Fall is here, and now is the best time for you to conduct some garage door maintenance. The weather’s cooling down and that means it will soon be too cold outside to work on the door, so this weekend is the perfect time for you to get out your tool kit and inspect your garage door. Your family could be at risk if you don’t conduct careful and thorough garage door maintenance.
Garage doors give us convenient access to our garages and homes, but they also present a serious hazard when they are not properly functioning. Each year, thousands of people hurt themselves by accidentally getting caught by their garage doors or hitting the top edge of the door while backing out of the driveway. Most garage doors open and close at a relatively low speed, but these accidents still occur frequently because common garage doors do not have enough overhead clearance.
To prevent injury to you or your family members, visually inspect the moving components on the door (such as rollers, springs, hinges and cables) to ensure that they are in working order and not catching, dragging or grinding. If your door has a manual release mechanism, make sure that you can access it with ease.
Garage Door Maintenance Checklist
The following are some common issues with garage doors and how to correct them. If you spot any of these problems, contact a professional immediately so that they can inspect and make necessary repairs before someone is injured.
Damaged safety sensors
Safety sensors are another layer of protection that will stop your garage door from closing if something is in the path of it. Over time, safety sensors can become damaged or disengaged and they require professional attention to make repairs.
Garage spring
The springs on a garage door are under a lot of tension, and that pressure makes them extremely dangerous when they break. For this reason, you should never attempt to fix a damaged garage spring. Instead, call for professional help as soon as possible.
Deteriorating rollers
Rollers are designed to move along the track of the door smoothly and quietly. If they are worn out or broken, however, that smooth movement will be compromised, potentially causing an accident if your garage is parked above your living area.
An elevator-style door, or a sectional door with two panels that move independently, may have rollers on each panel. If the rollers look worn out, ask your technician how and when they should be replaced.
Doors with broken springs
A broken spring is potentially more serious because it can cause an entire section of your garage door to fall. You may notice a creaking sound when the door is opened and closed, or you may suddenly find that you cannot open it at all if it has been under strain for an extended period of time.
Garage doors with broken springs must be inspected by a professional ASAP. Broken springs can exert up to 1000 pounds of pressure on the door, so there is a real danger to you and your family if the spring snaps suddenly.
Frayed cables
Frayed cables can also pose a serious risk to your safety should they snap while the door is moving. Look for any signs of fraying or bulging near either end of the cable, which will indicate that the cable is ready to snap.
Rusted rollers
A rusting roller won’t affect opening and closing of your door, but it can be a serious safety threat if there is water collecting in the bearings near the bottom. The metal may eventually corrode completely through, causing your garage door to fall or malfunction unexpectedly.
Call the Experts for Impeccable Garage Door Maintenance
The garage door is one of the most important parts of your home. It protects you and your family from intruders, it keeps out cold drafts in wintertime, and it gives a sense of security to everyone who enters through its doors. If you want this piece of hardware working at peak performance for as long as possible, contact Team Taylor Doors today for superb garage door maintenance. We offer the best service in the industry and always put our customers first!
