LONG BEACH ISLAND

Common problems and Maintenance of Garage Doors

There are some common problems with garage door parts that you may be able to fix yourself.

   •      Noisy Garage Door

With routine maintenance and replacement of some parts, this problem won’t persist. If the essential maintenance doesn’t solve the problem, replacement of door hinges may be required. Also,  the rollers may wear out over time and become noisy.

   •      Frozen Garage Door

Garage doors can freeze to the floor. Sometimes it’s just minor ice that breaks when one hits the opener button. But if the door doesn’t open at once, don’t keep pressing the button. This might cause a significant problem with the door opener. Instead, try to break the frozen connection by other methods. Use a hair drier or blow torch to melt the ice. One can use de-icing products as well. Use a shovel to remove excess ice. Once the door is open, keep the area dry to prevent future freezing.

   •      Safety Concerns

Garage doors weigh hundreds of kilos, and the use of older automatic door openers can be a safety risk. Modern automatic door openers with auto-cut and auto-reverse mechanisms have significantly reduced accidents, but the door and door opener’s improper maintenance can lead to mishaps. When a garage door opener is old or doesn’t work correctly, installing a new door opener is not just a convenience but a matter of family safety.

   •      Exhausted springs

Garage door extension springs or torsion springs connected to cables and pulleys balance the door. These springs provide a counterforce to the door’s weight and allow it to be raised and lowered with just a few kilos of force applied through the assistance of a motorized door opener or by hand. But these springs are under constant force, and eventually, they wear out. When your door opener begins to struggle opening the door, or when you begin to notice that it feels quite heavy to lift by hand, the garage door springs are likely wearing out and need replacement.

If one follows a simple inspection and maintenance routine, the doors keep working for years.

   •      Examine rollers and tracks

Clean the rollers and tracks with a good brush. Lubricate the rollers and axles. Replace any rollers that are not operating smoothly

   •      Tighten the hardware

Overhead doors are assembled in sections and attached to the garage with brackets. Check that the sections are well secured and the bolts holding the brackets are tight.

   •      Check cable and pulleys

Spring-loaded doors have cables and pulleys that may erode over time. Replace the abraded cables and damaged pulleys. Professionals can perform the garage door cable repair.

Conclusion

Correctly maintained garage doors last for few decades, but they may fail within ten years otherwise. At that time, replacement seems more viable than repair. Shopping for a new door is not an easy process as it is a long term investment. One has to look at various components – cost, material selection, aesthetic appeal. Routine maintenance is the key to having a trouble-free garage door.