Your garage door opens and closes every day without issues, so it’s understandable if you forget it needs some TLC. Spend ten minutes doing these inspections every month so you can avoid expensive issues down the line, keep your car secure, and eliminate that annoying noise that disturbs the whole neighborhood.
1. Check the Auto-Reverse Function
Most people do not bother checking this, despite this feature being a safety necessity. As the door closes, place something solid and inexpensive underneath it, like a thick piece of wood or a brick. The door should close, make contact, and then reverse.
If the door closes and doesn’t reverse or does it at a slower rate, the sensor needs to be adjusted or replaced. This is to avoid your vehicle being damaged beyond repair, but it is also relevant for kids and animals that can be at the wrong place at the wrong time. It takes less than a minute to do this test for a mechanism that can avoid unnecessary accidents.
2. Look for Wear on Cables and Springs
Park inside your garage and take a close look at the cables that run up the sides and the springs that are located above. You are looking for fraying on cables and rust on the springs. If you see any signs of these issues, have a professional fix them before they break.
A broken spring makes a loud noise and keeps your door stuck. A snapped cable is worse, and also a lot more dangerous. The door can slam shut, and the springs are under extremely high tension. Don’t make the problem worse by having a go at the repairs yourself, but at least you noticed the issues and can get them fixed at your convenience, rather than having to deal with an emergency.
3. Grease the Moving Parts
Anything that gets moved should have grease on it. Garage door spray works best, but even WD-40 should do the trick. A quick spray on the rollers, hinges, and tracks will take you under 2 minutes and will save you from the loud screeching when opening the garage door.
There’s a significant improvement in performance if everyone does this at least monthly. The motor works easier and won’t have to exert as much energy, the components have longer lifespans, and it won’t disturb the neighbours when leaving for work at 6am. Just don’t overdo it – a little goes a long way.
- Check the Weatherstripping
That rubber seal along the bottom of your door keeps water, wind, and dirt out of your garage. Over time, it’s going to dry out, crack, or just get damaged from the going up and down motion of the door.
Feel along the door seal to see if there are any gaps or sections that are not as smooth as it should be. If you can see daylight under a closed door, water’s getting in. Water in your garage means dampness, rust formation on your car, and possibly mould neg growing on anything stored in there.
Weatherstripping is only 20 to 30 pounds and can be done in 20 minutes. That’s much better than the price you are going to pay for rust repairs on your car down the road.
- Clean the Sensors
Most modern garage doors have sensors at the bottom that stop the door from closing if there is something in the way. These are small boxes on either side of the door, and they get covered in dust, cobwebs, and dirt.
Every month, use a cloth to wipe them down. If there’s a lot of dirt, the door will either be unable to close all the way or will stop itself partway down. While you’re down there, be sure to check that they **are** still pointed at each other; they will need to be in line to function properly.
Why Bother?
These checks will take you five minutes, less time than it would take to brew a cup of tea, and they will prevent you from getting stuck with a door that will not open when you are in a rush to get to the office. Additionally, you will be able to prevent minor issues from escalating to costly emergencies.
A callout to repair your garage will cost you over £80 **before** they fix anything. If you take ten minutes each month to do these checks, you will not have to pay for a callout. Plus, your car will be protected, dry, and secure, which is the entire purpose of a garage.
Set a reminder on your phone for the first Sunday of each month. Make it a part of your routine just like checking your car’s oil or washing fluid. This way, you garage door will keep working, your car will stay safe, and you avoid unpleasant surprises.