Many homeowners rely on automatic garage doors to access enclosed garage spaces on a daily basis. While these automatic doors can be a great convenience, they can also be a safety hazard when they are allowed to fall into disrepair. Taking the time to routinely maintain your garage door is critical to the function and safety of these doors.
Here is a monthly maintenance checklist that you can perform to keep your garage door working properly well into the future.
1. Visually inspect garage door components.
Taking the time to look over your garage door components on a regular basis will help you spot signs of damage that could lead to serious performance and safety issues in the future. Be sure that you are checking springs, cables, rollers, and pulleys for signs of warping or rust.
Look at the cables that help raise and lower your garage door, and ensure that these cables don't show signs of fraying. By taking the time to complete a visual inspection of your garage door components, you will be able to identify repairs that need to be made in order to keep your door functional in the future.
2. Check your garage door's balance.
You want to ensure that your garage door is properly balanced to avoid potential problems in the future. A balance test is easy to conduct, and should be completed on a routine basis to maximize safety.
With your garage door in the closed position, disconnect the automatic opener. Manually lift your door. The door should raise up smoothly and remain open without any assistance. If you encounter resistance or your garage door slams shut when you let it go, then you need to have a professional balance your door to prevent a potential accident.
3. Check the alignment of the door's photo eye.
Modern garage doors are equipped with a photo eye that is located near the base of each door. These photo eyes are designed to sense any objects that break the connection between them, causing the garage door to automatically reverse.
A properly working set of photo eyes is critical when it comes to the safety of your garage door. You don't want the door to close on a pet, child, or valuable item, so you should check the function of your door's photo eyes regularly.
Have someone press the button to close the garage door. Wave the handle of a broom underneath the door as it begins to close. If the door reverses, the photo eyes are working correctly. If the door continues closing, you need to realign your photo eyes to ensure maximum safety.
Performing routine maintenance will help to extend the life of your garage door well into the future. For more information, contact companies like Duncan Door Service Inc.
Share25 August 2017
I'm Megan Moore. I have always been very security-conscious ever since I woke up to find an intruder rummaging through my belongings in my living room. I never wanted this to happen again, so I purchased a state-of-the-art security system. But despite the security measures that I put in place, my home was still burglarized. The problem was with my garage door. Somehow, a burglar was able to get the code to the garage door opener. I realized that my garage was my weak link and I set out to learn everything I could about garage doors and garage door security.