How Do I Maintain a Commercial Garage Door?
If you run a business that involves any kind of machines, you know that anything with moving parts requires regular maintenance if it is going to continue to work properly. Commercial garage doors are no exception. If a commercial garage door fails before its time, there’s a great chance that poor maintenance was somehow involved.
If you schedule annual maintenance for your commercial garage door, that’s a great first step. But that may not be enough to make sure you minimize the chance of malfunction or a costly repair and to maximize the life of your commercial garage door. So, what are some of the ways you can make sure your commercial garage door is getting the care it needs?
Check the Insulation and Weather Seals
While damage to the weather seals or insulation won’t necessarily shorten the life of your commercial garage door, it will definitely reduce its effectiveness. Any damage to the weather seals or insulation means your door is not properly insulated and protected against the elements. This means your inventory or whatever is on the other side of your door is vulnerable to water damage or temperature damage, not to mention that you are probably losing money on energy bills due to the extra heating or cooling required. It’s a simple matter to do a once over every couple of weeks to make sure the weather seals and insulation are still firmly in place.
Pay Attention to the Door’s Behavior
Is the door opening and closing smoothly? Is it making more noise than it used to? Train yourself and your workers to listen to what your commercial garage door is telling you. If your door appears to be struggling to do its job in any way, there’s a good chance that a broken spring, worn-out roller, frayed cable or the like is the culprit. Your door may be continuing to work, but the added stress could add up to a big repair soon.
Lubricate Everything You Can
Machines break down because parts wear out, and most of the time, parts wear out because of friction. That’s why it’s so important to regularly lubricate all the moving parts you can reach on a regular basis. It doesn’t take long, and it can save you a lot of problems with your door.
Check All Safety Devices Regularly
Commercial doors can be very big, heavy and dangerous. Most maintenance should be done by a professional to ensure everything is completed properly and safely. A professional garage door service technician can also set you up on a preventative maintenance schedule to catch any problems before they become nightmares.
If you’re in the Spokane, WA or Northern Idaho areas and you spot an issue that may need addressing, or if it’s time for your annual maintenance checkup, just contact the experts at Continental Door Company, and we’ll be right over to help.
