The quick answer is YES! Neglecting to do so could lead to unpleasant surprises just like putting off seeing the dentist for a small toothache could lead to a major abscess. In both cases, the work to resolve the issue will cost you much more if you wait too long to do it.
Always keep in mind that your garage door is the largest and heaviest moving object in your home and that if you use your garage door to enter or leave your house even occasionally, it is worth it for your safety and that of your loved ones.
Keep your safety and that of your family in mind
Sadly, unfortunate incidents occur related to malfunctioning garage doors each year. To give you an idea of the magnitude, in the US in 2014, there were more than 18,000 accidents linked to garage doors.
What were the causes? Most of the time, it was one of three reasons: a failure of some component, an imbalanced spring system (that acts as a counterweight for the door), or misadjusted calibration of one of the two automatic reversal systems (photoelectric or mechanical).
Set up a specific time to inspect your garage door
It is so easy nowadays to schedule reminders in our electronic organizers or on our laptops, so why not set aside two periods during the year to make an inspection of your garage door. It shouldn’t take more than a half an hour or so. What must be done? It’s relatively easy: a visual inspection of certain components of your garage door system, lubrication of major metal parts, and a test of the safety of your two automatic reversal systems if you have an electric garage door opener.
Step by step, here’s what you should do
Here are our recommendations for what you should do to ensure your garage door system works great all year long. How many times a year? At least twice, but more if you use your garage over 4 times (1 time = 1 opening + 1 closing) a day. When? Preferably once before the beginning of cold weather (say October) and the other toward the beginning of spring (around April).
A visual inspection
- But not just with your eyes… also listen! Operate your garage door (open and close). Do you hear any sounds louder than normal?
- Look closely at the lifting cables located beside the vertical tracks. Are they frayed or do you they look okay? Look up and examine the drum with the cable wound around it. Does everything seem aligned correctly?
- Look at the spring system. There are two types:
- Extension: located over the horizontal tracks
- Torsion: placed above the door and inserted in a steel tube
- Nothing broken or on about to break? No noise out of the ordinary?
- Observe the rollers. No rollers are on the verge of breaking? Any rollers sliding instead of correctly rolling in the tracks?
- What about the hinges? Are the bolts properly tightened? Are the bottom brackets (where the lift cables are attached) in good condition?
- Are the external frame weatherstripping and the one at the bottom of the door worn or frayed? Do they let air or small pests into the garage?
- If you have a garage door opener equipped with a photoelectric reversal system, is it obstructed by dirt or dust?
Lubrication
- Two different types of lubricants are needed. One, for instance 5W30 car engine oil, can be used for all the metal parts and another, a silicone-based lubricant, for the following weatherstripping: at the bottom of the door, between the sections, and the one for the exterior frame. These two specialized lubricants for garage doors can be purchased at Crosby Garage Door Co. In both cases, it is important to clean everything before lubricating the important parts. Remove any old grease or oil you may have applied in the past.
- METAL PARTS:
- Spring system: a little oil on these and remove the excess with a cloth
- Rollers: a little oil in the ball bearings
- Hinges: a little oil at the junction
- Tracks: a little oil in the curve of the track and in the horizontal track
- WEATHERSTRIPPING
- Exterior frame: all along the interior side of the weatherstripping
- Between the door sections: on the full length, especially if the sections have PVC weatherstripping
- Bottom of the door: all along the surface of the U-shaped weatherstripping to stop if from sticking to the threshold of the door
Safety test
- It is important to check the two automatic reverse systems of your electric garage door opener. As a matter of fact, some garage door opener manufacturers strongly recommend to perform these tests at least once a month.
- First test, for the mechanical reversal system: place a 2’ x 4’ flat on the threshold of the open garage door, under where the door closes. In the process of the door closing, when the bottom section strikes the piece of wood, the motor must reverse and cause the door to reopen.
- Second test, for the photoelectric reversal system: while closing the garage door with your remote, pass your foot in front of one of the photo-eye units located on each side of the door, about 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) from the floor. This action cuts off the light beam which causes the motor to reverse the door.
- WARNING: If either of these automatic reversal systems do not work properly, it is important to promptly contact Crosby Garage Door Co.
By taking the time you need to perform this annual maintenance of your garage door, you will lengthen its useful life and you will avoid unpleasant surprises if the time comes to have a rapid repair done by a garage door technician.
Too busy to do it yourself?
It is very possible in today’s busy world that you just don’t have the time to care for your garage door system… or, you are not at all interested in being like those DIY guys on TV and doing it yourself. Have no fear, because there is someone who can do it for you! Contact us at 724-834-8450. We can provide you with a tune-up service that is very affordable. You have it done for your car, so why get a garage door expert to do this task for you?
If you think it’s about time to update your whole garage door system, we can send you a quote by email.
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