Top 4 Seasonal Garage Door Preventive Maintenance Tips For Boulder CO Residents

Simple DIY Maintenance Tips

• Listen and observe the door

Normally, the door of the garage should move smoothly during the opening and closing process. Be observant to notice any jerky movements that serve as an early sign of door or automatic opener problems. Look at the springs, pulleys and cables to ensure that they’re symmetrical and that the door is not hanging crookedly. Also, listen for any unusual sounds such as scraping and grating sounds that are pointers to a developing door problem. Note that a well maintained door operates with relative quietness.

• Tighten the hardware regularly

The garage door is heavy with multiple movable parts held in place by nuts, screws and brackets. The hardware may become loose due to many times that the door moves up and down each day year in year out. It is advisable to regularly check the brackets on the tracks, screws, bolts and nuts, and tighten them up using the socket wrench. Tight hardware ensures that the door is held securely in place hence preventing some parts from breaking up. Call a technician at Boulder CO garage doors to assess and replace broken springs.

• Clean and lubricate the movable parts

The oil present in the movable door parts attracts dirt and other particles that may clog inside. Clogged dirt may prevent the door parts from moving smoothly thus affecting the performance. Routine wiping and drying of the movable parts removes the clogged dirt and debris that may be present. Use a soft brush and soft detergent to clean other movable parts and use the steel wool to remove the rust. After the clean up, apply the 3-in-1 oil and lubricate the major movable parts adequately using the WD40 especially on rollers and hinges. This helps the door to move smoothly and quietly.

• Regularly test Auto-reverse feature

The auto-reverse safety feature consists of a photo eye and mechanical feature. The auto-reverse makes the door to move towards the opposite direction once an object is detected near the opening of the garage. Place a piece of wood or any other object on the garage opening and try to close the door. If the door does not reverse, it indicates that the auto-reverse system is faulty. Doors that are 20 years old may not have this important security feature. Contact us at Boulder CO garage doors to repair the faulty auto-reverse system or install a new door that is compatible with this security feature.