Last Updated on August 28, 2024 by teamobn
Keeping your overhead doors in exceptional condition does more than improve your property’s curb appeal. It ensures that the overhead door functions properly without breaking down when unexpected.
When well serviced or maintained, your overhead garage door can keep your family members and properties safe all year round. However, before you even consider maintaining or servicing your garage door, you need to understand its mechanism.
6 Maintenance Tips for Overhead Garage Doors
Unlike most doors, overhead units have a complex mechanism with numerous parts that help them move up and down. You may have to do more than clean or scrub its visible panels to keep it functioning. For instance, these units come with unique springs that counterbalance the doors’ weight, making it easier for them to open.
The torsion springs lift or lower the door, while the exterior springs provide the needed force to lift the door when opening. Without proper maintenance and timely replacement, the springs can get damaged, making it hard for the door to open.
In the worst-case scenario, the heavy doors can slide and fall on your car while entering or exiting the garage. Here are a few maintenance tips that can keep your overhead door functioning for years while preventing accidents.
Regularly Inspect and Tighten the Door’s Hardware
Your overhead door moves up and down several times a day, causing vibrations that loosen some of its hardware. These loose nuts and bolts tend to rattle, resulting in the door being too loud when opening or closing. The noise can also be caused by grinding metal parts rubbing against each other when the door is functioning.
If you notice these noises, you should inspect the brackets, bolts, and nuts. If they have loosened, you should tighten them using a socket wrench, being careful not to over-tighten them. Pay attention to all the bolts and roller brackets connecting the rails to the supporting brackets.
This simple maintenance tip can prevent minor issues from turning into expensive repairs. Remember, a loose nut can force some parts to rub on each other when opening, resulting in wear and tear. It can also keep your overhead doors as steady as when they were installed.
Lubricate All Moving Parts
If the noises are caused by loose bolts and nuts, you should inspect the movable parts. Friction is one of the major enemies of an overhead door’s movable parts. To fix this issue, you can lubricate its movable parts, which include springs, hinges, bearings, and rollers. Remember, these movable parts must be lubricated twice per year.
You can lubricate the opener’s screw or chain using lithium-based grease. If the torsion springs are exposed, you can lubricate them using silicone spray. These springs rub against each other when opening and can produce some noise.
Instead of lubricating its tracks, you can wipe them after every few days. Debris, grime, and dirt accumulate on the tracks, preventing the door from moving. Clean these tracks using a damp piece of cloth instead of harsh chemicals that can damage the metal.
Additionally, it’s crucial that you never apply WD-40 to the overhead door’s movable parts, as it can de-grease them, resulting in severe damage.
Check the Balance of Your Overhead Garage Door
At times, your overhead door can become misaligned, resulting in it overworking every time it’s opened or closed. A misaligned door produces noises and won’t function properly. This problem is normally caused by worn-out springs that can’t carry your door’s weight evenly.
To confirm if the door is balanced, disconnect its opener and lower it halfway. If it stays in place after being lowered, then it is balanced. However, if it rises or falls, the spring may need to be aligned.
Unfortunately, fixing this issue yourself can be quite challenging; you may need the help of a garage door repair company. The torsion springs support a lot of tension, and if mishandled, they can leave you with severe injuries. A professional can align it and replace a worn-out torsion spring.
Test the Overhead Door’s Auto-Reverse Safety Feature
This unique safety feature prevents accidents by reversing your door whenever there is an obstruction in its path. Make sure you test this feature once every month or after making any adjustments to the overhead door. Simply place a 2 by 4-inch board under the garage door while it’s opened and lower it.
If it’s functioning properly, it should reverse as soon as it strikes the obstruction. If it doesn’t reverse within two seconds of hitting the obstruction, you need to contact a professional or check the manual for guidance.
Inspect or Replace Weatherstrippings
The weather strippings play a key role in maintaining your home’s temperature. These features keep pests, water, and dirt out of your garage. During summer and winter, the weather strippings can keep your home’s temperature constant.
If you live in places affected by heavy rains, these features can prevent water from getting into the garage and damaging your properties. Unfortunately, they tend to wear out and crack with time, so you should inspect them regularly.
Weatherstripping has a short lifespan and should be replaced once every year. When inspecting them, you should ensure that cold air isn’t passing through them. Simply stand inside your garage and switch off the lights. If some light peeks through the weather-stripping, then you need to install them properly.
Regular Inspection and Cleaning
Cleaning your overhead door can greatly improve its functionality. Grab some soapy water and scrub the tracks and the door’s exterior panels. Before cleaning the door, inspect it for signs of wear and tear.
You can also inspect it for any form of rust that can prevent the door from functioning properly. Regular cleaning can prevent debris from building up on the door’s tracks and causing bigger problems in the future.
Endnote
While the above DIY maintenance tips are important, a professional overhead door expert can catch any issue that you may have overlooked. They can inspect the rollers, cables, and springs. They also know all the causes of overhead door problems and can help you prevent some of them. On top of that, handling the torsion springs can be dangerous for an inexperienced professional, so you should schedule a maintenance check at least once per year.
