The garage door is one of the most functional home fixtures. This makes it more prone to wear-and-tear. Unfortunately, only a few homeowners are paying attention to this fixture. In Salt Lake City, garage door repair service providers can help you maintain your unit. But how can you save money and make your garage doors last longer? It all depends on how you use it.
Garage Door Maintenance Tips for Homeowners
How long should a garage door last?
The manufacturer will provide you with some rough estimates, but you have to remember there are other factors to consider. The same thing goes with garage doors built from quality materials. The durability or lifespan of garage doors still depends on how you maintain it.
Here are some things you can do to ensure your garage door lasts longer:
- Watch and listen – Observe it closely every time you use it and if you notice something that’s not moving smoothly, or if you hear some grinding or scraping sound, then there is something wrong with it. Check if some parts need replacing or just a little lubrication.
- Tighten loose hardware – On average, a garage door would move a thousand times a year. This means that there’s a lot of vibration that could loosen its hardware. A socket wrench is a good tool to tighten all the roller brackets and bolts that have gotten loose.
- Check its balance – Make sure your garage door is well balanced because if not, the door opener will have to work harder, and as expected, it won’t last long. You will find out if it’s not balanced by disconnecting the opener and manually releasing the door halfway. If it doesn’t stay put, then the counterweight system is not balanced. Adjusting this is better left to the professionals.
- Inspect and replace the roller- You need to inspect the roller at least twice a year. Under normal conditions, you’d usually need to replace this every seven years, but if you notice some chips, you need to have it replaced immediately.
- Replace the weather seal- The weather seal is what keeps the elements out of your house. When it gets brittle and cracked, you need to replace it right away to keep the elements out of your home. Since this is easy to replace, you can just do it yourself.
- Add lubricants to the moving parts – Friction is the killer of moving parts. When there is friction, the parts will heat up and eventually malfunction. To avoid this, regularly lubricate moving parts.
- Know when to hire an expert – If the problem is the garage door’s mechanism, it’s best to hire an expert. Unless you’re an avid handyman with enough experience or tools, it’ll be challenging to fix it. Known when to hire a professional to ensure the unit is safe to use.
Remember, the garage door is a functional fixture. It can maximize security and privacy of your home. This is why you need to maintain it properly.
