Because more people are home, some families have been focusing on home projects and ways to improve their homes and home comfort. With this in mind, we encourage homeowners to give the garage door some attention, as well, since it’s often the largest piece of moving machinery in their home.

 

Even as many of us are staying home, we are all looking toward the future with high hopes. For many people, their home is their primary investment, making it worthy of their attention and fiscal resources. The goal of this article is to help a homeowner decide the type of attention the garage door might warrant.

 

Home maintenance

 

Regular home garage maintenance and testing may be boring and tedious, but we assure you, they are essential and pay off handsomely when performed regularly. If completing your garage door maintenance isn’t your thing, scheduling periodic inspections by a professional is an alternative solution.

 

A professional inspection and tune-up

 

Periodic inspection and tune-up by a garage door professional will not only keep the garage door running at an optimal level, but may ward off an emergency service later. Those maintenance chores and tune-ups do save money and mishaps. One thing that we can all appreciate is that taking care of things, including garage doors, will make them last longer and work better.

 

Garage door repairs

 

Small repairs performed on a garage door can mitigate a big repair. Even a big repair can stave off the need to purchase a new garage door. No one thinks that a garage door repair can save them money, but that’s what most garage door repairs do–prevent an even-more catastrophic repair down the road.

 

Garage door replacement

 

There will come a time when the old garage door has met the end of its useful life. Perhaps because it has been damaged, or maybe because it’s outdated or worn out. Regardless of the cause, we can consult with you and help you select a garage door that will meet your needs. There is great comfort in knowing that a garage door has an enormous ROI if you decide to sell your home and will add to the value of your home if you’re staying put.

Whatever your garage door situation may be, it would be our pleasure to offer estimates for repairs and replacement and think that our tune-up service is pretty outstanding, too. A garage door is such a large and essential part of our home; it’s reasonable to add reviewing your garage door needs to your home chores list, particularly since many people use their garage door as the primary entrance to their home.

One of the things a homeowner can do now that the weather is cooler is to take a few moments to conduct some maintenance chores on the garage door. A functional garage door keeps possessions secure and families safe from the effects of a garage door malfunction. Here are a few maintenance chores a homeowner should regularly conduct to ensure top garage door function:

Force setting test
While the garage door is in the middle of traveling downward to close, catch the garage door bottom with your hands. If it doesn’t immediately go back up, the force setting may be too high. When the force setting is too high, it can be dangerous to vehicles, children, and pets, and can damage the door itself.

Infrared sensors
The infrared sensors are what make the garage door fly back up when you shut it because you left the broom on the ground beneath the door or because the family cat walked beneath it. The reverse feature works in two ways. The first is by sensing something there which shouldn’t be, such as the broom on the ground. They can also sense when something is moving beneath the garage door as it’s closing, such as the cat when he walks beneath the moving door.
Some people use a roll of paper towels beneath the door for the infrared sensor or reverse setting test. If the cardboard tube bends, the reverse setting needs adjustment.

Lubricate moving parts
The reason we don’t say ‘oil’ the parts is that we mean ‘lubricate,’ using lithium or silicone-based spray. Oil is unsuitable as a lubricant for several reasons. Start with the door closed, and the automatic opener motor is disconnected.

• As you open the door, lubricate each hinge at the bend in the track as you manually raise the door. Don’t forget all the places that move: pivot points, stems, locks, and nubs, and the armbar. Then lubricate the rollers if they’re metal, and any non-plastic ball bearings you can see.

Note: Plastic ball bearings require frequent replacement but not lubrication.

• Lubricate the ball bearings of the pulleys and the torsion springs.
• You can clean the chain and the track with WD 40 (remembering it isn’t a lubricant, it’s a cleaner.)
• Do not lubricate the chain, but do lubricate the top of the rail.
• Sealed pulleys and bearings require no lubrication.
• Do not lubricate the track.

These lubricating chores should be done twice a year. Test the force and reverse settings (infrared sensors) every other month. If the door fails the tests, or if it performs oddly, screeches in spite of lubrication, seems to pause, or stop-and-starts, give us a call. A garage door that requires repair can be dangerous to pets, automobiles, and families. We can get it working right in no time.

Arizona Garage Door and Repair serves the entire Phoenix metro area, providing a broad range of services, from the installation of your new garage door to replacement of broken torsion springs. We haven’t met a garage door or automatic opener that we won’t service! We also provide overhead garage storage solution systems to help you take back your garage. Get installation and repair projects done right, the first time, with the help of Arizona Garage Door and Repair by contacting us at (602) 396-4717.