage door operator and have a more controlled motion during opening and closing. If you don’t know what you are doing, call a professional.
The Door People at Overhead Door Company can be reached at:
Mason City, IA | 641-424-4114 | 225 18th Street SE, Mason City, IA 50402
Olmsted County, MN | 507-281-6872 | 406 37th Street NE, Rochester, MN 55906
Albert Lea, MN | 507-373-4435 | 77893 209th Street (East of the Trails Travel Center), Albert Lea, MN 56007If it’s after hours or if you need emergency service, call:
Mason City, IA | 641-424-4114 | 225 18th Street SE, Mason City, IA 50402
Olmsted County, MN | 507-281-6872 | 406 37th Street NE, Rochester, MN 55906
Albert Lea, MN | 507-373-4435 | 77893 209th Street (East of the Trails Travel Center), Albert Lea, MN 56007Garage door repair can be complicated and it is an unnecessary risk to take if you do not know what you are doing.
- Check The Weather Stripping – If your garage door has weather stripping, you should check the weather stripping as part of your garage door maintenance routine. If the weather stripping is falling off or becoming stuck anywhere, apply new weather stripping to help ensure a strong seal. This is especially important if your garage door is attached to your house. If your weather stripping is not making a strong seal, you are likely losing heat-thereby costing yourself money.
- Wash Your Garage Door – You should regularly wash your garage door. It’s a cheap garage door maintenance tip, but it’s an important one. Washing the door will help keep it in good shape and can help prevent premature aging of the door.
- Stain Your Wood Door – If you have a wooden garage door, you should periodically-every couple of years-stain and treat or paint your door to protect it from the elements. This can provide a critical seal against rain and snow that would otherwise shorten the life of your garage door.