Learn how often your garage door should be serviced and what to watch for. Schedule garage door maintenance and repair in Brainerd, MN.
You use your garage door several times every day.
People overlook Garage Door Maintenance until something stops working.
Regular Garage Door Maintenance can help identify worn components and keep the door operating smoothly.
It also reduces the chances of an unexpected problem that could leave your vehicle stuck inside or outside garage.
So, how often should you have your garage door serviced?
For most residential garage doors, having the system inspected and serviced about once a year is a good general guideline.
Your garage door is a complete system made up of springs, cables, rollers, tracks, hinges, an opener and other components. Each time the door opens and closes, these parts experience wear.
A professional inspection provides an opportunity to identify components that are becoming worn before they cause a larger problem.
Homes where the garage door is used frequently may benefit from more frequent attention.
Garage door maintenance involves more than simply making sure the door opens.
Several components should be inspected to determine whether the entire system is operating correctly.
Garage door springs do much of the work involved in lifting the weight of the door.
Springs wear over time and can eventually break. A technician can inspect the spring system for signs of wear or problems that may affect operation.
Because garage door springs operate under significant tension, spring adjustment and replacement should be left to trained professionals.
Cables are another important part of the garage door lifting system.
Fraying, corrosion or other visible cable damage shouldn’t be ignored. A damaged cable can affect how the door operates and may eventually fail.
Rollers allow the garage door to move along its tracks while hinges allow individual sections of the door to move as it opens and closes.
Worn rollers can contribute to noisy or rough operation.
Garage door tracks should remain properly aligned and securely attached.
Bent, damaged or misaligned tracks can cause the door to bind, shake or operate unevenly.
The opener should also be checked for proper operation.
This includes observing how the opener moves the door and making sure safety features are functioning properly.
Minnesota weather makes the seals around a garage door particularly important.
The bottom seal and weatherstripping help reduce drafts and prevent snow, water, dirt and debris from entering the garage.
Damaged or deteriorated seals may need replacement.
Garage doors in the Brainerd Lakes Area experience conditions that can be tough on moving equipment.
Winter brings freezing temperatures, snow and ice, while Minnesota summers bring heat and humidity. Those seasonal changes can affect garage door components throughout the year.
Fall can be a particularly good time to have your garage door inspected.
Finding a worn component before temperatures drop is much more convenient than discovering a garage door problem on a freezing January morning.
Annual maintenance is a useful guideline, but you shouldn’t wait for a scheduled inspection if your garage door begins behaving differently.
Consider scheduling garage door service if you notice:
Changes in how the garage door sounds or operates can be early indications that something needs attention.
There are a few simple things homeowners can do.
Keep the area around the garage door tracks clear, watch for visible damage and periodically observe the door while it opens and closes.
You can also keep snow and ice cleared from around the bottom of the door during winter.
However, certain garage door components shouldn’t be treated as DIY maintenance items.
Springs and cables operate under substantial tension. Adjusting, removing or replacing them without the proper equipment and experience can be dangerous.
If you’re unsure about a component, having it professionally inspected is the safer option.
Garage door components eventually wear out. Maintenance can’t eliminate normal wear, but it can help catch problems earlier.
Replacing a worn component during scheduled service is generally preferable to discovering the problem when you’re trying to leave for work and the garage door won’t open.
Regular inspections can also help keep the door operating smoothly and give you a better idea of the overall condition of the system.
Whether your garage door needs routine service or you’ve noticed something isn’t operating correctly, we can inspect the system, identify potential problems and recommend the appropriate service.
Ready to have your garage door checked? Contact Access Garage Door to schedule garage door service in the Brainerd Lakes Area.
