GARAGE DOOR MAINTENANCE TIPS

Garages can be used for several different purposes such as home DIY projects, storage or even a play area for your children. However, since it’s a huge open space to do just about anything, garages are also prone to safety and security problems.
 
The garage door is the biggest and heaviest moving object in your entire house. Although most people forget about the risks involved in a malfunctioning garage door, it’s important to remember that it can actually cause injuries and accidents. You and your family use the garage door multiple times a day all year round, no matter what season.
 
In order to ensure that your garage door will continue to operate smoothly in the months to come, it’s important to take care of it by getting regular maintenance checks. This will lessen the possibility of injury inside your home. Today, we will take a look into the best Garage Door Tips which are essential in every household.
 
VISUAL INSPECTION
While standing inside your garage, close the garage door and check for any signs of damage or wear. Carefully inspect the garage door cables, springs, pulleys, rollers and its mounting hardware. Visually look for any signs of fraying on the cables. Don’t forget to check if the mounting hardware is starting to become loose. If you notice that something doesn’t look accurate or something doesn’t sound right, even if you’re unsure about it, you should contact a professional service technician. This is mainly because it’s better to have your garage door checked earlier compared to doing something about it when it has already injured or harmed someone.
 
PHOTO EYE TEST
In order to perform the photo eye test, your garage door should be fully open. Next, push the wall button or transmitter to close it. Use a long object, preferably a broomstick, and wave it in front of the one of the garage door’s photo eyes. This will break the beam and the door should reverse. If the garage door doesn’t reopen or reverse, pull the broomstick out to allow the door to close. Once it’s fully closed, wipe the photo eyes with a soft dry cloth. Carefully adjust the photo eyes if you they’ve been misaligned. Then, open the garage door again to redo the test. If it still doesn’t work the second time around, it will require the expertise of a professional trained technician.
 
REVERSE MECHANISM TEST
The reverse mechanism test should be performed with the garage door fully open. Next, lay a piece of wood on the floor, preferably a section of a 2×4 and place it at the center of the garage door opening. It’s the area where the door would normally touch the floor. Then, push the wall button or transmitter to close the door. On impact with the piece of wood, your garage door should reverse automatically. If it doesn’t reverse, it’s best to have it checked by a professional service technician to prevent any injuries or accidents.
 
DOOR BALANCE TEST
Garage doors which uses an automatic opener system should be checked on a monthly basis. Simply close the garage door and disconnect it from the automatic opener. After being successfully disconnected, you should be able to lift the door manually. Slowly try lifting your garage door. You’ll know it’s working properly when you feel it lifting smoothly with very little resistance. The garage door should stay fully open. If you experience difficulty in lifting it or it refuses to stay open, your garage door may be out of balance. In this case, you would need to call a professional service technician and have it checked.
 
FORCE SETTING TEST
If your garage door uses an automatic opener system, performing a monthly force setting test will help ensure that it’s working in optimal conditions. First, make sure your garage door is fully open. Then, push the wall button or the transmitter to close the door. While it’s moving to close, carefully hold up the bottom part while your hands are outstretched. If you notice that your garage door doesn’t easily reverse and still continues to close, remove your hands immediately. This means that the closing force of your garage door is too excessive and it needs to be serviced by a professional service technician like A-1 Lock & Key. Call us for service today!
 
 
A-1 Lock & Key
15435 Schafer Ave
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Phone: (225) 924-7007
Email: info@A1safeandlockco.com
www.a1safeandlockco.com