Garage Door Maintenance You Can Do On Your Own
If you have a garage, you most likely use the garage door system every day. Because of this, it is important to make sure your system is running smoothly. There are many aspects of maintenance that should be left to professionals, but there are some steps you may be able to do on your own.
Test the balance of the door
First, disconnect the carriage from the belt or train. This can be done by closing the door completely and pulling the release handle. Next, open the door halfway. If it remains there, it should be balanced. If it moves down again, you should call a garage door repair company to take a look at it. Finally, re-engage the carriage by moving the handle towards the opener.
Conduct a safety contact reversal test
Open your garage door and center a 2 x 4 underneath it. Once the door reaches the piece of wood, it should stop and go back up. If it does not, you can try adjusting the force control limit by following the instructions in the manual. This is an issue that should be fixed to prevent injury and property damage.
Verify the eye sensors are working correctly
First, check to make sure these components are aligned. There are usually lights that will be engaged if the sensors are placed correctly. Then, close the door and wave something between the sensors as it is moving. If they are aligned and working well, the door should stop and go back up. Be sure to clean the sensors with a damp cloth or cotton swab to keep them free of dust and debris.
Maintain the hardware on your garage door
You can start doing this by lubricating the hinges and making sure everything is properly tightened. Then, clean the tracks with carburetor or brake cleaner. Never use lubricant on the tracks, as this can cause the garage door to slip and become unbalanced.
Check the tension in the belt and chain
Over time, the belt or chain on your system can become saggy, but this can be fixed. Here are the steps you can take to repair the issue.
- Open your garage door midway and then disengage the system.
- Next, manually close the door.
- Loosen the nuts on the turnbuckle and rotate the part counter-clockwise until there is no slack. Make sure that the belt is ¼-inch from the bottom of the rail.
- Finally, tighten the nuts back and open the garage door to re-engage the turnbuckle.
Contact a professional garage door repair company
If you aren’t comfortable with working on your garage door or would like the help of an expert, contact Integrity Overhead Door in Amarillo. You can reach us at (806) 418-5237 or Contact Us by email to learn more about our services, including Garage Door Repair and Broken Spring Replacement.