Your garage door makes up as much as a third of your home’s exterior, and most of the time, it goes unnoticed. A few pieces of regular maintenance can keep your door running smoothly and return massive benefits.
A properly fitted and functioning garage door keeps your home safer. Ensuring a proper seal prevents rain, snow and small creatures from finding their way into your garage. Maybe most importantly, maintenance also helps you avoid costly future repairs.
Helpful Tips to Maintain Your Garage Door
When it comes to anticipating your door’s maintenance needs early, the first key is to pay attention. Keep your eyes and ears open when you use your garage door. Is it still moving smoothly? Does it operate quietly? Does everything seem to be placed properly and symmetrically?
The second key is to make sure you’re staying on top of regular garage door maintenance. Here are five things you can do to extend the life of your door.
1. Examine and Tighten the Hardware
As your garage door opens and closes, the movement causes vibrations that can loosen screws and bolts over time. Check the tracks and hinges and use a socket wrench to tighten up any loose ones you find. Be sure not to over tighten them.
You should also check for bent hinges that need to be straightened or replaced. You can replace the hinges yourself — be sure that the door is locked in the “down” position and only remove one hinge at a time — or call a professional to replace them.
2. Test the Balance
Make sure your door is balanced correctly to get the longest possible life out of its parts.
Disconnect the door from the opener and ensure you can only open it manually. Then, open the door halfway and release it.
A balanced door will stay in place. If it slips down, there is likely an issue with the springs. Make a service appointment with a qualified professional to have them repaired or adjusted.
3. Inspect Rollers and Cables
You should inspect the rollers, or the wheels that run along the tracks, twice a year. Damaged rollers can wear out your opener, so it’s best to replace them at least every seven years, though they may need replacing sooner. Check for bent shafts, worn-out bearings or broken wheels. You can remove and reinstall any roller brackets that aren’t attached to the cable system.
Regularly check the door’s cables for wear, especially near the bottom roller bracket. If you find any rust, damage or frayed strands, always call a qualified professional to repair or replace them.
4. Lubricate Moving Parts
Another twice-a-year task you can do to keep your garage door running smoothly is to lubricate all of the moving parts.
Use white lithium grease for the screw or chain in your opener. You can use a simple spray lubricant for all other parts. It’s best to use something formulated for garage doors rather than an all-purpose lubricant.
When it comes to the rollers, it’s important to remember that you should only lubricate steel rollers.
5. Clean the Tracks and Door
Clean tracks will keep your rollers in shape and help your opener run smoothly. You can use a Shop-Vac to clear away loose dirt and debris, then wipe the components down with a damp cloth or shop rag.
You’ll also want to make sure the door itself stays clean to maximize your curb appeal. Regularly check for peeling or chipped paint, rust spots or water damage. To keep it looking its best, wash your garage door with a gentle all-purpose cleaner whenever you wash your car.
Choosing the Best Garage Doors in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
The right garage door will enhance the beauty of your home while also increasing its value. Beyond the boost in curb appeal, an expertly installed high-quality door will help keep your home secure. The precise fit and built-in insulation will even keep your energy costs down, keeping your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
If you’re looking for a new garage door, Continental Door has Coeur d’Alene’s best selection of Clopay® doors. Our specialists will work with you to determine your budget, needs and design preferences and help you find the perfect garage door to fit your home.
Whether you want a contemporary or vintage design, clean simplicity or nostalgic inspiration, you’ll find what you’re looking for at Continental Door. We have a variety of materials to suit your preferences, including doors made of:
- Wood
- Steel
- Glass and aluminum
- Multi-layer composites
You can also customize your door to your specifications. Choose the color, window style and hardware design that will suit your new door best and make it truly yours.
Your Source for Garage Door Openers in Coeur d’Alene
Once you’ve found your perfect door, you’ll need a high-quality garage door opener to keep it working at peak performance. Continental Door has a selection of the best brands, including Linear® and LiftMaster®.
Powerful and quiet, Linear garage door openers are a safe, home-friendly choice. They use radio frequency remote controls to keep noise and vibration down even when lifting heavier doors.
LiftMaster garage door openers are energy efficient, durable and convenient. These openers come equipped with MyQ® technology, which can let you use your smartphone or smartwatch as your garage door opener. The MyQ® app also connects to other smart home devices.
Continental Door: Your Coeur d’Alene Garage Door Experts
Our team is here to do more than sell you doors. We’re also here to help with what you need. We have all the skills and resources to be your primary source for garage door services in Coeur d’Alene, with:
- Installation: Continental Door’s installation experts are here to install your beautiful new door, even if you bought it somewhere else. We’ll also haul your old door away after your installation’s finished.
- Service and repair: While you can handle aspects of your garage door maintenance yourself, some areas require an expert. For your safety, you should always call a qualified professional for issues with bent tracks, springs or cables. A Continental Door, we offer repair services for both garage doors and openers, as well as 24/7 emergency garage services in Coeur d’Alene.
- Parts in stock: Our service team keeps a supply of the best-functioning parts so we can get your repairs started right away. We have the hardware, motor parts and drive components to get your door or opener up and running right away.
Contact Continental Door, Co. for Garage Door Services
Whether you’re in the market for a beautiful new garage door or looking for the best Coeur d’Alene services for repairs or installation, Continental Door is here to help. Check out our selection of Clopay doors to find one that’s perfect for your home.
Questions? Give us a call at 509-921-2260, or you can contact us online. You can also request a free estimate or fill out a service request on our website.
