How to Maintain Garage Doors

If you know how to maintain garage doors, you can ensure that they stay in good working order for years to come. Regularly maintaining your garage door can also prevent serious injuries and property damage. In fact, you should inspect and maintain garage doors at least once a year.

Inspect wear and tear

Proper maintenance of garage doors include inspecting all the hardware and moving parts garage-door springs, cables, rollers, and other door hardware. Look for signs of wear or broken parts. If you find any signs damage, be sure make repairs before the door is used again. A handy do-it-yourselfer can perform most minor repairs, such as roller replacement.

Although do-it-yourselfers can handle many minor repairs, a qualified garage-door service technician should handle the more complicated tasks. The springs and related hardware are under high tension and can cause severe injury if handled improperly.

Lubricate moving parts

The moving parts of a garage door require periodic lubrication. Use an aerosol spray lubricant and wand to clean and lubricate all these moving pieces:

• Combination hinge and rollers: Apply lubricant to the roller and the hinge to which the roller is attached (at either side of the door, between each pair of panels). Use lubricant sparingly; too much attracts dirt that eventually will gum up the works.

  
  



• Hinges in the field or center of the door panels: The hinges that hold the center of the door panels together don’t have a roller. Apply lubricant to these hinges and then operate the door several times to distribute it evenly.

  
  



• Lock mechanism on the door: Spray lubricant into the keyhole and work the key several times to distribute it evenly. Lubricate the pair of locking latches at each side of a manual door.

  
  

Always refer to the manufacturer's instructions for information about lubrication requirements and adjustment details. Try the owner’s manual first, but if you don't have one, check the Internet to see if you can get a replacement copy. All you need is the brand and model number.

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