When we install a brand new garage door, it works properly and operates smoothly—opening and closing with ease. Of course, you always want your door to work exactly like that. In a perfect world, it would never age or need to be serviced. Unfortunately, as with anything in life, a garage door requires regular maintenance. One of the easiest, affordable things you can do to help your door continue to operate well is to lubricate its moving parts.
Staying Safe Around a Garage Door
Before starting any kind of maintenance on your garage door, it’s important to remember that any adjustments to your door, track, or springs should be made by a trained professional. Do not attempt to make repairs or changes on your own. Many have tried and gotten seriously injured.
Prep Your Garage
You don’t want to add lubricant to rollers and other moving parts of your garage door when there’s dirt and grime. That lubricant won’t do any good on top of that! Before you start, make sure to take some old rags to clear out the tracks and cables to make sure older lubricant is out of the way. It can turn black after several uses of the garage door and buildup is not the goal.
Keep Garage Door Rollers Working
So many customers have expressed to us how surprised they are that their new garage door operates quietly. People become so used to their loud garage doors that they think that’s the norm. While no garage door is going to be silent, it also shouldn’t sound as if it’s about to collapse at any moment.
Quiet Operation of your Garage Door
The rollers in the garage door track are what keep the door moving. They’re connected to the hinges and within each roller are ball bearings. If you want your garage door to operate with ease and without making that awful rattling sound, keep your rollers lubricated. Simply close your garage door, then spray the ball bearings with lubricant and wipe away any excess. Also, be sure to spray the hinges as well. Remember, they move, too!
Prevent Broken Springs and Downtime
You may need a ladder to reach the springs ( be sure not to touch the springs, as they should only be touched and maintained by a professional technician), so practice safety! Spraying the outside of the springs, make sure you’re taking a look at how they look. If you’re noticing rust or malformation, it’s time to make a service call to have the springs checked out. However, by keeping your garage door springs lubricated, you can help avoid downtime with your garage door. When a spring breaks, it can be nearly impossible to get in or out of your garage until a professional can arrive to fix it.
Call a Garage Door Professional
Regular maintenance and inspections can keep your garage door running smoothly for years. Our professional technicians offer inspections, so you can be sure your door is in good shape. Their checklist includes going over the door paneling/sections, moving parts, hardware, and more to ensure efficient operation. Feel free to contact us to schedule an inspection today!