Your garage door both serves an important function and contributes to the curb appeal of your home. You probably open and close the garage door several times a day, and you need it in good working order to protect your car and other items. It also makes up a large chunk of your home’s exterior, which means that its physical condition can affect the overall look of your home – a dirty garage door tends to make the house look shabbier, while a clean garage door makes the home look well cared for. Take a look at some tips that will help you keep your garage in great shape.
Keep It Clean
It’s not difficult to keep your garage door clean. The inside and outside of the door can be cleaned the same way. You may need to use a broom to knock down cobwebs or other dry debris before you start washing the door.
Fill a bucket with water and some gentle cleanser – dishwashing detergent will do. Use a sponge or soft cloth to soap up the door and remove any dirt and grime. Then use your hose to spray the soap off. You can clean the inside of the garage door the same way that you clean the outside of the door.
Keep It Lubricated
Does your garage door seem especially squeaky lately? That’s a good sign that some part of the door needs to be lubricated. A lack of lubrication doesn’t just result in a noisy, annoying garage door, it can also damage your door if you don’t replace the lubricant. Without lubricant, metal parts grind on each other and eventually weaken and wear out.
The rollers that the garage door moves on are the likeliest source of the sound. You can lubricate the roller bearings with a non-silicone lubricant like motor oil. Check to see whether you have nylon or metal rollers – if you have metal, you can lubricate the rollers as well, but if you have nylon rollers, stick to just oiling the bearings. Avoid oiling the door tracks, because your door can slip on an oiled track. Clean the track with brake cleaner instead. While you’re at it, check to make sure all bolts and screws are tightened.
Inspect the Springs
Springs are crucial to your garage door’s ability to open and close properly and stay open instead of falling back to the ground. A stretched out or worn out spring can be both a nuisance and a safety hazard. Garage door springs are under high tension and usually shouldn’t be adjusted or replaced by a homeowner – you need a trained garage door technician for that. However, you can inspect your garage door springs to see if it’s time to call a technician.
In addition to visually inspecting your springs, try turning the power to the garage door off and disengaging the emergency opener. Lift the door manually to the halfway open point. If the door stays in place, the spring is working properly. If the door drifts up or down, then the spring needs to be adjusted or replaced.
Maintaining your garage door is an important part of maintaining your garage overall. For more information about garage maintenance and renovation, schedule your free design consultation.
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