The Importance of Getting A Regular Garage Door Tune-Up!
Similar to your automobile, your garage door is made up of parts that need cleaning and maintenance at regular intervals for proper operation. These pieces all wear down over time which creates an audible, inefficient symphony until finally breaking completely. During a garage door tune-up, we double-check and do maintenance on all essential components including springs, rollers, tracks, and openers
- Routine tune-ups can
- Prevent emergency repairs
- Keep your garage door running for as long as possible
- Enhance door safety and functionality
- Reducing the likelihood of expensive damage fixes saves you money.
The inexpensive garage door tune-ups can keep your garage doors healthy and save you from expensive repair costs in the future.
1. Lubrication of Moving Parts
Regular lubrication of the moving parts is one of the simplest and low-cost maintenance steps you can follow. Without lubrication, metal-to-metal contact increases resulting in friction, rust, and an increase of abrasion. Keeping the springs, rollers and even the tracks lubricated prevents them from wearing out too soon and you have to replace them with a much more expensive part.
What to do:
What to avoid;
Expense:
2. Tightening Hardware
Over time, the nuts, bolts, and screws holding your garage door system together can become loose from regular usage. The loose hardware can cause misalignment, extra wear, and worst case damage in the other sections of the system. Adjustments like tightening all the nuts and bolts during a tune-up are simple but, oddly enough, your garage door is only as solid as the hardware holding it together.
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Look over the door and track system for any nuts and bolts, including the ones that connect the rail with brackets. Wrench them tight
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Always keep in mind to maintain the brackets which hold the tracks and also the roller equipment.
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Price: If you have the tools already, this will be free
3. Inspect and Clean the Tracks
Without adequate maintenance, dirt, and debris can accumulate in the door tracks over time and affect how smoothly the rollers move. A key part of any garage door tune-up is cleaning the tracks and making sure they are properly aligned. A door that rubs on its track or is filthy might get stuck and function badly, producing an even larger problem in the future.
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Wiping the tracks down with a clean, damp cloth to sweep away any dirt, dust, or debris.
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Look for dents or crimps in the rails and make sure they are straight. If you see considerable damage, call in a professional to make the necessary adjustments or do new installations
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Price: Free to clean; and $125-250 for professional alignment if necessary.
4. Test the Garage Door Balance
Imbalance is the leading cause of strata on opener systems and therefore leads to a higher rate of garage door services. Balancing your garage door is as important of a preventive maintenance task as anything else, and it will help your garage door operate relatively smoothly with less strain on the motor or springs.
- Pull the emergency release handle to disconnect the opener. Open the door manually halfway. If it returns upright, that means the stand is well-balanced. If it seems unbalanced, check the springs on the door.
- Call the experts at Affordable Garage Door Repair to come and balance your door correctly by adjusting the spring- this is something that could be hazardous for homeowners to do unprofessionally.
- Cost: Free to have it looked at; $75-$150 for a pro spring adjustment
5. Check the Cables and Springs
Both garage door cables and springs are two critical components that work together to open and close your garage door. Eventually, these components can degrade or wear out altogether with full-out catastrophic failure. This becomes the job for a professional to replace cables or springs but routine inspection will allow you to capture problems at earlier stages before it results in costlier repairs.
- Examine the cables for weak spots or strings popping out. Look out for any gaps and rust on the springs to find out if they are getting worn out.
- Take the time to check your cables or springs, and if anything is off, call Affordable Garage Door Repair to replace them before they break
- Cost: Free to have inspected; $150-$350 for professional cable or spring replacement.
6. Test the Auto-Reverse Feature
Auto-Reverse System – This feature allows the garage door to mechanically sense objects, pets, or people in the way of a closing door; preventing crush injuries and property damage. Make sure that you return this test at regular intervals, your garage door is functioning safely and this avoids accidents as well as expensive liability claims
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Place an object like a block of wood under the garage exercise and attempt to close it
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Auto-Reverse Not Performing: If an object is sensed in the way of your automatic garage door, it should reverse immediately; if it does not do that, your auto-reverse function may need to be adjusted — and your safety sensors might just need a good cleaning or realignment.
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If you still experiencing a problem… have someone check your sensors and make the proper adjustments for you.
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Free to test; professional sensor adjustment/repair is typically $100- $200.
7. Replace Weather Stripping
Garage Door weather stripping that’s located at the bottom helps protect your garage from dirt, drafts, and pests. With time the seal can crack or wear down, leading to drafts and higher energy bills. Worn weather stripping — Replacing worn weather stripping is a cost-effective way to improve insulation and protect your garage from adverse weather conditions
8. Book Professional Inspection Once Per Year
Although homeowners can take care of many maintenance tasks, it is advisable to have a professional garage door technician perform an annual tune-up to catch potential issues before they become costly repairs. A trusted Pro will inspect your entire garage door system, adjust as needed, and verify that all parts are in good working order.
Affordable Garage Door Repair provides commercial-grade garage door tune-up services that will help keep your systems in good working order for many years of service. The best way to ensure your garage door serves you well in the long term is to get regular, professional tune-ups.
What it costs: Tune-up services cost $75–a year up to about $150 a year and vary depending on the level of door maintenance required.
Conclusion
The key to avoiding costly repairs and extending the life of your garage window is simple and inexpensive – regular maintenance. With these preventive maintenance tips, you can help your garage door stay reliable in the long term, save money on expensive repairs, and keep your home safe and sound ointments.
One of the easiest and most recommended annual garage door maintenance procedures to perform on your garage doors is a simple tuneup. From a simple tune-up and lubrication to comprehensive system checks, our expert team delivers the best quality service at a price that works for you. Give us a call today to schedule your tune-up and that way you will see just how simple it is to keep up with and save some funds also.
