Maintaining An Automatic Garage Door System
Your home has a number of extremely important systems, but few do as much actual heavy lifting as your automatic garage door opener. Several times a day, it lifts and lowers one of the heaviest moving parts in your house. This means it endures abuse every time you activate it. It also means that proper automatic garage door maintenance is not something you can afford to ignore. For your safety, security and budget, it’s important to pay attention to garage door opener maintenance. Here are some essential tips for electric garage door maintenance you can use to ensure your system remains in good working order.
Lubricate All Moving Parts
One of the best tips for garage door maintenance is to make sure all of the rollers, springs and hinges are properly lubricated. This will guarantee that everything is moving smoothly and prevent your opener from working too hard.
Check Your Springs
Garage door spring maintenance is crucial for the safe operation of your automatic system. Check springs for signs of wear or rust and grease them every year.
Test the Sensors
If your opener system uses electronic eyes as a safety feature, remove any obstructions that might be near them. Check the wiring for any signs of loose or broken connections.
Replace Remote Batteries
The simplest garage door opener tuneup is putting fresh batteries in your remotes. This will maintain a strong signal to your equipment and prevent you from being left out in the cold.
Keep Tracks Clear
The tracks your door rolls along can become obstructed and their lubrication can dry out over time. This can lead to trouble as your opener has to work much harder to move the door.
Add a Threshold Seal
A threshold seal from GaraDry® can do a lot to keep your electric garage door system functioning. By blocking out water, dirt and other elements that could gain access through a gap, it can guard the components from rust and contamination. This makes it much easier for you to maintain the hardware and keep it clean.
Open Your Eyes and Ears
Looking out for the first signs of trouble is a good way to prevent costly repairs. If your door starts to make grinding noises or jerking motions as it goes up or down, you may need to address the problem before something else goes wrong.
Test Its Balance
Disengage the door from the opener and try lifting it manually. If it won’t stay halfway open, chances are the counterweights are out of balance. This means the mechanism is working harder than it needs to, which could burn out the motor. Have a professional technician rebalance the springs and weights to resolve this issue.
Follow these steps and you can make sure your automatic opener will continue to function in good form. To purchase a seal that will protect your equipment and the inside of your garage from the elements, contact GaraDry® for more information today.