How to Make Your Garage Door Last Longer
On a busy day, the last thing you want to happen is for your garage door to break. A malfunctioning garage door can throw a wrench into your plans. If maintained thoroughly, however, your door can last for much longer. Let’s talk about a few things to look over, and at what point you might want to give a professional a call.
Regular garage door maintenance
Like any mechanical equipment, a garage door is made up of many moving parts. Because many people use their garage doors as their main point of entry, these parts wear out more quickly than they might’ve expected. So as a homeowner, what should you be looking out for?
Broken springs are the most common reason a garage door needs to be fixed. To help your springs last, Buckeye Door Sales recommends using low-grade motor oil and applying a line of oil across the spring. This oiling process should be done 3-4 times a year so the springs will last their best. If you start noticing noise and rust developing on the coils of the spring, some oil will hopefully give you more time before replacing them is needed.
Broken cables can also make a garage door not open or close. If you notice your door very crooked, this is likely what’s happened. Cables attach to the bottom of a garage door to the spring assembly to lift the garage door open. If you start to notice the steel cable fraying near the bottom, it’s best to call a professional. Replacing cables can result in serious injury because of the tension they’re under.
If you have a garage door opener, like this LiftMaster, spider webs can build up on the safety sensors near the bottom of the door. Obstructed sensors can cause your door to malfunction and not fully close. We suggest cleaning the garage door opener sensors annually.
When is it best to call a pro?
Repairing garage doors can be dangerous. Buckeye Door Sales has a knowledgeable and safe crew of technicians trained for a variety of repairs and circumstances. When you see a need for replacement parts or repair, outside of basic maintenance, it is often best to call a professional. It may seem expensive, but our experience can save you from injury, or help finish a job more quickly and thoroughly.
So what do you think, do you need any help maintaining your garage door this winter? We’d love to stop by and help out. Call us now, or contact us to get a quote!