Routine Garage Door Maintenance Tasks

Invented in the early 1920’s, the garage door has transformed the lives of homeowners nationwide, yet it receives very little respect. In a two-career household, where school aged children are present, you can count on the garage door smoothly opening and securely closing more than 1,500 times during the course of a year.

For many, the garage door is actually their front door, as it provides increased convenience and security. Just drive up, park, and enter through the service entrance – it really can’t get any easier than that. Whether new or old, your garage door’s safety is paramount, especially if you want to ensure its continued performance – and your peace of mind.

The average life span of a garage door is approximately thirty years when properly maintained. The automatic garage door opener tends to last 10 to 15 years. The life expectancy of the garage door springs is determined on your usage as they’re estimated in terms of cycles (typically 10,000) rather than years. These numbers, however, are solely contingent on the manufacturer.

In 1993, federal law mandated the use of electronic safety eyes be included on all automatic garage door openers, sold after this date. Located 6 inches above the garage floor, the safety eyes instruct the door to automatically reverse should something, or someone obstruct their beam. This ensures the safety of your pets and loved ones. If your opener doesn’t feature this; replace it immediately!

Truth be told, a malfunctioning garage door is a human affliction, one that has increased in severity the busier and faster-paced we’ve become. Routine garage door maintenance can help you extend the life your garage door, and its related components, as well as save money on costly repairs. Keeping your door in top shape is quite easy. Perform the following tests and maintenance monthly.

Reversal Test: With the door fully open, place a 2×4 (or similar size object) on the floor, centered directly under the door. Operate the door in the down direction. When the door hits the object, it should immediately reverse direction. Never attempt to stop the door using your hands or a object. If the door fails to reverse direction, halt further use, and contact a professional repair technician.

Door Balance and Alignment: With the door fully closed, disengage the garage door opener from the door itself, by simply pulling the red manual release rope straight down and then back towards the motor. Once disengaged, lift the door about 3 or 4 feet above the ground with your hands and let go. If the door stays open, then it’s properly balanced, but if it closes then you’ll need to contact a professional.

Visual Inspection: Thoroughly inspect the various components of your garage door system (i.e. the door and opener) once per month. This simple act is one of the best ways to prevent malfunction. Should you spot anything amiss, contact a professional, and schedule service. Never attempt to repair or replace any worn parts without the help of a professional.

Proper Lubrication: The International Door Association recommends regularly lubricating all of the moving components of your garage door during maintenance. You should, however, refrain from lubricating any plastic components. A high-quality silicone lubricant is a good choice – anything heavier will only work to attract more dirt and grime. A light coat is all you need.

Prevent Your Door from Breaking Down

Garage Door Maintenance Tips

A garage seems like such a simple-looking mechanism. At just one push of a button you can tell your garage to open or close. That’s pretty powerful! While a garage is easy to work with when it’s functioning properly, if there are any signs of a broken garage spring or off track garage door, you should be careful. You should not attempt any major garage door repairs by yourself. Although, there ARE a few maintenance tips you can keep up with! Our hope is to help you prevent future garage door issues.

Have you done all of these yet?

Lubrication

A noisy garage door is extremely annoying, and totally unnecessary! Most people think that you can spray a little WD-40 on your garage door springs and tracks and the sound will vanish. We’re here to set the record straight! WD-40 was not designed to be a long-term lubricant. Lithium or silicone lubricate spray’s are designed to work with the metal parts, chains, and rollers on your garage door.

Track cleansing

Sometimes people assume that your garage track needs lubrication, when that’s not always the case. Adding lubricant can actually attracted more dust and interfere with how your garage is operating. Use a damp cloth to wipe down the tracks, that should take care of your cleaning needs. If there is more of a sticky residue on your track, it is a good idea to use a solvent metal cleaner.

Realigning Garage Door Sensors

If you garage door has randomly stopped opening or closing, we recommend checking your garage door sensors first. You will find your garage sensors at the bottom of both sides of your garage door. These are little but important aspects to a properly running garage. Make sure your garage sensors are aligned and that no obstructions are blocking their ability to work.

These are just little, but helpful tips to be mindful of while caring for your garage! For more information, your ARIZONA GARAGE DOOR company can help you with all of your garage door questions and needs!

Call us at: 602-396-4717

Fancy Garage Flooring

So many times when we think of home improvements we think of kitchen remodels or back yard makeovers. People rarely think of upgrading their garage to match the rest of their home upgrades. Your garage door floor most likely is the most warn down part of your home. If you take a peek out into your garage and you see oil stains, tire marks, and scuffs on the floor, we have some great solution for you.

Choosing to paint your garage floor will not only enhance the whole look of your garage, but with the right paint it can actually make it spill resistant. So you get showroom quality with added practicality!

The most crucial part of painting your garage floor, is the preparation! It happens to be the easiest part to underestimate. Make sure you remove and equipment or extra storage containers that are laying around your garage. Prepare the floor by sweeping dust and derbies from all the crack and crevasse. Once you are finished, hose off the floor to insure that you will create a smooth surface for your paint job. Let it dry overnight so you aren’t working with damp concrete.

You will most likely see a lot of options for garage floor paints when you go to your local hardware store. Don’t be overwhelmed. We have found that epoxy is the best choice to go with. (You can always consult one of the representatives that work there if you get lost) Choose the best fit for your home, and something that won’t go out of style over time.

Choose a day with nice weather, around 50 to 80 degrees outside, and then paint away. You should be left with a beautiful showroom quality garage floor!

For more information on garage door repairs or replacements, visit us at:
ARIZONA GARAGE DOOR & REPAIR

Helpful Garage Door Tips

Garage Door Tips

Here is a garage door safety tip that could save you tons of money. What does a garage and a pool noodle have in common? They both can protect your car!

In this picture, you can see how the pool noodle should line the side of your garage wall in order to prevent your door from being dinged or dented. Although it may take some time to cut and install the noddle onto the wall, it could save you the hassle of repairing your car door later on.

This tip will only be helpful if your garage door is working properly. To make sure your garage door is fully functional, call us for regular garage door maintenance or for any other major garage door repairs. Keeping up with smaller garage door repairs can help you avoid spending more, later on.

We are one of Arizona and Tucson’s leading garage door service providers. Use a name you trust! For more information on quotes and to schedule an appointment, call us today:

“My Garage Door Won’t Open”

The phrase we hear most often is, “My garage door won’t close!” When your garage door stops working, it never comes at a convenient time and it is always frustrating. We want to be the source of relief in your life by helping you troubleshoot the problem. Before you start yelling at your garage door, and before you ram your car through it, let us help!

1} Lock-out Button

The first thing we encourage our customers to do, is to double check the lock button on the opener on their wall. Sometimes this button can accidentally be pushed causing your garage door to be locked and unable to open.

2} Sensor Alignment

Another reason your garage door may not be opening and closing is because of unaligned garage door sensors. The sensors are located at the front part of your garage door towards the bottom. These can get bumped/moved by items in your garage, but don’t worry, it’s an easy fix! If you try aligning the sensor yourself and it still doesn’t work, give us a call immediately. We can send one of our technicians to help resolve the issue.

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